Sign up for our newsletters! Dr. Ed Diener and Robert Biswas-
Diener Photo: Lori Adamski-Peek Ilene was among the first
casualties of the economic downturn. In January, she was
dismissed from her job as an administrative assistant, a
position she had held for 17 years. We met Ilene at a local
farmer's market, where she was volunteering at a booth sponsored
by the public library. Ilene clearly lamented her lack of
income, lack of structure and lack of certainty in her financial
future. At the same time, she spoke highly of her free time,
crooning about how great it was to have the chance to volunteer
for meaningful causes.  Ilene represents the somewhat bipolar
face of the current economic situation: Most of us have felt the
sting of lower housing and investment values, but, at the same
time, there seems to be something hopeful and cleansing as well.
The trick, when your well-being is concerned, is to learn how to
weather economic hardship by appreciating your true
psychological wealth.  When we talk about "psy