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The current hardship is real, and we didn’t have to wait for a confirmation of recession after two quarters of negative economic growth to know. We had been walking into it for years with eyes blindfolded by politics, despite the age-long fact that politics is often a major distraction to sound economic policy implementation. The present administration keeps on assuring us that it will soon be over, but over the years, Nigerian governments have conditioned people not to trust them. Promises after promises have remained unfulfilled, leaving a high credibility deficit. That is why in spite of President Buhari’s high credibility rating, people are still nervous about the current economic situation. And even love is under threat.
Now, we are all neck deep in economic hardships, and the rich are also crying, although the poor cries more. But the real life we preach on this page requires that we see the recession as a variable we have no direct or immediate control over in our private lives. Such is life, there are some variables, outside our immediate control and when they cause hardships, there is no use of a pity-party. We have to work out survival strategies.
Recession survival strategies
Yes, the authorities need to know there is suffering in the land, but we also need to work on personal survival strategies. It has been observed by experts that we often forget to look for opportunities in tough times because fear makes us focus on risk and danger. However, sometimes, it is in uncertain times that we can find the greatest opportunities.
One of the experts, Mary Jaksch, lists some of the strategies as:
Dealing with reality: When things get tough, we tend to seek refuge in denial. We think: “It can’t happen to me.” It’s important to be realistic – as well as optimistic – in tough times. Take a close look at where you are vulnerable and work out a plan.
A contingency plan: Have a set of plans ready for bad scenarios. You will be much better prepared and can swing into action without losing important time.
Improving productivity: Make each hour count. Check out how much time you fritter away in front of the TV or through other passive activities.
Letting go of what holds you back: Are there some habits or do you associate with people who hold you back? Choose to spend time with positive people.
Networking with others: Strengthen your professional safety net through networking. Think of teaming up with others for projects. The power of synchronicity can magnify your potential success.
Developing new skills: It’s important to keep on upskilling, especially during tough times. If you learn new skills or strengthen the ones you have, you’ll have more career choices. Each new skill also opens up a window to more opportunities.
She said, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise recently studied multinational businesses that survived – and even thrived – during the economic upheavals over the past century and found that they employed seven similar key strategies: core business focus, efficiency, divestment, contingency planning, acquisitions, advertising, and research and development.
Follow follow!
We should also know, and not to be carried away, as this study has shown that people are wired to react differently to the vicissitudes of life. The fact that our neighbour has taken permanent residence on the roof to cry recession does not require us to look for the ladder.
According to the study by Professor Rebacca Todd and her team, carriers of a certain genetic variation experience positive and negative emotions more strongly. It helps to explain why some people are particularly susceptible to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Todd who led the study, said: “People really do see the world differently. For people with this gene variation, the emotionally relevant things in the world stand out much more.”
Professor Adam Anderson, another of the study’s authors, said:
“Emotions are not only about how feel about the world, but how our brains influence our perception of it.
As our genes influence how we literally see the positive and negative aspects of our world more clearly, we may come to believe the world has more rewards or threats.”
Recession, love and family
It is also a widely known fact during hard times, relationships come under heavy attack, but it also the time we need our loved ones most.
This is the time to separate the wheat from the chaff. Unfortunately, we seem to jumble too many things or feeling under the umbrella name of love. Wrong! Three stages of relationship have been identified. Although the first could progress into the most stable, relationships could terminate in a sudden death fashion at any point. And recession provides a good reality check of which stages are more grounded on to survive.
Lust
Most relationships start with lust, often confused with love.
Oftentimes, lust is unbridled sexual attraction that seeks expression, where the physical appearance and attributes of one person ignite emotions of intense interest and excitement in another.
Check out what experts have found out about lust:
•You’re totally focused on a person’s looks and body.
•You’re interested in having sex, but not in having conversations.
•You’d rather keep the relationship on a fantasy level, not discuss real feelings.
•You are lovers, but not friends.
Experts explain that the first emotional system is sexual desire. “Sexual desire involves the lustful, sexually passionate feelings people have for each other. It is often based on physical appearance, novelty, and the chemistry between two people.
This type of relationship is easily blown away be winds of hard times. It may persist just for sexual pleasure or the benefit one party derives from it, such as making money, especially during hard times, but there is nothing more to it. Marriages based of lust are only as strong as bubbles.
Love
This is the second emotional system. It often entails feelings of closeness, genuine appreciation, and concern. At this stage of a relationship, there is greater stability. Most people at this stage are likely to go into marriage or are married. In this relationship,
•You want to spend quality time together other than sex.
•You get lost in conversations and forget about the hours passing.
•You want to honestly listen to each other’s feelings, make each other happy.
•He or she motivates you to be a better person.
Although this relationship is more likely to survive recession, it comes under intense threat because of financial challenges. The following effects have been observed: Conflict over spending cuts, the issue of mine and yours, impatience, fight for supremacy and disrespect for one another.
Attachment
The last emotional system involves attachment. Attachment provides a sense of stability, certainty, and safety—the feeling that someone will always be there for you in a time of need.
This obviously is a strong enough relationship to withstand recession. Not many relationships get this far, but experts say it is a comfortable kind of love, and it is the sort of love that can last a lifetime.
Problem is, although it is a much secure level of relationship, attachment seems to be devoid of the sparks, blood rush and heart-thumbing feeling of lust and love. The jury is out on which of the two – love or attachment – is more comfortable.
