Now don't get me wrong - I know that things are really tough and I am not going to insult you by saying that everything is peachy and it's just a matter of attitude. No - it is tough and my family is feeling the bite of this downturn just like everyone else. My husband is out of a job and yet somehow the mortgage has to be paid.

We are in "survivor's mode" and with that comes the need to pull out all of the weapons to battle the tendency towards depression and the desire to hide under the covers until it goes away. With that being said, I do believe that there are some positive aspects of this downturn and, at the end of the day, we will all - collectively - become stronger through this.

We are Less Wasteful
Our generation needed to get a grip when it came to waste. We would roll around in our Hummers and gobble up anything and everything along the way. Today, we are being less wasteful with the leftovers in our fridge and with the gas in our tanks. It is better for us and, frankly, better for the environment. We finally understand the notion of being a "responsible consumer" and stopping and thinking before dropping $100 on a new pair of jeans. The old adage of "waste-not-want-not" is finally sinking into this "I Want More" generation.

Quality versus Quantity
We are spending quality time with each other. This means dinners at home and enjoying the simple pleasures like a walk in the neighborhood or shared cup of coffee (the kind that is brewed at home and not at Starbucks!). We are quickly realizing that the amount of stuff we have does not make us any better (or less better) than the Jones' and we are appreciating the value of quality in our relationships and interactions.

Decrease in Spending = Increase in Creativity
Having money can make us a little - shall we say - lazy. We don't have to be creative when we can buy our happiness. But today, we have to be more creative in the ways we entertain ourselves. Potluck dinners, movie nights at home, and playing board games are all great ways to not only entertain, but also interact. We are choosing picnics in the park rather than five-star dinners. We are browsing library shelves rather than mall racks. In the end, we are benefiting from being more creative.

More Committed to the Job
Our boss may still be a jerk and we may still feel unappreciated - however, we are thanking our lucky stars that we have a job and are doing more to stay employed. We are going above and beyond - working hard to stand out in the company. For those of us who have lost our job, we are taking the time to do some soul searching and entering into a new career with an improved level of commitment.

All in the Same Boat
Although all of us are being impacted differently - there is the notion that we are all in this together. We are all losing something which, in a way, equalizes us a bit more and bonds us in our shared plight. What we are going through today defines who we are as a nation - when times are tough, we all pull together.

Now even though I have carved out a little silver lining - I know that it's tough to be Polly Positive all the time. When it gets tough, turn off the TV, take a brisk walk, and say a prayer of gratitude....for the little things like the smell of roses, the sound of leaves, and the warmth of a blanket. Remember, it's back to basics and back to an appreciation for all of life's blessings.

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