End of the Worst Decade or Beginning of your Best?

Will this New Year’s Day ring in the end of the worst decade ever?

That’s the claim made by Time Magazine, which recently featured an eye-catching cover of a crying baby in a party hat with the headline “Decade from Hell.”

According to Time, some of the worst events of the “worst decade ever” began with the disputed election of George W. Bush as President, which was followed by the 9/11 Terrorist attacks.  There were continuing military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and a series of major natural disasters, including a tsunami in the South Pacific, Hurricane Katrina in the U.S. South, and major earthquakes in India and China.  As the decade ends, we have double digit unemployment and a global economic crisis.

Granted it was a tough decade, but hardly the worst ever.

Those who are familiar with history can think of rougher decades, such as the 1930s, which saw the Great Depression, or the 1940s, when World War II brought worldwide chaos.  The 1860s were another rough decade in the U.S. due to the Civil War.  And then there were the 1340s, when the Black Plague led to the deaths of almost half the population of Europe.  Viewing this past decade with respect to history puts things in perspective.  We’ve had a tough decade, but probably not the worst ever.

By focusing solely on the problems of the past decade, Time Magazine is engaging in the type of thinking that leads many people to anxiety and depression.

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Shop Less and Give More

When asked to describe their ideal holiday season, most people don’t put shopping for gifts at the top of the list.

Instead, they list spending time with loved ones, having fun with friends, enjoying holiday food and taking some time away from work to relax.

Unfortunately, the reality is often something quite different.  The pressure to shop, spend money and entertain leaves many of us feeling both exhausted and tapped out.

According to a poll taken by the Center for the New American Dream, 75% of Americans would like to have a less materialistic Christmas or Hanukkah holiday.  More than 85% feel that the holiday season should focus on family and taking care of people in need rather than on shopping and giving gifts.  The survey also found that 4 out of 5 people wish for a simplified holiday season.

If the majority of Americans say they would like a simpler and less materialistic holiday season, why don’t they just make the change?

Unfortunately, many of us feel pressured to spend more than we can afford on gifts and entertaining.  It seems too hard to tell family and friends that we would like to cut back.  This doesn’t have to be as hard as it may seem.  In advance of the holidays, let everyone know that you’d like to start some new traditions, including spending less time shopping and more time enjoying the company of family and friends in the month of December.

By ramping down your holiday shopping and spending, you can create new, simpler holiday traditions that center around family celebrations and the rituals of the season.

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5 Powerful Creative Thinking Techniques

There are all sorts of situations where creative thinking comes into play.

Generally, we might associate creative thinking with art: writing a story, creating a painting, or composing music, for example.  In reality, creative thinking is something that even the lay person uses on a daily basis, especially when it comes to problem solving.

When you find yourself in a quandary about how to solve a dilemma or create your next masterpiece, here are some powerful creative thinking techniques that can get the ideas flowing.

The Random Element

One problem we often face when trying to solve a problem is that we tend to think in a straight line. 

The Random Element Technique allows us to take our mind in different directions to hit on solutions that may have never occurred to us using a more conventional approach.

To use this technique, start by defining your problem.

For example, let’s say that you are having trouble getting along with a coworker.  Look around you and find something completely unrelated to your situation, say a jar of jellybeans on your desk.  What kind of inspiration can you get from applying that jar of jellybeans to your problem?

Some possibilities include:

• Jellybeans are sweet.  Maybe I need to be sweet to this person and “kill him with kindness.”

• All colors of jellybeans are mixed together.  Maybe I need to recognize that it takes all types of personalities to make the world work and accept our differences.

• There are a whole lot of jellybeans in a jar.  Maybe this person and I spend too much time in close proximity to one another.  Would moving to a different desk or cubicle make a difference?

It’s amazing when you discover just what kinds of connections your mind can make, and it gives you a whole new list of possible solutions to try.

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