Thriving In Insecure Times

I almost didn’t write this blog about thriving in insecure times.

Background

My initial intent was to help us all deal more effectively with these insecure times. As I began to think about this topic, I came to realize the frequency and magnitude of insecure times I have experienced during my almost eight decades on this earth. Here are a few that came to mind with a matter of minutes:

• Korean War
• Kennedy assainations
• Nixon impeachment
• Vietnam War
• Cold War
• Interest rates of 12% in the early 1970s
• Interest rates of 21% in the early 1980s
• Movement of manufacturing overseas
• Y2K concerns
• Subprime mortgage crisis of the late 2000s
• 2008: worst recession in seven decades
• Afghanistan War
• Centuries-old middle east conflict
• Covid
• Chaotic current administration

Given more time and a little research, I’m certain I could come up with many more times and reasons for us to feel insecure.

The realization that we are always living in insecure times almost caused me to drop the idea of writing this blog about thriving in insecure times.

Then it dawned on me that the fact that insecurity is an ever-present reality is precisely the reason why we should be discussing how to thrive despite the insecurities we face, regardless of the source of that insecurity.

Thriving

People often comment on how calm I remain regardless of how frantic those around me are and how chaotic the situation might be. Here are the things that enable me to remain calm:

First, my experience has been that good always prevails in the long run. That’s because good energizes, creating ever-increasing levels of abundance, while evil drains energy to the point that it (evil) implodes.

Second, while I cannot recite the serenity prayer (below) from memory, I have adopted the message and focus solely on those things I can control.

Serenity prayer

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference.”

I can control how I treat others, how I can be there for them in their times of need, fear, doubt and insecurity. I can help them overcome the obstacles they face and help them realize their dreams more quickly and effectively.

I cannot control what politicians are doing other than with my vote…a tool I use religiously. Nor can I control the sensationalism spread through social media and news media.

Third, I’ve adopted a mindset that I’ve never seen perfection so there must be a better way…and I keep looking for that better way. Once I find it I employ what I learned for my welfare as well as the welfare of others.

Fourth, I control the information I take in. I realize that the goal of both social and news media today is to trigger emotions and keep the public emotionally tense (insecure). I filter information I get from any source by ignoring sensationalization and seeking facts that can be verified.

Often the information we’re fed by both social media and news media is incomplete and, sadly, biased.

These four things help me remain calm in the face of whatever insecurity the current timeframe offers.

Takeaways

Each timeframe includes periods of insecurity, albeit in different forms and with differing levels of intensity.

The keys to thriving in insecure times include:

• Remembering that good always prevails in the long run.
• Using the serenity prayer to help you identify the things you can control and those you can’t.
• Using your time and talents to improve others’ lives.
• Realize that perfection doesn’t exist in human endeavors so there must be a better way…then employ these better ways to enrich the lives of others.
• Control the information you take in, i.e. filter out the sensationalism so that facts become more apparent.

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