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Opportunities in Times of Chaos

Written by: Rodger Blaker

Article Overview: If the news and the "warnings of impending doom" are inspiring your imagination to create awful images in your head, CHANGE THAT! Stimulate your imagination to create images of what's possible, what's new and creative, fun, loving and empowering. Remember, "We become what we think about all day long." In times of storm, think about the rainbow.

Opportunities in Times of Chaos

While I'm enormously proud of my country for our peaceful elections and the way we come together once the votes are counted, the fact remains these are chaotic, difficult times.

We are constantly warned of threats to our well-being--economic problems, job lay-offs, home foreclosures, the annual flu scare, and even warnings about a new glut of spam and email viruses on the loose. Sometimes I wonder why I get out of bed if the world is obviously falling apart and "going to hell in a hand basket!"

And then I remember a wonderful quote from Will Rogers: "Hardly any of the things I worry about ever happen." What a magnificent insight! We listen to the news, we worry and raise our blood-pressure (sometimes even give ourselves ulcers!) and for what? At the end of the day, we come home and the house is still standing. The kids and the dog still love us. We have dinner, watch a little television or put the kids to bed, and life is good. But what about all that "danger" out there?

I've often joked that for all the violent movies, news stories and the billions spent on "security" it's been a long time since anyone shot up my neighborhood with a machine gun. As a real problem, it simply doesn't exist. (I'm afraid James Bond and I live very different lives!) In my world, most of these fears are just "news" designed to make money for the publishers--and perhaps create business for the "stress reduction" industry.

For me, chaos is best used as a motivator to help me review my priorities and insure my future. Specifically, here are a few things my coaching clients and I have been talking about:

1. Assess actual risk. Are you, in actual fact, over extended or exposed in any area? Are you carrying too much debt? Is your job at risk? Does your investment portfolio need to be adjusted? Facts and numbers rarely lie. Face the truth and if you are at risk, take action. Talk with experts and get good advice. Assess your level of actual risk and protect yourself. As the kids say, "Like, Duh!" Get this done!

2. Relax and enjoy. I use the example of storm watching. Most of us prefer warm sunny days to cold rain, but resorts in Colorado do great business during the winter. People throng to the mountains to ski and snow board regardless of heavy snow fall. Later, they sit by warm fires, eat great food and talk with friends. It's wonderful to be warm, safe and comfortable while you watch it snow. View these times of crisis that way. If you're protected, relax while you watch the storm from the safety of your own hearth.

3. Chaos creates opportunity. During this recession, thousands of new businesses will start. Millions of people will change careers, move to better communities, simplify their lives, or discover talents they never knew they had. What opportunities are available to you? Instead of watching hours of bad news, read a book, enjoy dinner with the family, or sketch a new business plan and take action.

Most people will (sadly) let this recession happen "to" them. This Months Thought subscribers, on the other hand, will use whatever comes their way to their advantage. They'll see and seize the opportunities chaos always provides.

Earlier this year I heard that the common, ordinary stick was inducted into the "Toy Hall of Fame." (Who knew there was such a thing!?) The point was that kids have never needed fancy dolls, expensive toys or electronic gadgets to have fun. Give a kid a stick, let her imagination loose, and amazing things happen.

If the news and the "warnings of impending doom" are inspiring your imagination to create awful images in your head, CHANGE THAT! Stimulate your imagination to create images of what's possible, what's new and creative, fun, loving and empowering. Remember, "we become what we think about all day long." In times of a snow storm, think about skiing on white powder.

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Article Tags: billions, different lives, difficult times, economic problems, glut, going to hell, good advice, hand basket, home foreclosures, investment portfolio, james bond, lay offs, machine gun, motivator, peaceful elections, proud of my country, scare, stress reduction, ulcers, will rogers



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Re: Does a New Company need a "Big" PR firm? - [quote="OmnivoreInk":dmj1i0sv]I've started work with a brand new company that is going to do loss mitigation. My boss intends to hire a "big" PR firm - ie one that costs a lot of money - because he wants press releases sent out to the New York Times, the LA Times - all the major papers around the country - and he think they'll be more likely to print them if they come from a "big" firm as opposed to a one-person PR firm. I think it doesn't matter where the press release comes from as long as its well written. What are the opinions here?[/quote:dmj1i0sv] I think the most important factor is whether your press release will reach the most number of your target audience or not. It won't matter if the press release is well written if no one has the opportunity to read it. I also believe that credibility comes with having your press release in an established source like The New York Times, LA Times, etc... For instance, if you enjoyed playing tennis, who would you trust more? The advice from a recreational tennis player who has his own column in [i:dmj1i0sv]Tennis Magazine[/i:dmj1i0sv] [u:dmj1i0sv]or[/u:dmj1i0sv] the recreational tennis player who has his own blog? I don't know about you, but I'd listen to the guy on [i:dmj1i0sv]Tennis Magazine[/i:dmj1i0sv] over the blog owner at least 9 out of 10 times.
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