Those predisposed to pessimism have abundant evidence to justify their sense of gloom and doom these days. Optimists may even feel their positive outlook under siege. Here are some tips for remaining upbeat: Avoid grumps and whiners. They will only make you feel worse. Take care of yourself. Eat well, exercise, and take time for yourself. Concentrate on the things you can control, not those beyond your reach. Laugh. Seek the people, reading matter, shows and activities that make you laugh. Be generous with others. Be patient, helpful, forgiving, and supportive. Avoid generalizations. Specific things are going wrong. Lots of them, I’ll grant you. But other things are going well. Attend to your cash flow and emergency reserves. Limit the amount of news you watch and file those financial statements quickly. Be confident in who you are and what you have accomplished. Economic difficulties don’t change that; they only change how and when you pursue your dreams. Make smart investments that position you for a strong future. Consider investing in: Professional development Building strong relationships with customers Reconnecting with past customers Getting your operational house in order Clarifying your strategy Facilities and equipment that may be exceptionally inexpensive right now This too shall pass. Will you be ready? Call us for help in making the best of current circumstances: 617-939-9654.
What are the 3 things you need to start moving on right now to ensure a great 2009? Choose and then act. To act, determine next steps and schedule them right along with all your other MOST important tasks. It is your future and you have far more control than you think! Make it happen!
“Everyone is having trouble so I don’t have a chance and it’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better.” Depressing just to read such a statement, isn’t it? I am sure you have heard plenty of similar statements in the last many weeks. The times are simply crazy. But we can choose how we react to them and control the statements we make!
Our solar panels are up and have been producing since June! Most days are net positive. I love it when the meter arrow points toward the street, the preferred direction of energy flow! Greater self-sufficiency just plain feels good. We are giving back, not taking. On the rare occasions we used the AC this summer, we just smiled. We are partially protected from rising energy costs.
I just returned from a fabulous, mostly unplugged, long weekend. I could not write my blog; I had no computer and sporadic connectivity. I could not check phone messages or email; there was rarely a cell signal. I could not look things up on the Internet; my iPhone specialized in “No Service.” It reminded me of the peace I felt during my 7 days in the remote wilderness of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area on the Minnesota-Canadian border two summers ago. I relaxed while working hard physically, enjoyed the incredible scenery, discovered new places, and appreciated the people around me. Back a bit early from my long weekend, I vowed to continue the vacation, at least until the sun set. I didn’t “work,” but I failed in that mission. I caught up on email. I downloaded, labeled, and uploaded pictures. I checked the weather. I experimented with Facebook. I checked Had I succumbed to laundry and dinner alone, the vacation would have lasted longer. Computers, email, the Internet, iPhones – titanic time savers that suck significant and vital minutes out of your day. They distract us from life. They teach us to interrupt ourselves. Control or be controlled: that is the question.
How do you feel about the deadlines in your job? Some of you have no deadlines, just scheduled failures. You have my sympathy. Some of you have forgiving, floating, feel-good fancies. But no drop dead pressure. You are either the boss, self-employed, or overlooked. Some of you are lucky. You have deadlines that spur you to new heights. You have challenges that energize. You are neither buried, nor left to sleep in. You get to play in the pasture of proud productivity. Enjoy it!
You have to want it. Desire, determination and persistence are invaluable. I don’t know about the Red Sox. I wouldn’t bring it up with them right now. Think of how Hillary Clinton reacted to such a suggestion from Sarah Palin. Nonetheless, attitude is the little engine that could. Talent and skill, like a strong, well-engineered frame and body, set you up for success. A smart choice of destination and route can significantly improve your odds. And, of course, luck is in charge of the downed branches and landslides. But it is that little engine, charging forward with determination and optimism, that can compensate for the rusty frame, the wrong turn, and the cow on the tracks. Pick your mountain! And then climb it one small rise at a time. What one thing can you accomplish today that will get you closer to your dream? Be specific. Be determined. Be successful.
The pigeon got on the train at DC. He strode up the aisle almost to the front, changed his mind and returned to the rear. Still unsatisfied, he passed my seat for a third time and followed the conductor into the next car forward. No panic. No ruffled feathers. Is this customary behavior? Does the train just look like a crowded park to him? Or has he been drinking too much of our pharmaceutical-tainted public water supply from the DC fountains? Come to think of it, everyone was pretty smiley, calm and helpful in DC last weekend. Maybe it was the gorgeous weather or the fact that I was smiling so much. Or maybe everyone was drinking the same water as the pigeon. I didn’t see the pigeon again. I think he got off at BWI.
PRESS RELEASE October 9, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Ann Latham 617-939-9654 Uncommon Clarity, Inc. EASTHAMPTON, MA – Latham to Open Manufacturing Event, “Beyond Compact Fluorescents” On November 14th, 2008, let the Regional Technology Corporation (RTC) show you proven ways to reduce energy consumption on your plant floor while identifying local and state resources to help along the way – some for FREE.
You’ve got a decision to make. Actually, unless you live in a totally different world than I do, you have tons of decisions to make! Decisions can be difficult and time consuming, and all the more so if you are also wondering who should make the decision or if you are involving too many people in the decision process. When does a unilateral decision make sense? When should a decision be delegated? When is a group decision a better approach? These are not easy questions and the answer depends on two factors: INPUT: Where can you find the knowledge, skill and talent needed to make the decision? PROCESS: Which approach, from unilateral to group, gives you the right combination of individual development, commitment, decision quality, and speed?