In our interconnected world, the global economic turmoil -- directly and indirectly -- impacts individual lives. How can you put all this change to work for you?

The immediate reaction to change on any scale is to hold tighter to what you have, whether or not you're sure it's still exactly what you need.

In the midst of world-reshaping change, you may exhaust yourself trying to maintain elements of your life that, on closer, saner examination, may no longer hold as much fascination or value for you.

Too many people react to change with a determination not to change -- you can't make me! -- believing this is easier and requires less effort. Resisting change while the world changes around you, requires more energy and creates more stress, not less. This stubborn conflict can also result in fewer choices ahead. Later, you may be forced into something you really dislike. This is why people settle for housing that does not suit them.

Sample Fresh-Start Thinking Points:

• The Recession should not be your reason for ignoring choice. By at least entertaining the possibility of selling and moving, you begin the process of examining all the alternatives available to you. Property owners are not the best judge of which choices they have because most individuals don't understand all their real estate alternatives. Without thought, evaluation and professional input, you are assuming that this is the best your life can be, that this is the best real estate you can own. Why give up on possible improvement before you dig in to discover the choices that you never imagined?

• How much of what seems to be slipping away from you have you really had enough of by now? Living luxury-loaded lifestyles that mirror those of the rich and famous is not always as satisfying as television and other media would have you believe when you are neither rich nor famous. Before you fight a pitched battle to "keep everything the same," ask yourself whether achieving this lifestyle, without the substance to support it, was your original goal.

  Or, were you just following along because everyone else was doing it. Those who bought huge houses for their small families merely to follow others into fashionable "over-housing" are an example of an opportunity to rethink choices. Those who own lavish vacation homes may discover that infrequent use makes their daily ownership rate, calculated by dividing days of use by total expenses, considerably higher than those charged by top high-end resorts -- and much less relaxing.

Stop and Think. The recession will have changed the way we look at many things by the time it rolls into the Recovery. You may still want "it" all, but you could discover that "it" is now something quite different. Perhaps you are among those who were actually becoming exhausted by juggling career, home, finance, family and "being in."

New common ground will continually be defined by technological advances, economic shifts, workplace adjustments, demographic trends and popular fashion, but you may decide that you do not want what everyone else chases. What could your uncommon future hold for you, your family and your life?

Think of real estate as a financial partner in that future since it can offer income, lifestyle and tax benefits. Explore the range of ownership and lifestyle variations open to you in recreational, residential and related real estate areas. Locally-knowledgeable real estate professionals are skilled at considering the full range of options from a variety of viewpoints.

One key ingredient in continued success is self-discipline -- the driving force for personal growth and advancement. This commitment enables confident decision-making, constructive persistence and the Three R's of Change Achievement -- risk taking, resilience and resourcefulness.

Self-discipline should not be confused with self-denial, self-righteousness or inflexibility. Nor is it the opposite of spontaneity and fun. This confident concentration does not mean living according to routines imposed by others.

Self-discipline turns dreams into reality, makes difficult decisions easier to live with and provides the follow-through momentum for sticking to deeply-held but challenging intentions like paying off debt, saving before spending or changing any habit. Self-control allows you to unload any should, can't or have to dictated by others, so you can strategize based on any want, can and will that matters to you.

Apply this fresh perspective to your real estate and your career, and you may find you want something more from either or both. Many people discover that, when they live someone else's dream, they settle for less without realizing it. This column "Decisions & Communities" includes a number of "Have Your Home & Money Too" articles and others designed to help you think differently about how real estate can improve your life beyond financial returns. The Realty Times site hosts a wealth of ideas to spark creative thinking. Explore and imagine.

Don't search madly for someone else's simple answer. There's no one-size-fits-all solution to anything in these complex, fluid times. No one has "secrets to success" that you don't already know, even if you've temporarily forgotten them. Everything is out there. How much have you ignored, overlooked or misinterpreted?

Start by asking yourself the question at the beginning of this article without trying to answer it. Just ask yourself. Then, relax and see what comes to mind for consideration. Re-ask the question over the course of a day, a week ... to see what else surfaces:

How can I put all this change to work for me?

Source: Includes excerpts from "What's Your Point?" by PJ Wade. CatapultPublishing.com

Published: February 24, 2009

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

Futurist and Strategist PJ Wade is "The Catalyst" -- intent on "Challenging The Best Become Even Better." PJ earned this title by translating the dynamic impact of Boomers and their multi-generation families into relevant insights that start people thinking and taking action—in business and in life. Author of 7 books and more than 1600 published articles, PJ encourages individuals to become their own futurist. PJ writes and speaks about the insight, knowledge and solid decision-making skills that professionals and their clients need to live and work in this vortex of change. For instance, since PJ knows that home is headquarters for the new decades-long "unretirement," she wrote the popular book "Reverse Mortgages: Best Friend, Worst Enemy... Your Choice! (CatapultPublishing.com), which is filled with suggestions and insight on protecting and using home equity. Her new business book, "What's Your Point?," which identifies 7 common mistakes professionals unknowingly repeat to their detriment, will be published in 2009. As The Catalyst, PJ provides strategic communication, client appreciation and advanced education services to the financial, tourism, lifestyle and service sectors -- and the clients they serve. A frequently-quoted financial and business commentator, PJ is a thought-provoking strategic speaker who offers practical, real-life suggestions on leaving "the box" behind and embracing Forward Thinking -- a talent she regularly demonstrates in this column. For more on blogs, books and topics, visit TheCatalyst.com.