Thursday, August 30, 2012

Self-Reliance 1: Hope During Hard Times

For some reason/s, this blog is attracting writers abroad requesting if they can guest post here. I am sorry, I apologize, to those people who earlier wrote me about this which I was lazy enough to even reply to them. Very often my mind wanders on many things and I forget to respond to some emails, especially from people I have not met before.

Two weeks ago, I received another email from Ms. Dana Le Roy of guestpostu.com, asking if they can submit a guest contribution. Wanting to reduce my previously laziness to respond to such requests, I replied Yes.

Below is an article about self reliance. This is consistent with one of the major advocacies of Minimal Government Thinkers and this blog -- more personal and parental/civil society responsibility, less government responsibility. And we can build a more just, more dynamic, less coercion society. Enjoy reading.
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Finding Hope During the Tough Times

From losing your job to facing people with seriously different political views than yourself, you've likely gone through some tough times in recent years. Sometimes, we expect other people to offer us aid and assistance. However, in the end, all we really have is ourselves and our own power to make the situation better. How can accepting this frequent truth help to improve your own life? Turning to self-reliance is often the answer.

Mind Over Matter

It's a common phrase and pretty much a cliche at this point, but maybe some truth lies in these words. Look at what the problem really is. Are you letting yourself get down every day because you're on a seemingly endless job hunt? Are those negative feelings holding you back? Try to channel those feelings into something positive. Instead of spending an hour a day wondering about why you don't have a job, use that time to send out even more resumes. Furthermore, focus on the fact that economies have historically turned around after downfalls. It's not likely that the economy will remain this way forever.

Look Back

Have you found your way through difficult times before? You've probably had the strength to recover from some major pitfalls in the past. Reflect on them, and remind yourself that you survived before and that you will again. Additionally, think about the strategies that you employed last time to put an end to the mess you were in. Consider whether these will work now, and use the past as a learning experience. When someone is challenging your political beliefs, it's importance to turn to self-reliance. Examine your self, and consider why you have those political beliefs in the first place. You'll remain how they started and why they are so important to you, and the side of the campaign won't matter anymore.

Find Your Faith

If you feel alone, turn to whatever higher power in which you believe. Even if you don't consider yourself religious, you can still be spiritual. Have some quiet time every day to pray and reflect. You might consider joining a church, temple, mosque or other house of worship. Sometimes, simply being with other people who are also praying for good to come can be an extremely comforting experience especially when problems such as war or loss of jobs are impacting an entire community. Even when you don't receive exactly what you pray for, having time periods of reflection allow you to understand some of the reasons why. You may eventually see why certain negative situations have occurred in your life. You're relying on yourself to pray, but you're also opening the door for a higher power.

"I Can" Moments

When you're feeling down about a particular situation, you might feel as though you cannot possibly ever do anything again. You might feel completely depressed about your talents and abilities because you cannot find a job in this economy. Instead of fretting so much, put them to good use. For example, let's say you're an art teacher who cannot find a job. Don't let your talent go to waste. Offer a free art session for budding artists in the community, or take an advanced art class offered in your neighborhood. Simply feeling as though you have power can really invigorate you and remind you that you have a lot of worth. Get out there and do something with your life.

People fall into tough times for all different sorts of reasons. There are going to be days where you do feel completely negative. However, it's important to not allow those feelings and emotions to completely take over your being. Remember, you might not have power over what happens out there, but you do have control over your mind.

Karmen Hall writes about self help, personal finance & more at http://flowerdelivery.net.
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See also:
CSOs and State 11: Rights and Responsibilities, Liberal Civil Society, July 11, 2010
Welfarism 14: Hard Work vs. Dependence, the Pacquiao Experience, January 30, 2012
Welfarism 16: Bailing Out Lazy and Irresponsible People, February 27, 2012
Welfarism 17: Personal Irresponsibility and Government, March 15, 2012
Rotary Notes 4: Citizen Self Reliance, Public Image, July 16, 2012\

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