Enjoy Simplicity, Slow the Pace of Life

A friend and I were reflecting on our options as parents during the financial crisis, which shows no signs of letting up. As we talked, I realized the “what ifs” will never end. I also realized something else: we will never really quit worrying about life in the future for our children, and neither did our parents.

I think it’s not the crisis that’s making people miserable but the anxiety of what could happen. Are people really this scared of the simple life? You know, the kind of life that doesn’t require a lot; just the bare basics of what we need daily.

That’s the kind of life I want for my child. In fact, I do not wish for her to live a life of worry. I want her to be able to give herself permission to be calm, and be able to reject pressure. I want her to never be envious of how his high school classmates fared in life when they have their reunion, and I want her to be proud of her achievements, even if these did not result in huge mansions and millions of dollars in liquid cash.

Having said that, I think the best way to deal with crisis, be it monetary or personal, is to take deep breaths to stay calm when anxiety about the future crops up. At the end of the day, we just have to do what we have to do to be able to eat, have a place to call home and stay clothed. I think the only way I can teach my child this is to allow myself to feel secure that I am doing my best all the time, as a parent and as a provider.