What is today, again??

I feel like there was something I was supposed to do. . . but I can't quite put my finger on what it was . . . a Tuesday in November, hmmmm. . .

Well, of course I VOTED, silly!  Not that I think it makes a dang bit of difference, because I don't.  I vote because there are service people out there who have dedicated and in some cases sacrificed their lives to preserve my right to do so.  So, much like standing in silence for the National Anthem and removing one's hat for the Pledge, I vote out of respect for the sacrifice of others and for the love and reverence of my country.

That said, I believe this election will result in the same circumstance as all other elections that have come before it.  Someone will be sworn into the Office in January.  Possibly someone I don't agree with or care for, possibly someone who I think is an international embarrassment to our country, but I don't really have a lot of control over that.

What do I think will happen with the government and the economy in the next term?  Well, to paraphrase from the great Jim Rohn, it'll probably go something like this:  There will be a period of expansion, followed by a period of recession.  Then a period of great opportunity, followed by a contraction.

It was not that Jim Rohn had any great fortune telling abilities or a knack for seeing into the future.  Jim Rohn knew -- as do all successful business people -- that economies, governments and lives just operate in cycles. And his point was not whether the periods of recession or prosperity were long or short, or coming sooner or later, but rather that they are actually irrelevant to your personal success.

You see, I used to get all fired up about all of this political B.S. and felt as though it mattered who was in power as to how my personal financial life would go.  That I would not make money in a "down economy" but I would in an "up economy."  Through personal experience, lots of education, reading and coaching, I have come to realize that I have the power and ability to create my own reality, my own financial future and my own economic conditions, which is exactly what we have done here at Just Determination, doubling our business volume and profits during this economic recession.

So my point today in this post is, do not be a slave to the media, the pundits', the doomsayers' or the "experts'" opinions which are merely their own wishful thinking, half-cooked or vague guesses or feelings about the "general economic and political climate" of our day.  Live in YOUR world; create YOUR own reality, your own plan for the future, your own wealth.  Turn off the television, put down the newspapers and magazines and form your own opinions about the people who MATTER -- not celebrities or politicians, but your business partners, your family and your friends.  Work on yourself; read a personal development book or listen to Success Magazine audio CDs in your car, undertake a 30-day self-improvement plan or class or course.  Resources abound in ways you can enrich your knowledge, your skills, your health and your life.  Worry less about "free healthcare" and more about working out and teaching your family how to shop, cook and eat in a cost-effective, nutritious manner.  Start your own business and utilize tax deductions to avoid paying for government programs you don't support or believe in, if you feel that strongly about how the government is running the show.

If you're freaking out about social injustice, go volunteer.  Find a need, fill a need (yes, that is a line from Robots!  I have five kids, come on!)  Don't gripe, complain and wallow in negativity -- take action!  And I don't mean by voting, because that's not real action and won't yield any real results.  If you believe in welfare, sponsor a family who is poor.  If you believe in affirmative action, mentor someone less fortunate in YOUR business and teach them how to support themselves and their family by earning a living.  If you believe in the value of life, donate money, food or clothing to the many organizations that provide assistance to mothers of unplanned pregnancy.  Taking these actions will not only make an actual and real difference in someone's life, but will make a difference in YOURS.  Make you feel gratitude for what you have that you can share with others, and also will make you feel far more significant in the grand scheme of things, rather than just watching the tidal wave of life wash by you as you stand by, helpless.

And finally, be THANKFUL that after today, at least the campaigning will be over!!  God Bless The United States of America, and you :)