Change is the only constant in this world
Like many of you, I seem to have a group of friends in my email address book that send me videos, political cartoons, and all sorts of interesting information. Occasionally I receive a story or quotation that seems to come at just the right time, like a quote from Lucille Ball - “One of the things I learned the hard way is that it doesn’t pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself.”
I am the first to admit that in recent months I have been discouraged. I suspect that many of you have shared those same feelings. We are bombarded with negative news and statistics from all sides as we struggle to make sense of an economy and business environment that seem to be out of our control. However, I have heard positive news from many of you as we see real signs of recovery and I believe that even though times are still tough, the worst is behind us.
In the spirit of optimism, I want to point out some positive aspects of the current recession and encourage you to continue to seek new ways of doing business, both personally and professionally.
· Everyone I know has evaluated their business / personal life and found ways to reduce costs, improve efficiency and become more competitive. The hard lessons learned will make our nation stronger.
· If you watch any news at all, you know that a new spirit of political activism has emerged as we realize that many of us have become complacent on the issues that affect us. I encourage you to stay informed on pending legislation that affects our nation and make your views known to politicians at all levels as there is strength in numbers.
· Support your local businesses! I can’t stress how important this is, no matter where you live. This can mean the difference between survival of a business and closing its doors. I’m not only talking about the retail businesses and restaurants. Supporting these establishments is very important, but there are also other firms and companies that are locally owned and operated that need your support as well. Companies such as promotional advertising firms, marketing firms, banks, and charities (to name just a FEW) all need your patronage and support too! Getting involved in your area chambers and working with other members is vital to recovery. Do business with other members of your community!
· Our nation cannot survive at its current level without an investment of time from each citizen. It is time that you become involved by attending meetings, joining a committee, writing to your elected officials and most of all “do business with other members of your community”.
· If you want to see changes in your community, become involved and voice your opinions so that we can make positive adjustments. We are a diverse nation and it can be challenging to ensure that we address issues that benefit all of us. I assure you that our community leaders and politicians will listen. But, sitting on the sidelines without voicing our beliefs to the ones making the decisions will get us nowhere. It doesn’t matter whether you are a Republican, Democrat, Independent, or somewhere in between. Make suggestions with your opinions. We can’t simply state “NO, that won’t work” without offering viable options to correct the issues.
I want to remind you that change is the only constant. Cycles repeat themselves and we must adapt to the changes so we can restore our faith in ourselves and this nation. I want to end with another quote sent by friends - “While we may not be able to control all that happens to us, we can control what happens inside us.” - Benjamin Franklin
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