All forms of media have addressed that we are in an economic crisis. The words economy and stress are words that have become like the front and back of a hand in this generation: they go together. As an expert in human behavior and the relationship dynamic between people, including the relationship one has with one’s own self, one’s work, one’s identity, and one’s accomplishments, I, Dr. Karen Ruskin strongly believe that the economic crisis plays a significant role in the mental health and well being of individuals, couples, children, and the entire family dynamic. We and our family are affected in the short term and long term by one’s life experiences that are in our control and out of our control, so we darned well better make wise choices as individuals and as a society!
Blue collar workers, middle management, top executives, each report being touched by and showing signs of stress tied to the economy. There is a direct link between financial stress and familial and individual health and well being. In addition to a person and family experiencing financial challenges, how adults cope with, communicate about, and what choices they make with regards to their financial challenge has everything to do with how they feel emotionally and physically as well as how their family feels. The mind and the body are connected as are the members within the family unit.
Lay offs, lay offs, and more lay offs, these are common words for this generation. I am going to offer in today’s blog questions for you the reader to think about.
1. What are we as a culture doing about this economic problem?
2. What choices are we making to help improve this problem as individuals, as businesses?
3. What choices are we making to exacerbate this problem?
4. How does unemployment affect peoples choices to go back to work?
5. Are the people you know that have been laid off motivated to find a job, any job just to be working and feel self reliant? Or, rather are far too many people not willing to work just any job and believe that the government should take care of them?
6. Do you feel who is in political power impacts the economy? We must start thinking hard now about our choices for who our political leaders will be in our future so we make judicious choices.
6. What is your work ethic?
7. Do you feel that most companies are loyal to their hard working employees or is there a lack of loyalty?
8. Do you feel you cope fairly well with financial challenges?
Consider these questions, as it is the choices one makes in one’s relationship with one’s ‘work-self’ that cannot not impact one’s sense of self, self worth, and the entire family dynamic. If you are married, how your spouse interacts with you is impacted by the personal responsibility and ownership that you do or do not take for your work. If you have children, what they learn from you in terms of work ethic in who they are in their youth as well as what they learn in terms of how to function as an adult has everything to do with your words and actions that you are or are not taking when it comes to employment. How you cope with your work situation, whatever it may be affects your mental health and your families.