A colleague of mine forwarded this message to me today as I sat at my desk pondering the dismal number of phone calls I recieved today - it was exactly what I needed...so I hope that it may provide the same level of comfort to all of you readers out there ...

Today as we know it-As the nation stands amidst one of the largest financial crisis's since the stock market crash/great depression, I like many Americans stand a bit numb and shell shocked. I ask myself, "Am I just in a bad dream or is this really happening?" We are living through a time when our children/grandchildren will look back and say "WOW, that must have really been rough living through those years." We will be referenced in history and Econ. books about the blunders of the US financial markets & how never to repeat it".   Let's face it, we grew up seeing our country as the invincible Super Power US. We live in an EGO-filled world. The rug was pulled out from under us the first time with 9/11 and the myriad of recent events is yet another reminder that our nation does not have a bullet proof vest.

The entitlement view-I think as Americans, we all suffer from a bit of entitlement to some degree. The general feeling is, "I have worked hard, I have earned it, and I deserve it" So when something gets taken away from us leaving our lives just a bit more uncomfortable then we were yesterday, there is a quick opportunity for resentment and anger to build. This then erodes our thinking and our view on life and how we respond to those around us. It is easy to wallow in a world of self-pity and get lost and stuck in it. This thinking self perpetuates causing emotional paralysis and negativity can leak into all facets of our life.

Bad things happen to good people. Life has its ups and downs. There is much that can be taken from us in life that we have no control of. There is no explanation of WHY this happens. Right this minute, thousands of people are suffering a loss. Some are losing their job, others are losing their home, some are losing their  family (the number 1 reason for divorce is financial stress). Worst of all, some will take their own life (suicide will inevitably be up this year)

Choosing how to react- Although many things can be taken from us in life, no one can take away our right to decide how to react to a situation. This choice remains exclusively ours. I encourage you to reflect on this a bit in your own life. Are you going to let bitterness erode your heart as we move through these next few tough years or are you going to choose to persevere and focus on what you do have vs. what you do not? You can get up every morning and count your blessings (the love of family, friends, health, the gift of  food and shelter) or you can get up grumbling about what you do not have.

Realties of our Industry- For most of us, we lived through the "glory days" of our industry, we rode the wave of prosperity. Every industry is cyclical and we are now finally experiencing the downturn of our own. I encourage you to ask yourself, "do I like the core of this business?" If the answer is yes, then you need to put your best foot forward and say "this too shall pass. " We will experience what feels like normal times again in a few years and as I keep saying, there will be no competition at that juncture. If you were in this business for the money and have no passion for what we do on a daily basis, I encourage you to get out and start looking for something that will ignite excitement in your life.

Embracing Change- 98% of people do not like change. It is uncomfortable, it pushes us outside of our comfort zone. Interestingly I have found that all of my personal growth does not come when I am in the confines of my own happy ideal world. It is when I get pushed outside these walls that the opportunity for growth flourishes.  Change builds character. Consider viewing these current times as a unique opportunity that will make you a better & stronger person even though it doesn't feel so fabulous as you are actively walking through these life trials.