One suggestion for when you're worried about money problems, listen to some good blues music.

However cheesy it may sound, it works. Knowing your problems aren't unique, or even new. Some of the music from the 1930s Great depression says it the best.

A lot of people go through periods of having no money. Latest official stats suggest that half of Canadians work paycheque to paycheque, meaning that if they missed their next paycheque they would have to skip paying some bills - and this is in one of the richest countries worldwide! Not a unique situation by any means - leading to a thriving payday loan industry with predatory interest rates.

If you are truly, absolutely broke - not like "I'm so broke I can only eat at McDonald's" or "I am on a hotdog and Kraft Dinner diet broke" - that is to say, having simply $0 to your name, consider this:

15% of American households have a negative net worth. Mortgages, student loans and credit cards total more than the value of savings, property and assets for these people. At least it's better to have zero dollars than negative dollars, right?

If you are reading this from a computer that isn't in the public library, chances are you aren't homeless either. It's estimated that there's over 200,000 homeless people here in Canada, accounting for nearly 1% of the population. It's always nice to have a roof over your head and electricity.

Speaking of which, have you thought about how many people worldwide are still living in the dark ages? That is to say, 1.1 billion people without access to electricity. Not having any accessible source of power can complicate many things from simply charging your phone to being able to pump water up a hill. Having light at the flick of a switch is a daily miracle, but 1/7th of the globe is still left in the dark.

It's nice to have all these modern comforts. In fact only 4 billion people worldwide use the internet, so if you're reading this chances are you're in North America of Europe. South Asia, the Middle East and Africa all have much lower internet penetration. Being online is one privelege that we might even take for granted, compared to someone in North Korea who wants to read all the latest Steemit blogs.

Where am I going with all this?

Money is a rigged game, it's made to be artificially scarce and people are forced to compete relentlessly for these paper slips with imaginary value deemed legal by the powers that be. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose but like in any game of musical chairs, someone is always left flat on their ass. Luckily crypto-currencies are providing an alternative where society can opt-in to a currency that has predetermined rules and is near-impossible to counterfeit.

Take stock of the things that have real value, like your relationships with your friends and family. With these, you can never be broke. Money comes and goes, but the people you trust and rely on are irreplaceable. Enjoy art, nature, life and try to appreciate the time we live in - a techno-futristic world at a crossroads where humanity lies halfway between the gutter and the stars. Never before has there been so much opportunity available to the small businessperson or entrepreneur where anyone with a laptop can compete on a global marketplace of ideas and products.

So remember not all is lost. Got fired from your job? That manager was an idiot anyways, you'll find something better. Harsh economic times? The 30s depression led into to a huge post-WWII economic boom, things will turn around. Mafia coming to collect their loan from you? I'll drink a shot of whiskey for you, friend.

So just remember, it (usually) could be worse.

*And at the very least, you all have a little STEEM right?