Honestly, you don’t. If you are worried about the economy, your job, your finances—your future—you are not alone. But worry robs you of important energy you need to move forward. So does the idea that you need a bailout to survive. You don’t! What you need is 1) a thorough and objective review of your situation, 2) a plan for moving forward, and 3) belief in yourself and a decision to work patiently day to day to improve.

Step ONE:

Review your situation

Things have changed dramatically over the past six months. Truth is, “things” change every day for good or ill. You don’t notice this incremental change because you’re busy living your life. But all of a sudden someone looks old. Your finances have dwindled. Your stability feels shaken.

Before you can decide what you want to do about your current situation, you have to understand what it truly looks like. Make an inventory of your assets as they are valued today. Don’t just count money and stuff; think about your friendships, family relationships, and business associations. Forget about what you’ve lost—it’s history. Staying stuck in anger or depression will only diminish your ability to move forward and rebuild.

Step TWO:

Make a plan

With a current inventory in hand, think about what you want to keep and what you’re ready to part with. Garage sales, e-Bay, the classifieds, word-of-mouth advertising, even the barter system are ways to clear out unwanted materials. Many non-profit agencies would be glad to have your discards.

Reflect on your relationships. Are there some that wear you down? Are there others that make you feel strong and hopeful? Spend your time wisely.

Get your financial house in order. Whether you work with a financial planner or on your own, set goals for paying off bills, boosting savings, and rebuilding your financial foundation. This will not be an easy task, nor will your decisions suddenly create easier circumstances. But when you think through your options and create a plan aimed at restoration, your stress will subside.

Step Three:

Believe in yourself

Determine to be patient and persistent.

Although your losses may feel sudden and catastrophic, they are neither. With consistent effort and a confident mindset, you will restore yourself.

If you need help, ask for it! You may feel embarrassed or shamed by your current situation, but don’t let that stop you from reaching out. People are still interested in helping one another.

The most important thing you can do during a time of acute challenge is to believe in yourself and focus on your health. Get some exercise. Eat good food. Lay off the booze and junk food. Turn off the lights and get some sleep.

Read uplifting articles, books, and magazines. Wean yourself from the daily barrage of doom and gloom; it only wears down your optimism and resolve.

Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American essayist, philosopher and poet who lived in the 1800s. He traveled widely, studied broadly, and networked with great thinkers of his day. His essay, Self Reliance, offers bold advice that makes sense even today. Here are a few (edited) tidbits to ponder:

Trust thyself. Accept the place the divine providence has found for you, the society of your contemporaries, the connection of events.

Who so would be a man must be a nonconformist.

What I must do is all that concerns me, not what the people think. This rule may serve for the whole distinction between greatness and meanness. It is the harder, because you will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you know it.

Do your work, and I shall know you. Do your work, and you shall reinforce yourself.

This sage advice was difficult to follow in Emerson’s day. It may be even more difficult in our age of distraction. But if you take the time to examine your life, find ways to improve it, and patiently go about your work, you will be a powerful and happy woman of substance.

Susan Marshall is an author, speaker and independent business owner. She is the founder and president of Executive Advisor, LLC, a consulting firm designed to help business executives become more effective thinkers, planners, problem solvers and leaders.