There is a tiny sprig of green in the clay pot on my patio. Last summer purple clematis flowers spilled from the pot and weaved in and out of the railings. They were the picture of abundance. In the cold of winter and the ruthlessness of the financial crisis over the last six months, I had begun to wonder if abundance could ever return to anything, including my small garden. There is a barren feeling that comes when jobs are lost and futures become murky. That feeling is intensified by the lifelessness of the winter months.

As I watch my plants return to life, I am reminded that the economy, my own and the world’s, will too return to life. The next logical question becomes, “when?” I say move past that question for now. Yes, I know, answering it correctly is akin to a winning lottery ticket. Lottery winnings aside, I believe the better question is, “am I ready for the rebound?” The world will be a different place because of this crisis. Listen to my conversation with Martin Wolf, to get a sense of why that is the case. (Permalink: http://maryandmoney.com/videos/martin-wolf/) Even if you have enjoyed full employment and steady business in this period, the world has changed. Are you equipped to be a success in that new world. What have you done in this economic contraction to make yourself and your business more important on the other-side? Instead of asking when will this end, start asking how strong will I be when it does? You control that outcome. Employed or unemployed, rich, or wiped out, you can still position yourself to be ready for the moment. In fact you may just be a catalyst for the moment, if you are getting ready. –Mary Caraccioli