Last week I used this cartoon by Parker and Hart:
Then this week they published:
Do you get the impression they aren’t looking forward to the future?
What about you? Do you think about the future very much? Are there things you look forward to? Things you dread or worry about? On the whole does the future seem positive, negative or neutral to you?
I’ve been really stressing about the future lately, as in not feeling very positive about what is ahead for me.
I try to shake the bad feelings, but I’m never able to do it for long. Not sure where to turn for help.
“This, too, will pass.”
If I were working in a vulnerable job right now, I might be worried, but, I’ve never been in that kind of situation.
As a retiree, we’re in pretty good shape with decent investments earning good returns sheltered from market fluctuations, plus, by working contracts 6 months out of 16, I don’t even have to touch any of that right now.
My one concern, looking forward, is the potential loss of health care benefits because of tax breaks for retiree health care my former employer lost under the health care bill. If it happens, we should be able to make do until 2014 when the health care benefits for uninsured adults kick in.
I’m normally optimistic and, even in down times, I generally look for the silver lining in things.
I think any reasonable analysis means that we are in trouble and the future looks difficult (to understate the case).
The only alternative is unreasonable hope – but let’s not kid ourselves that it it reasonable.
Dee,
You have plenty of company. There is a lot of information at our disposal, and teachers/coaches too. Unfortunately no one else can do it for us. It takes commitment and practice. Would you like to talk more about this via e-mail?
Mike,
My husband and I were both faced with the possibility of losing our jobs about 20 years ago. It was a scary time, but also a happy one. I wrote about it a long time ago in What I Learned From Being Downsized.
Now, unless the economy goes completely belly up, our future threats are mostly about aging. Not much one can do about that but stay as as physically and mentally healthy as possible. And enjoy what we have while it’s still here. So we’re no longer very future-oriented.
Evan,
My own mantra when things get scary is, “I have all the courage I need.” I have to say/write it a lot, but it does help.
No, I do not worry about the future. If I live today reasonably well, I am content.
Rummuser,
That’s probably why studies show we old folks are the happiest people on the planet. 🙂