subject: Recession - Are YOU Having a 'Self-Pity' Party? - Or - Are YOU Going to Make Things Happen For Yourself? by:Barbara Filla [print this page] I just read in local newspaper about the Depression Era of 1929 thru 1941 or close. Yes, I said 1941 because there was over 10% unemployment for that long a period of timeand as high as 25%.
History tells us that President Roosevelt never did succeed in getting our country out of the 1929 Recession. It was World War II that got us out of that Depression, not the New Deal. This may surprise some people who didn't find out the truth, the real history. So be it.
What did we learn from the Depression Era which will help us today? I have heard many times the life of real Americans like my parents, aunts and uncles and others during that time. In the later 1940s I remember my Mom talking about food rationing, even the basics like sugar. My parents, like many of the people who went through the Depression and aftermath learned to be creative, and to use common sense which we are lacking so much today. They learned to change, to substitute, to create, to use over, to save, to use wisely, to be content with less, to survive, and also to thrive in their heart. Those times are when people access the best within themselves because they go back to the basic needs of people: to share and care for each other, to love each other, to laugh, encourage and support each other.
Some basic lessons we can learn from Depression Era People
The real American people interviewed and spotlighted in today's newspaper articles tell how people survived the Depression Era:
1. People took responsibility for themselves, meaning they would do any kind of work, go anywhere to earn a living and livelihood to make it through hard times. Kinda puts many of us to shame as we want ONLY work we considerable desirable, challenging, with good pay, benefits, on and on. We are real sissies!
2. They were creative and made the most of what they had. One woman told of how she made socks for her family from old worn wrist bands of underwear. Another person told of having only one-half of an egg for breakfast.
Several others told how every person in the family pitched in. Adults and children too, even at 7 years of age, got jobs or created jobs for themselves to gather money for the family, not for themselves. People picked potatoes for 5 cents per bushel, picked all day long to fill 100 to 150 bushels each day.
Many people started a business to serve the needs at that time, with many of businesses turning out to be lifelong careers and successful businesses. They took the potatoes to town and walked door to door to sell them. That's creativity, entrepreneurialism, taking responsibility for oneself.
Can we today do these kinds of things? Things relevant in todays' society and for our needs? Certainly, everyone of us with good basic health can do this. But will we? Or are we sissies used to having the 'niceties' of life kinda just present and available to us, or even handed out to us FREE?
Each of those people had to take responsibility, they had to be accountable for themselves. That's a good thing as it developed strong character, good work ethic, and other characteristics, attitudes and a mindset which built our great country to where it is today in terms of lifestyle, conveniences and much more.
Solutions
What we need today is to get back to those effective principles and values that preserve our freedom, liberty, and our responsibility to ourselves, family, neighbors and world.
*** Take responsibility for ourself and our family.
*** Be willing to work, willing to do whatever it takes, on a consistent, persistent basis.
*** Eliminate the 'bad habits' we've accumulated over the years, such as greed, taking whatever is available free, even if we don't really need it (this is waste of money and resources).
*** Change our "stinkin thinking' of excess, whining, expecting life and all its good things to be handed to us on a platter with no or minimal effort put forth on our part.
*** Develop and use a positive mindset that we can and WILL get through any and all challenges that appear in our path during your journey through life.
*** Learn and apply the motto that "Everything (with certain exceptions like immoral, illegal) in moderation is good. Everything in excess is bad!" We've been living in excess we could not afford and it is up to us to get rid of the excess and live as we can afford.
*** We must earn our lifestyle. Learn from the people who lived in the Depression era - they are the success role models for us.
We must EARN our lifestyle and livelihood.
Why are these principles the cornerstone for our success today and the future? People thrive mentally, emotionally, physically, and in wealth when they achieve, when they work, when they are productive. On the contrary, people lose heart, lose hope, feel helpless and give up when they lose their self-esteem and pride in themselves when they accept hand-outs.
Let's stop being whimps, whinners, expecting others to rescue us from bad decisions we make.
Instead let's take action and do what works! Let's act with integrity and honesty, learn from our mistakes, take individual responsibility for our future, start a business or grow one we currently have. Refer to Happiness, Success and Wealth Blog for more valuable information on business and life topics.
Barbara Filla Life Style Mentor and Successful Entrepreneur, is helping many become the next success story. Whether you're looking to create an extra few thousand dollars per month, be an ex-corporate executive, or the next millionaire Mom, Barbara can assist you to create a second stream of income and greater peace of mind. For more information visit : Financial Freedom
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