Job cuts, price raises,... it is crisis!!! The worst crisis ever, it is getting us. You can't open a newspaper, put on the television or walk into the pub without hearing the worst doom scenario ever. Banks get bankrupt, even countries can go bankrupt these days, the stock markets starts more to look like a giant roller coaster going sky high to fall deep down a minute later.

It is time to STOP, that negative thinking, if you only use the word crisis frequently enough, you 're going to believe in it. STOP, the panic, get a grip, the word crisis doesn't mean that you die, the worst that can happen is that your pride dies a bit because you can't afford that wonderful new car for the moment.

Instead of spilling our energy on things we can't change or wasting words on situation that will not make us better, start looking at the great opportunities a crisis brings.

A crisis is an opportunity to do it better, to do it different, to be creative, to collaborate, to relative things in life. It gives us great potential to develop towards an even better future.

If there is one certitude past crisises learned us, is that it always go's better on the long run. A crisis always ends, and that ending we can already look forward to it. Rainy days clear the sky for beautiful sunshine days.

Look how sad we are, we got used to an easy life, with not many obstacles. A few obstacles on are path and boem it is the end of the world.

Sure if you are running a business in 2008 the numbers may look a bit less then that the numbers in the golden years, so? We forgot that the golden years are the exceptions. If you were stupid enough to put your baseline in the golden years, then go ahead: Panic!

The funny part of the crisis is that partially it is based on hard facts and figures, but the other part is a virtually created crisis. One that we all help to create by being negative and believing in it. One that we help to build by saving on our expenses in the shops, by saving on our vacations, by saving on Christmas presents. Obviously saving is not helping to create a growing economy. If instead of saving we all would spend, as if we live our last year here on earth. Then the 'so to be' worst crisis will never happen. It will go up in smoke.

Fair enough, a lot of people already lost money on stocks. Many hard working people saw their money go up in smoke. That is unfortunately a reality, but it's not a reason to freak out. It may be a good idea to look for ways to get around the crisis.

How exactly can we get around the crisis? By being creative, by reintroducing old traditions, by returning to our basis.

The energy cost not only went sky high up, but energy gets scarce. Reintroducing romance is a beautiful alternative. Candles all around gives us warm feeling of coziness. As for our energy bill, solar- and wind energy is no SF anymore. Why not seriously look into these alternative energy sources?

And why not go back into time ? An evening without electricity, no TV, only candle lights and the all family playing Monopoly. In South Africa, they even made it a Country strategy. Saving energy by cutting power off is fully integrated in daily life. They call it loadsheding. Not that it helps the local South African economy, but the idea of having energy-poor days is interesting. And I'm not only thinking about the energy saving side, but the gain in family life contacts. Imagine a business man with a flat battery on his laptop, not being able to work in the evening and having only his kids to play. Back to family values!

An other great opportunity of this ,so to be called, crisis is an increased need to bond again. Thinking and acting as a group is back. Put that individual that we saw growing over the last decade back in the closet for better times. Now it is time to network more then ever, in business and in social life. In business we look for opportunities not only for our own business but we help or competitors spotting opportunities, hoping that they will return the favor. We must not forget that competition keeps us aware of our own investments toward quality. Keeping them a live is as important.

In social life, the feeling of care and love by sharing what you have is back again. It's not because you cancel restaurant or pub visits to save up money, that you have to put your social life on old. Home parties are the coming trend to survive the crisis. Invite friends at your home and let them bring their own drinks. Like in the old college days 'Bring and drink' parties.

If there is one thing this crisis can not get from you then it must be your joy in life, your strength to overcome desperate times. This is what will get you through this 'so to be' crisis.