Getting things off to a great start in the new year:

Don't know about you, but I am excited for 2009. Whoever said opportunities abound when the chips are down must have been talking about the present! Because 2008 was such a challenging year there must be a huge upside to 2009, right? I believe so. The business world took a beating in 2008. Investors across the board suffered record losses. Real estate performed the same as property values went down. Need I even bring up the crazy foreclosure activity? Few sectors saw any positive gains. We were left licking our wounds, vowing not to have another year like the last. I'm not one to make long lists of resolutions, mainly because Pizza, Mt.Dew, and Dark Chocolate exist. :-) But this year, the few resolutions I will make, I plan to keep! Focusing on my business priorities is one. Working on my business network is another. Not just expanding my list of contacts, but engaging and really appreciating the contacts I already have. Keeping my desk less cluttered is another one. That one will be challenging as I always have numerous ideas and projects going! Using all of the tools and training I have gained. I know that this is a key to success. It's amazing how often we sign up for or purchase a product or material that ends up not being put to full use. The time of frivolous excess is over. We see wasteful actions within our government and throughout the corporate world. To me, enough is enough. I plan on being an example by changing how things are done at home as well as in my business. It's not right to ask others to make change if I am not ready to do the same. I will keep you posted on how my progress is going. I hope you will do the same. Let me know how you plan to be an example, and make positive change in 2009.

Freedom:

Being that today is Veteran's Day here in the USA and Remembrance Day in Canada, I do want to take a moment and express my gratitude for our hard fought freedom. Recent events in our country only magnify these freedoms. The freedom to pursue education, to pursue a career, to pursue political office, to express your voice in agreement or opposition, to live where you wish, to raise your family, to pursue your dream. The list is long, yet the casualties from the struggles and battles fought in order to have this freedom is even longer. I respectfully tip my cap and offer a prayer for those who have lost their life fighting for these freedoms. I will never take these freedoms for granted. I will support our brave men and women who keep these freedoms alive and well in our country. To the members of our Armed Forces, I say... THANK YOU!