Embrace Your Crisis

May 1, 2006 — -- Laura Day has seen her share of crises.

Her mother committed suicide when she was 14. Her marriage ended when she was 33 and a new mom, leaving her impoverished to raise her son alone.

"We're creatures of pattern," she said. "As mammals, when something changes, it signals danger to us. So crisis is a change we're not prepared to handle. … But if nothing changes, that's when something is wrong. See the crisis as an opportunity. It can't be avoided."

Day drew from her own experiences to write a book, "Welcome to Your Crisis: How to Use the Power of Crisis to Create the Life You Want." The book outlines her journey from crisis to the publication of her best-selling self-help manual, which made her almost $4 million.

Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman is a great example of overcoming crisis, Day said. After her divorce from Tom Cruise, Kidman went on to act in some of her best roles ever.

"Nicole did it on a grand scale," Day said. "But this [book] is something for everyone. … Nicole had to reach into herself for change."

Day has worked with celebrities like Uma Thurman and Demi Moore, whose divorces have been followed by career successes. She created strategies for dealing with crisis based on different types of personalities.

"Everyone has a response type," Day said. "It's usually part of what got them into the crisis in the first place. It's important to know which type you are and act accordingly."

Day's Tips for the Different Personality Types

Depression Type: Tend to isolate themselves and are more tired than usual.
Tip: Depression types need to focus on the task of just getting out of bed and washing their faces at first. They need to alter their environment to help them snap out of it. They should also find a comforting daily routine to help them cope.

Anxiety Type: Anxiety types are so nervous all the time, they miss what the real problem is and run out of energy to solve it. They have trouble sleeping and act impulsively but ineffectively.
Tip: Anxiety types need to find a way to be calm and simplify their lives by focusing only on what really needs to get done. Make a checklist to avoid getting distracted.