You might know that home ownership has declined in recent years – from an all-time high of 68.8% in 2005 to 62.7% in 2015 – and that college graduates are increasingly choosing to leave rural communities.
Turns out those trends might be related, as Federal Reserve researchers this week said both are driven by the high cost of college. Student debt in America has soared to $1.5 trillion, surpassing what consumers owe on credit cards and car loans. Both the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg News weighed in on the topic, which is reshaping the U.S. economy.
Coping with career anxiety
If the student loans don’t get you, the gnawing feeling that your career skills aren’t where they need to be possibly could. But don’t despair; instead harness that emotion to push yourself to greater heights.
“Anxiety is not uncommon and ought to be a catalyst for expansion,” said Marika Messager, CEO and founder of the Conscious Leadership Collective, based in London, who worked in the financial markets for 14 years before she made her big shift. “I have a lot of people who ask, ‘Am I crazy?’ No, the first step is to accept that it’s there — you overcome it by working with it.”
Read the whole piece from Financial Management to get more tips. Also, give yourself a very short break by answering our quick poll question this week, “Are you planning to add staff for busy season?”
Keep your chicken soup warm until lunch
The New Year is in full swing now, which means you’ve probably already forgotten your resolutions. But if you’re still trying to count your calories or eat out less, ReviewGeek.com is here with the best small thermoses to keep things warm or cool – good information to have if you want to pack a hot lunch. (When it comes to drinks, nothing beats the trusty Yeti Rambler.) And if you’re traveling by car around the Buckeye State this weekend, it might be prudent to take some hot provisions with you because:
Here comes Harper
It’s nice they name winter storms now so we have a name to shout at the heavens when the plow pushes another ton of ice onto the foot of the driveway. This time that name is “Harper,” and she is poised to deliver up to a foot of snow (or more to the Northeast) followed by frigid winds. The Weather Channel has the frosty scoop.
Embracing neurodiversity
Finally, we talk often in this space about the benefits of diversity and how businesses perform better when they make a consistent effort to embrace different kinds of people. This story from TheNonProfitTimes explains one way human differences are more than skin deep: neurodiversity.
“Common disorders that fall into this category include: autistic spectrum disorders; dyspraxia; dyslexia; and, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among others. Many people with these disorders have higher-than-average abilities. Research shows that some individuals with neurodiverse conditions, including autism and dyslexia, might have advanced skills in pattern recognition, memory or mathematics.”
I encourage you to read the whole thing. As the article states, organizations that make accommodations to harness the gifts of neurodiverse people can reap tremendous benefits. And on an individual level, it can help you see yourself and the world in a better way.