Step 4 - Never stop learning: Go back to school or read books. Get training and acquire skills.

Even though the economy has been rough, it’s amazing to see the number of people using this opportunity to go back to school to further their education and gain new skills. It proves the resilience we all have and the ability to adjust to even the toughest of situations.

Peter Smith, Ed.D, Senior Vice President for Academic Strategies and Development at Kaplan Higher Education, conducted a survey that confirmed that a faltering economy tends to drive people back into the classroom to sharpen their skills. Smith found that 91 percent of U.S. adults feel finishing a degree, seeking a higher degree or continuing education makes someone more attractive to potential employers, according to the survey.

It’s important for all of us to not lose that resilient spirit even during good times. The more we exercise our brain the stronger it will become. The human brain is able to continually adapt and rewire itself. Unlike a computer, the human brain can relearn and fix itself in many instances. I was amazed when my father had a stroke just two months ago and he went from not being able to walk to now you wouldn’t even know he had a stroke. I truly believe that his love of education and his constant brain stimulation over the years helped him quickly rewire the damaged area to relearn the movements needed to walk. The brain is more powerful than we can possibly imagine, so keep it well exercised!