Zhivargo Laing to Address Audiences at Free Seminars in Florida and New York in December

A Caribbean financial expert sees the fragile state of regional economies as the cause of many of the ills affecting the average person.

Zhivargo Laing, a former Bahamas finance minister, said this contention will run through a series of seminars he is planning for the mainland United States in December.

"Who wouldn't want to bring an end to the frustration and anxiety of having more obligations than means?" he asked. "This is the new normal for far too many people, including people who never had to face such a dilemma."

The Great Recession of 2008 was not just an economic phenomena, opined Laing, "it was a game changer for millions around the world and in the worst way."  

Furthermore, the financial specialist lamented: "Many now wallow in anguish as their material world and economic fortunes have been shaken in the wake of this great storm. For them, a high quality of life tied to material comfort has been diminished. They are now living worse off."

Laing contended, however, some peoples' anxiety and diminished quality of life had nothing to do with the recent global economic crisis: "In fact, their misfortunes occurred when things were booming. The reality is that good and bad times can lead people astray."

Laing will speak at two events held at Sheraton Ft. Lauderdale Airport & Cruise Port Hotel (1825 Griffin Rd, Dania, FL 33004) on Wednesday, December 4; and at Finn Partners in New York City (301 E 57th St, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10022) on Thursday, December 5. The free meetings are sponsored by Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Calabash Cove Resort and Spa in St. Lucia, and Pelican Bay Lucaya on Grand Bahama.

Laing will stress in his seminars the importance of developing "the ability to live well no matter the economic circumstances. There is a way to face both pleasure and pain, loss and gain with purpose, prudence and peace."

Essentially, Laing maintains "there is a power to live better in good and bad times. To find it is to change the game itself and not merely the way it is played. To find it is to get out of the rat race and every race."  

Such a realization "is a reawakening from a life of hustle to a life of health and happiness."

On the other end of the pay scales he thinks "for the corporate executive, it is a way to push back against the tide of greed and profits and find grace and peace. For the business person it is a way to conduct business at the speed of life and not light."

Laing reminded: "It is not a magical formula for changing your circumstances. It is a power for changing you in them and being able to excel despite them."

Above all, Laing wants to remind his audiences that "life is the prize and to live it well is to live successfully."