The admission that we are sliding into one of the gravest economic periods in the world’s history comes from all sides – from finance ministers, bankers, employers, economists, trades union leaders, media – leading to a collective sense of gloom, foreboding and trepidation for an uncertain future.

Periods of economic turbulence don’t just affect us financially – they also put huge strains on our day-to-day lives and our ability to act, think and feel positively. When the economic crisis of the 1930s was coined “The Great Depression”, it was aptly named.

These “challenging” times may not seem conducive to maintaining a positive state of mind. Many may fear redundancy or not having enough money to provide for their families. Some may be stuck in a rut in a job they hate, but are afraid to leave. Others might be desperate to change jobs, or even careers, but lack the necessary skills to do so. Or they might be trapped in a bog of despondency following redundancy – a shattering experience that can lead to self doubt and a perceived loss of identity and worth.

Though the world may be slipping into a deep recession, there is no excuse for allowing these circumstances to cause us “A Great Depression” within our own minds. It’s vital to avoid following negative patterns of thoughts and behaviour as doing so reinforces these unhelpful patterns. At The Mangrove, we recognise the importance of remaining positive. Remaining positive encourages the brain to create and maintain neural networks that will reinforce positive thinking, feeling and behaviours. This change in the physiology of the brain is known as “brain plasticity”, and it forms the basis through which we coach clients to help them realise for themselves how to implement positive and effective changes in their lives, whilst improving their general sense of well being.

Brain plasticity

The human brain is ‘plastic’.  It is extremely malleable and adaptable and can undergo physiological changes – even in adulthood or old age – in response to new environments and stimuli. This adaptability is a key role in ensuring our species’ survival.

Plasticity is a two-way street: although the brain can change in response to its environment, we can also directly influence our brains to change its patterns of neural networks through our thoughts, feelings and actions, as well as through meaningful association, concentration and practice.  These physiological changes can have a direct impact on how we think and approach problem-solving in our everyday lives.

The fact that we can exert a positive influence on our brains shows that we need not be negatively influenced by circumstances. In the current economic climate we can either have our brain be influenced by the ubiquitous sense of gloom and despair, or we can take charge and be proactive about how our brain responds to meet these new challenges.

Staying Positive

At The Mangrove, we recognise that to make positive changes in our lives, we need to be proactive in the way we direct the physiological changes in our brain that affect the way we think, act and feel. We also recognise that thinking positively is not enough in itself – initiating effective and sustainable changes also requires physical action. Both mental rehearsal (thinking) and physical rehearsal (doing) stimulate the hippocampus, the part of the brain involved in the creation of long term memory.

It’s also important to do things that are engaging, motivating, and meaningful to you personally. This could be anything that you find stimulating or enjoyable, be it music, food, dancing – the choice depends on the individual. Engaging in meaningful activity stimulates the amygdala, our brain’s emotional centre. This part of the brain plays an important role in learning and memory and is the reason why we remember an emotionally significant event long after it has taken place. Being motivated helps you concentrate, and this engages the hippocampus – the area of our brain responsible for the creation of long-term memory. Being motivated also stimulates the release of dopamine, a chemical neurotransmitter associated with reward that acts like a ‘drug’, leaving us wanting more of what’s engaging us and which is also linked to brain plasticity.

When coaching clients, including individuals who are facing challenges such as redundancy, we strongly emphasise staying positive. Our sessions focus on what’s meaningful to each individual, not to the coach or session leader. It’s vital to focus on what motivates each person as an individual. This is an important aspect when coaching clients through redundancy, or who are looking to change careers – it’s vital that whatever they decide to do is meaningful and motivating to them.

We facilitate this process with our clients by providing a sounding board and feeding back as they explore the specific changes they want, rather than leading or lecturing.

Initiating change

In times like these, it can be difficult to recognise the value in making positive changes in our lives. Forces beyond our control seem to make any change daunting, if not impossible. It is this fear of stepping outside of our comfort zones, of changing the set pattern of routine behaviour we follow every day, which prevents us from facing up to the changes we must make to weather the economic storm.

But for those individuals willing to take on the challenge, we can guide and support them in clearly identifying their goals, whether it is to find a new job, learn more skills, or manage one’s finances more effectively – all of huge importance in these tempestuous times. Once they identify the outcomes they want to achieve, we work with them to design a “road map” of how to achieve them. We then work with the client to achieve the goal that best suits, guiding and supporting the process of change with professionalism and care. This process also helps clients to be realistic, to consider the possible consequences and impact of change, and ensures that the change is consistent with each individual’s goals, values and sense of self.

Lasting change for difficult times

These are uncertain, disquieting times. Alongside the visible effects of this financial crisis, such as redundancies and bankrupt businesses, lies the hidden toll of the recession on our general wellbeing. Even if we have not suffered directly from the current crisis, the constant deluge of bad news can affect our ability to think, feel and act positively, as well as to respond effectively to new, less favourable circumstances.

Although we may not be able to control the world around us, we can certainly control the world within us. Instead of allowing the outside world to lead us into a self-perpetuating spiral of negative thoughts and behaviours, we can step outside of our comfort zones and challenge our brains to make positive change. By doing things that are challenging and novel we directly influence the plasticity of our brains, keeping them healthy and positive, putting us in the best position to succeed and adapt to whatever the world may throw at us.