Five not so bad things about the recession

Can good come out of an economic crisis? Maybe not so much good that it outweighs the bad, but I think the answer is still yes.

I’ve been thinking about this column for a long time, but I decided to explore it in print over a holiday weekend for one good reason — fewer people will see it, which will cut down on the negative mail I’ll receive.

I know that I’m on tenuous ground, and of course I wish we’d never found ourselves in this mess. But since we’re here, we might as well recognize the silver linings. Here are five positive things I think we’ll later say came from this crisis:

AMY LINDGREN

WORKING STRATEGIES

1. A national focus on debt. This is huge. Predatory lending practices are being rooted out, credit card companies are being forced to hew closer to basic tenets of decency, people are saving money again, and an entire generation is growing up understanding debt.

2. Better deals and service from businesses. I know this is a double-edged sword: Businesses are offering deals because they’re gasping for air themselves. But just for a little while, I enjoy being treated as a customer and not just the hand holding the credit card.

3. A national focus on health care. After years of whispered conversations, I think we are finally moving forward on separating health care from jobs. This pairing has done more damage to businesses, family finances and individual career paths than anything else I can think of.

4. A drawing closer of families and friends. I know this can be more tension-filled than fun, but many families are benefiting from sharing resources, with more generations living in one home and more meals eaten together.

5. A resurgence of self-reliance and overall thriftiness. We see self-reliance poking up in the form of family gardens, urban chicken coops and baby-sitting cooperatives. I’m glad to see this American spirit coming back.

- Amy Lindgren owns Prototype Career Service, a career consulting firm in St. Paul, Minn. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecaree rservice.com or at 1071 W. Seventh St., St. Paul, MN 55102.