Recession: It won't kill us; it'll make us stronger

She is one of the top economic forecasters in the country, one of the most sought-after economists in the world, a member of the Congressional Budget Office's panel of economic advisers and one of the "most influential women in business in Chicago," according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Still, the most memorable thing Diane Swonk said during a recent speech in Dallas had nothing to do with the economy.

Swonk, senior managing director and chief economist for Mesirow Financial, spent much her speech talking about the challenges we face as we claw our way out of the recession.

But she wanted to close on a hopeful note, so she turned the spotlight on some of the personal adversity she has faced over the years. It's a stunning list that includes two divorces, two strokes, a son's near death and her own harrowing escape from the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

Her point?

"It's that which we survive that defines us," Swonk said, "not that which we succeed at."

Put another way: What doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

We're going through a few of those defining moments now. The recession, the bailouts, foreclosures, unemployment, new laws and regulations, financial hardship -- we have our hands full. We'll be defined by how we survive.

And we will survive. Sure, we'll take a few lumps. But if we do the right things, we'll emerge stronger on the other side.

And then we'll have our own stories to tell.

Comments

[adrienne]

You know, Bill, I'm pretty sure you know how *I* feel about this whole mess so I'll save the rant but the thing that gets me through all of this (or keeps me from slitting my wrists with paper clips while sitting at my desk, that is) is that we WILL be better when all is said and done.

It's great to see people being people again, reaching out to help, putting the focus on relationships instead of money, working together, etc. This is GREAT news - OMG there's actually good news in all of this!

Of course there is. We have a real chance here to get back to the fundamental reason humanity is around in the first place - to work together. So that's the awesome part.

In the meantime, however, see you in the CPA Island bunker, I'll be hiding out while the sky is falling!

[Stefanie Hartman]

Great post. As people we will survive this recession. It will make us stronger by virtue of forcing us to conserve, save and plan better.