Finances can be like weight for the tender self-esteem. When my weight is up beyond a point of critical mass my ego deflates like a day old party balloon. It's not right, and I try to work on it, but it's true. When finances feel out of control the scent of panic is in the air. And isn't it just lovely to have every newspaper and cable news talking head scream doomsday so that even if I have every logical reason to feel secure, forget it, I worry and don't sleep so well.
By Friday last week I thought I might be sick. I was exhausted for no good reason, head-achy, concentration was an effort, my throat felt a little scratchy. Saturday I woke up before dawn and decided not to fight it. Usually a news junky, I needed a media break: no radio, newspaper or TV (except for seeing 'The Devil Wears Prada' for the gazillionth time. I never tire of Meryl Streep in all her silvery superciliousness.) I read my book club book and puttered. By Sunday I was feeling my old self.
After 9/11 I had to stop watching the news and gave my clients the same advice even though at the time it felt 'unpatriotic'. Seeing the towers fall over and over was re-traumatizing, not helping. Later, many crisis intervention experts said they should have recommended the same thing.
It's not denial, protecting yourself from being hammered by negativity. It's smart.
