Are You A Worry Wart?

Posted by: Darlene Duncan. CWDP. JSS, CCC, JCTC, JCDC
Training Coordinator

What do you worry about?

Here’s a list of some of the most common things people worry about.

Money
Keeping a job
Getting a job
Health issues
The economy

If these aren’t things you worry about, mentally add whatever it is you worry about to the list.

Now look over the entire list. Think about each item for a moment. Answer this question. Will my worry have a positive effect on the outcome of (fill in the blank with whatever you worry about)?

For example, is worrying about being laid off going to prevent it from happening? Probably not. There are those times when it doesn’t matter how good a job you do or how valuable you are to the company, they’re going to lay you off. Is worrying about it going to help? No. Instead, do something about it. What can you do?

There are a couple of things. One, find out if there’s any way you can stay with the company. Can you become more valuable by doing extra things? Maybe you know how to do your job and someone else’s too. Once you have exhausted the possibility of keeping your job and have learned that it’s just not going to happen, start looking for that new job now, while you still have a job. Because, believe it or not, it’s easier to find a job when you already have a job.

The reality is that the majority of the things we worry about never come to pass. With that in mind, I have a suggestion for you. Stop worrying about things you have no control over. Instead, use that worry energy to take action. It’s really very simple. I didn’t say it was easy, I said it was simple. How simple? Every time you catch yourself worrying about something you have no control over, STOP. We all do self-talk, whether you admit it or not. So ask yourself, what can I do that could have a positive effect on this issue? Once you have the answer to that question you can move forward by beginning to take action.

Less worry equals less stress; less stress is good for your health. The better you feel, the more energy you have and the better you present yourself to potential employers.

Bottom line, stop worrying about things you have no control over and get busy doing things to improve your situation.

Consumer confidence brightens: what does that mean?

By Ted Young
Business Services Manager

Many times we read or hear on the news that consumer confidence has improved and that it is one of the key indicators to watch regarding movements in the economy. Beyond the obvious, what does that mean? How does that affect my economy? To answer those questions we probably need to start with a brief definition of the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI).The CCI is a measure of consumer optimism toward current economic conditions. This index was based on 100 and is adjusted monthly on the basis of a survey of 5,000 households. The index gauges consumer opinion on both current and the individual’s perceived future economic circumstances. Forty percent of the index outcome is based on current conditions; the other sixty percent of the index is based on the consumer’s future expectations. The Consumer Confidence Index is closely watched because many economists consider consumer optimism an important indicator of the future health of the economy.
The index base of 100 is moved up or down by the responses received as a result of the survey. For example increased consumer confidence indicates economic growth in which consumers are spending money, indicating higher consumption. On the other hand decreasing consumer confidence implies slowing economic growth, and so consumers are likely to decrease their spending. The thought is that the more confident people feel about the economy and their jobs and incomes, the more likely they are to make purchases. Hence more consumer spending and consumption equals more demand for more products and services which should eventually lead to job growth. In theory this is how it works, but like everything else regarding economic theory, it is debatable.