Journey of the AIG Bonuses

All over the news these days is the disgust of the American people with the $165 million dollar bonuses AIG gave their own executives, as a "retention bonus." After originally accepting $150 billion in TARP money, paid for by the American taxpayer, AIG has been scheduled to receive another $30 billion. But now the government has been reacting to the anger of the people and demanding some restitution of the bonus money. Every day Sandwiched Boomers manage their budgets while caring for growing children and aging parents - why can't corporate executives and our elected officials be as responsible with our taxpayer money? You may be having discussions with your children about fiscal responsibility - especially in the current economy. Why not talk with them about some life lessons at the same time?

Take the long-range view of things. A certain action may seem like a good idea at the time, but have extremely negative consequences in the long-run. It's important to think about the logical longterm consequences of your behavior before you rush into any major decision.

Take pleasure in the process, not just in attaining the goal. All too often, the emphasis is on the prize at the end of the journey - money, success, recognition. But each of these can be fleeting - some of the AIG bonuses may be paid back or taxed very heavily - and not provide the great satisfaction we expect. When we instead focus on the process of working toward a goal itself, the journey can be exciting and fulfilling in a very meaningful way.

When you click on the title above, it will take you to one woman's story about the process and meaning of her journey to wellness after breast cancer.

The American Psychological Association, in a survey of 2500 people from all across the country, found that stress levels have increased significantly in the past two years, especially in the last six months. Over 80% of the responders said that money was a significant worry for them. And that was before the financial meltdown of the past month. So today we have two more tips for you to avoid feeling pressured and out of control by the roller coaster economy.

Learn stress reduction strategies by attending a seminar, group, meditation or yoga class. Contact your local psychological association to find out what other resources are available in your community such as a mindfulness program. Consult with your religious counselor to discover if meditative prayer is comforting for you. Once you learn a technique that feels right, incorporate it into your daily schedule so that tensions do not build up. Gather information from the Internet or self help books about how to minimize the impact of the financial pressures you are now experiencing.

Keep communication open with your spouse, children and aging parents. Talk out disagreements before they become heated arguments that get out of control. Be honest about stating your needs and desires clearly. Don't put a lid on your emotions, just on expressing them in an aggressive manner. When conflicts arise, agree to be flexible and cooperative - and work toward reaching a compromise if possible.

Tomorrow we look at some additional strategies for coping with the stressful economic environment.