I entertain myself, over breakfast tea and toast (it's that Brit background!), with clicking between BBC, CNN, CBC, MSNBC, BNN, CNBC, etc., in an effort to get some sense of balanced news. I live in an area with a weekly newspaper, no local t.v. or radio.
This morning appeared to be an alert about impending social unrest.
About six years ago, I had a client (still has a home here) who predicted that there would be an enormous downturn ahead, and he felt it could end up with "blood in the streets" (his words), as people would not be used to a culture of doing without.
I thought about him, this morning.
The implication of the news flashes, on more than one channel, was that unrest was an inevitable outcome of the economic downturn, and it was already evident in some places.
So much fear out there...fear of losing jobs, fear of one's savings evaporating, fear of food shortages, fear of...
This general undertone of malaise affects us all. As realtors, we can see that fear causes inaction, especially in a secondary home/discretionary environment, where one can put a purchase "on hold".
As people, though, beyond our job descriptions, fear can cause lack of sleep, depression, fatigue, and result in ill health. So important, then, to check in with those we work with, and to make sure that they are in a good space. Important to share our own concerns with others, and not to let it 'bottle up'.
Essential to walk in nature, to observe the natural world, to appreciate a sunrise or a sunset, to eat more salads and less fast food, to take a multivitamin pill against stress, to mediate or take up yoga for relaxation if not inspiration, to...whatever it is that allows us to decompress.
We are all divers in this strange new world, and we need to remember to check our breathing tanks, keep the equipment in good order, and not be afraid to drift with the current into new territories...change, remember, is the only constant in life.