The Black Belt Attitude

This week, the national jobless rate hit 9.7%. Nearly one in 10 Americans are out of work!

I've endured and survived a series of staff reductions at my day job (wave upon wave in and endless sea of waves, it seems). And this week, the company I work for announced across-the-board paycuts for those of us that remain. Ouch.

Now, I'm not exactly thrilled to get less for doing more (who is?) but I'm trying my best to keep my attitude in check, and I remain grateful that I can still count myself among the gainfully employed — even if it's not as "gainful" as it was last week. For many around me have lost their jobs and are still out of work — and they are finding it difficult to stay afloat. So in the big picture, I realize that I'm lucky.

People everywhere are tightening their belts. So consequently, things are tight at the dojo, too — enrollments are down; my stress level is up.

It's a call for me to remain in an attitude of gratitude. It's also a call for me to re-evaluate my needs, my priorities, and my spending and consumption habits. But most of all, today I'm inspired to redouble my efforts at "making my own luck."

The universal rule is "you must give more to get more." So today, I'm mindfully asking, "How may I serve?" and "What value can I add?" and "What more can I give?"