Remember New York’s Mayor Ed Koch’s mantra: “How’m I doing?” It’s what kept him in touch with the pulse of New Yorkers and his impact on the city. Feedback is critical in everyone’s business. Since I just got an email from a friend and colleague asking me that question in the following words, I thought it would be a good time to address it and ask you the same. Here’s what she wrote:
How have you kept a grounded and positive mindset about all of this? I would love to hear more about this in your blog and newsletter, as I think we can all benefit from hearing a positive and optimistic approach when facing uncertain times. Have you felt any impact on your business at this point?
My reply: I’ve never been better. If I didn’t read the newspapers or watch Oprah or hear conversations in public, I would not be aware of the crisis–except that gas prices are so much better now. I had to give some thought to what makes it so for me. And here it is.
I have spent the past two decades surrounding myself with positive people whose mission in life is to look for solutions. I have immersed myself in a culture that is overwhelmingly conscious of something greater than ourselves. There is little time for victimhood, catastrophizing and ‘woe is me’.
Some of my daily practices include writing a gratitude list, making outbound calls when I’m afraid, being of service to someone else. Listening to anyone else’s struggles lifts me out of my own. I do what’s on my schedule for the day and stay with myself, an instruction I received from my first therapist. It was sage advice then and holds true now.
My self-care includes daily meditation and prayer. Journaling helps, too–a place to put the fears so I don’t carry them around in my head.
Also, I’ve been debt-free for over a decade. My business does not require cash infusions via credit, so the credit crunch is not affecting me directly. Clients are still coming to me for my services. I work directly with small business owners who control their spending. Should my current market dry up, I trust that my resourcefulness and ambition will lead me in another direction.
How are YOU doing?
12 comments
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October 23, 2008 at 9:20 am
Barbara Arelt
As a Financial Advisor I am currently up to my eyeballs in negative goo. Lucky for me, however, my “mastermind” group is focusing on staying positive as an exercise and best practice discussion for our next meeting. However, I can somewhat relate to your friend’s position. In particular, I have a professional associate that seems to always be waxing rhapsodic about life and opportunities. Frankly, sometimes it’s a turnoff listening to her. On another note, I like the stay with myself instruction you mention.
October 23, 2008 at 1:26 pm
janepollak
@Barbara
You bring up a great point re your ‘waxing rhapsodic’ colleague. I’m very judicious about sharing my successes, however my attitude comes with me no matter what. I’m thrilled to read about your Mastermind group’s focus on staying positive. Genius!
October 23, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Scarlett De Bease
Although the news and reality, can be depressing, I too subscribe to the belief that attitude is incredibly helpful in dealing with the ups and downs of the world around us. Turning off the news, completing a put off forever project, making a batch of cookies, and/or putting on some lipstick might sound simplistic, but they help during less than great times, to lift our spirits.
My business is based on guiding women on dressing well and projecting the appropriate image needed every day and for every occasion, made possible by working with an existing wardrobe, and adding pieces that can expand it even further. Todays economy is allowing me to get more attention for my long standing belief, that it is possible to accomplish all that without spending a fortune.
Unlike Sara Palin’s wardrobe advisors, I know how to work within reasonable spending guidelines and limits. My view re: her $150,000 will be heard on a call I placed to the Gayle King Show on XM radio.
In other words, I am doing fine because I strongly believe that no matter what happens, there are hidden opportunities awaiting me and those around me. And, I love, love love, that I got to speak with Oprah’s best friend Gayle!
Scarlett
Scarlett New York Image Consulting
October 24, 2008 at 11:18 am
janepollak
@Scarlett
Congratulations for seizing the moment with your comment on Gayle King! That’ll put you right on Oprah’s map. I’m with you all the way on what we CAN do today. Thanks for your comment.
October 24, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Janet
Well, I am the friend of Jane’s who asked her this question, as I value Jane’s optimistic, can-do attittude when things get challenging. In reading Jane’s response, I realized that I share many of the practices and successes Jane describes and I need to more consistently trust in all that I do to attract success into my life and that I have the resources to adapt to change when needed or desired. Since I wrote to Jane, I have been listening to many inspriing and positve people and having taken a number of proactive marketing steps to promote my business with great results. I now feel I have turned the corner on the bit of worry I had about how the economic forces may impact my business – thank goodness!
Janet Esposito
October 27, 2008 at 5:18 am
janepollak
@Janet
I really appreciate the confirmation that this works when you work it. I keep hearing people speak negatively about The Secret, which is all about the Law of Attraction. Usually what happens is that the nay-sayers look only at the folks who say, “I want a million dollars” and sit back and wait. What we’re talking about here is entirely different. Janet, you’ve demonstrated exactly what the true secret is: you took a number of proactive marketing steps…with great results. THAT’S how it works, not just by wanting and saying. It’s in the doing. Thanks for writing!
October 28, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Liz Carnahan
Jane, I love this blog entry. My mantra for the moment is:
“My personal economy is not the global economy.”
It’s very scary out there, no doubt about it. My new career as writer, editor, and proofreader is fresh out of the nest, and I don’t know how it’s going to fly in the coming economy. That being said, I appreciate what you have to say about “staying with yourself,” about self-care, about doing what’s on the list for today, and about reaching out to and being available for others. Practicing these things for myself is helping me stay grounded, calm, and enthusiastic with clients. I am better able to help clients promote themselves when I myself am grounded.
To find work right now in my new field, I’m having to use a great deal more than I expected of energy, time, and resources. Work is coming in, though, and I am more able than I used to be to say yes to unexpected opportunities. I’m clear about the difference between worrying about my new career and worrying about the larger economy. I know that I’m doing the best that I can, and I can sleep at night, due in large part to my own daily practices. Thanks again for that refresher!
October 28, 2008 at 5:20 pm
janepollak
@Liz
Thank you for sharing your experience validating these things. I know it to be true, and hearing from you affirming it underlines it again. Congratulations! While others are frozen in fear, you’re taking all the necessary actions to keep the energy flowing.
November 7, 2008 at 2:06 am
Janice Weinstein
When I am truly “living” the law of attraction…my life does flow. I am an interior decorator and redesigner. When I watched and listened to the woes in the economy, all I could think was “decorating is the last thing one would do right now.” When I put my focus and marketing on my creative budget decorating, and stopped thinking about finding some part time work, my phone started rinnging again! I believe with all my heart…it’s what we put out there that counts! Thanks so much for the reminders! How inspiring!
November 7, 2008 at 4:49 am
janepollak
@Janice
You’re exactly right. Thank YOU for the power of your example.
November 8, 2008 at 3:01 am
donnaelle
i would love to commend you all for your inner resolve to rise above the ‘frey’ of the economic global downturn in what i refer to as ‘divine chaos’. i believe deeply this lesson is for each one of us on an intimate level and heeding that personal lesson and reshifting our core values and reaffirming and reclarifying them during a down time is most critical for personal consciousiness work. it is this opportunity which i adore for some quiet times to be still, reflect, and trust while i have more of this precious commodity of time for higher consciousness and self evaluation. So i baske in the joy of ‘doing those things on my to-do list ‘of self promotion, blogging, discovery, walking, researching, direct marketing, phone calling, networking, meditating, family time and mostly reorganizing to prepare and ‘call for’ universal order when we step out of this time period as i will be ready to reap what i sow today. There is nothing like siezing the moment and taking this situation as a true opportunity and a visual consciousness while ‘seeing’ my future in a much softer light!! REady, set , GO !
November 8, 2008 at 5:24 am
janepollak
@Donna
You’ve clearly articulated a path for everyone to be taking during this transitional time. It’s a bit like what happens during a blizzard. You know it’s not going to be business-as-usual, so what CAN you do? You have the answer. Do the next right thing. The only wrong thing to do now is allow yourself to be frozen in fear. Action is the magic word!
Thank you, once again, for your brilliance!