Over the past week many in the northeast have been walloped by the Ice Storm of 2008 leaving many without power and the basic necessities. On top of the recent economic downturn, foreclosures, declining real estate construction activity and financial troubles it is not suprising that people's attitudes are affected. We are easily reminded of all the recent and current challenges on the news, in the paper, the radio, the internet, work and the coffee shop. It is very easy to get caught up in the misery and before you know it you are not feeling very positive and your attitude towards things turns negative.
Keeping the proper perspective is vital to maintaining a positive attitude. Yes, it is a tough situation, but like all others it will pass. It is prudent and neccessary to be informed about the challenges we are facing but not smart to let them alter your attitude. The more we allow ourselves to think negatively about the bad economy or the tough winter upon us the more we attract and maintain a negative mindset. The law of attraction will not fail you. It will attract negative thoughts just as readily as it will attract positive.
One of the worst things we can do to reinforce the negativity around us is to spend too much time listening to, watching or reading the news. A good example of this is the weather. The media has become so adept at teasing the public through sensationalizing the weather reports. A hurricane can be thousands of miles away and people in New England 50 miles from shore will be glued to the channel. A routine snow storm of 8-12 inches is now an event for the ages when a few years ago it was normal New England weather. Are you addicted to the weather reports or the news? After you watch it for a prolonged period how do you feel?
Another example is the economy. Yes, for us contractors in the construction industry the economy stinks. Housing is down, credit is tight, low ball contractors are everywhere giving their work away, homeowners are holding back and more. So now that we know that, what are we going to do about it! Stop watching the news, stop complaining about no work, no leads, no money and start working on you and your business! The successful contractors of tomorrow will look back on this time and know that their investment in themselves now, was responsible for getting them ready for the future, when things rebound. Tomorrow's successful contractors right now are reading books, listening to tapes or cd's, working on their business plan for next year, taking sales training courses, working with a contractor business coach, working on their marketing plan and more.
I remember a seminar a couple or years ago where a speaker said one sure fire way to screw up your attitude is to listen or read too much news. He said if it dies, bleeds, burns, crashes or blows up it usually leads in the news. Just think what leads the news today. Murder, bank robberies, sex scandals, car crashes, business failures, political stuff, weather and so on. How many good stories have you heard leading the news? Probably not many because good news doesn't sell and it isn't sexy, grotesque or controversial.
To protect your attitude determine to spend as little time as possible watching the news. Get your information from the headlines or the internet. If you must be informed locally about a certain issue or situation by all means read up on it. It is very easy to get updates on the weather or news without listening to the sensationalists on the news.
How are you maintaining a positive attitude in these challenging economic and environmental times?
