My dentist called me yesterday to reschedule my appointment. As it turns out, he is closing his office one day a week due to the economy. I was surprised — even my dentist in his glamorous West Los Angeles office has been impacted by the current economy. The bottom line is this: the economy sucks. It has impacted all of us. 

What are people doing? Most people are asking the wrong question. "When the economy is going to turn around? When is unemployment going to stop escalating? When is consumer confidence going to improve?" When, when, when... 

Asking "When?" is the wrong question. "When" focuses our attention on external circumstances.  And we have absolutely no control over external circumstance. We individually cannot change the economy. 

So, what are the options?

The best solution is to place your attention and focus on what you do have control over. You have control over your response to the external circumstances. You have control over your response to the economy. 

"The issue is not the issue. How you relate to the issue is the issue," is what Ron and Mary Hulnick eloquently teach in their Master's in Spiritual Psychology program at The University of Santa Monica. 

The economy is not the issue. How you respond to the economy is the real issue. Your response is the only thing you have control over. And by focusing on what you have control over, you live a much more empowered and fulfilling life. This is a huge component of reducing pain and suffering. 

There are four essential dimensions to your response:

1. Inside You
What does the state of the economy mean to you? We all make meaning and interpret the world around us. The way in which you interpret the economy will dramatically effect you. You can interpret these circumstances as an opportunity to learn, grow, and strengthen. An opportunity for your human spirit to rise to the occasion, realizing that we are better off than many less fortunate on the planet. Or you can make it mean disaster and devastation. 

One trick to direct the focus of your meaning-making machine (your mind) is through the questions you ask yourself. "When is the economy going to turn around?" will create a very different focus than, "How can I serve more, deeper, and better in these times?" And your focus will lead you to take (or not take) actions.

2. Outside You
What are you going to do? Where will you place your body? How will you manage your energy? Is it time to deepen your physical practices (yoga, strength training, cardio) to enliven you? What improvements could you make with your eating habits? 

3. Your Community
Just as you make meaning of events and circumstances, so does the culture — both the culture at large and your own personal community. Your participation in your community will create, promote, or allow the community to interpret and respond. What will you do to wield your influence for the good? Sometimes, it may mean choosing not to participate. Other times it may mean getting more involved. With the culture at large, do your best to insulate yourself from messages that would encourage a focus on the negative.  

4. Your Systems
What systems do you need to shift or change to adapt? There is a lot of peace to be gained through clarity. (So much so that my wife, Jennifer Miller, actually uses that as the tag line for her business, "Creating peace through clarity around finances using Quicken®.") What systems are being called for to create more clarity in your life? Do you need to create a solid plan? A plan is a system that you can use to measure your progress — it creates peace by removing the vagueness of living in the unknown. Is it time for a spending plan? (Doesn't that sound better than budget?) Or is it time for an earning plan?

(For those of you that are fans of Ken Wilber's Integral Theory, you will notice that these are the four quadrants.)   

Let us know what you are uncovering in your exploration by leaving a comment below!   

photo by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasoon/10837680/