Archive for the ‘The economy’ Category

• Are you scared because of your financial situation?
• Is your job or business income threatened by current financial conditions?
• Do you wonder what has happened to the American dream?
• Would you like to move beyond your fear and experience financial peace of mind?

Join me on Auguest 24th for a new teleclass where you can learn the skills you need to thrive and prosper in these tough economic times.

Living Fear Free in the New Economy
A 90-Minute Teleclass with Joan Sotkin
August 24 – Noon Pacific, 3 PM Eastern

Listen on the phone, on the Web or download the recording. A transcript will be available along with other goodies.

Join me for this interactive teleclass and learn:

• The simple techniques to move through your fear and emerge in a solid financial position
• How to make fear a creative rather than destructive force so you can move on with your life
• The main steps you need to take to live fear free in the new economy
• How to discover marketable talents you have that you never realized could support you
• Techniques for activating your inner power so you build a realistic and secure future

If you are ready for a stress-free, fear-free life, read more about this teleclass at http://LiveFearFreeNow.com

Recently someone asked me why I didn’t include fear in my book Build Your Money Muscles as one of the basic emotions that people act out through their money. I explained that fear is the cover-up emotion, the emotion that people default to when they are unsure of themselves and their future.

Fear is often used as an excuse for not moving forward. Yet those who are willing to work through their fear and risk what might seem like failure are the people who are most successful.

Fear in the Current Economy

There’s no doubt about the fact that we are living in uncertain times. The recession, unemployment, foreclosures,
lack of available credit, and debt problems in Europe all add to an environment of uncertainty.

Even though large companies are earning healthy profits, the uncertainty is keeping them from adding jobs or making big investments. Instead of hiring people, companies are buying machines that allow them to replace people.

The news is filled with fear-producing stories of people experiencing financial difficulties and dire predictions for our economic future. However, if you decide to live without fear, you can.

Is this really possible with so much fear in the air? Absolutely.

The Choice Is Yours

Fear is never a requirement. It is an option. You get to choose whether to live in fear or in peace.

This period in our history provides a great opportunity for you to make the choice between fear or peace. The fact is that fear is never a solution to any problem, but rather a mechanism for avoiding action.

I don’t believe that you can just wish or tap away fear. I think that you have to make specific changes in your habitual thoughts, beliefs, emotional responses, and behaviors in order to develop confidence in your ability to survive and thrive no matter what’s going on in the world.

Yes, economic times have changed, and few people can continue to behave the way they did a few years ago and remain financially healthy. Fortunately,a growing number of people are choosing to save instead of spending freely and are beginning to see the value of developing practical financial habits.

Awakening Your Inner Voice

Now more than ever, getting in touch with the part of you that can see (or sense) the bigger picture is important. That inner voice is part of your human equipment and, if you can hear it, can lead you to your true life’s purpose and a way of life that supports your true needs (not those stimulated for you by endless advertisements).

The problem is that fear muffles the sound of the inner voice, often in many subtle ways.

A few years ago, I invested a lot of time, money, and energy into a project that I thought would be profitable. Although I was encouraged by knowledgeable advisors to move forward with the project, and although I was passionate about the subject matter, I have to admit that I was motivated by my fear of my economic future. I thought the project could offer me a level of security I didn’t already have.

Instead of making a lot of money, I lost a lot. As I was putting the project together, there was a nagging, quiet voice that questioned what I was doing, but the voice was overridden by my desire to secure my future in order to allay my fears.

In other words, I defaulted to fear and lost much more than I could have imagined. If someone had said that I was motivated by fear, I would have denied it. Only now, as I look back, can I see it — and avoid the trap in the future. As I said, fear works in subtle ways.

I’ve lived long enough to know that no matter how much trouble I might get myself in to, I can get myself out, which serves to overcome fear. I feel blessed that I’ve reached a point of inner peace and would like to share some of the techniques I used to get here.

So I’m going to hold a teleclass on August 24th called Live Fear Free in the New Economy.

This teleclass will

• Help you make fear a creative rather than destructive force
• Discover marketable talents you have that you never realized can support you
• Teach you techniques for activating your inner resources
• Lead you through your fear into a more peaceful place

For more information about this almost-free teleclass, visit http://LiveFearFreeNow.com

Recently a woman was recounting her experience of going from having very little to being able to buy a house, something she thought would be impossible. “Before everything turned around,” she said, “my whole life fell apart and I thought I’d never recover.”

What she didn’t understand at the time was the life-falling-apart experience was an essential element on her path to prosperity. People don’t realize that in order to alter their lives significantly, there is often a period where the old crumbles in order to make way for the new.

That’s what’s happening in the world right now. We are going through a major transition that is causing lots of chaos as the old is replaced by a new paradigm.

You can feel and experience the chaos in our politics, finances, education system, and other areas of our lives as the entrenched economic and financial systems are falling apart.

For many, these changes are confusing and frightening as institutions and systems that gave an apparent sense of certainty are falling apart. In many cases they are not being replaced by anything that guarantees certainty. Manufacturing jobs, pensions, health insurance, and even city services such as police protection, can no longer be taken for granted.

As the chaos intensifies, our only choice is to learn how to deal with what’s happening in the moment and to work together to get through difficult times.

Here are five suggestions for dealing with the chaos of change.

1. Get out of the child position.
It’s a time to grow up and stop waiting for those in apparent power to provide you with solutions. Facing reality and taking responsibility for your own outcomes is a way through the darkness.

2. Stay focused in the moment
The future is entirely unknown. Whatever you are afraid of is a fairy tale that you are making up. Why not imagine a positive future and stay focused in the moment. Right now, do you have enough to eat, a place to stay, and people to support you? If any of those are missing, what can you do to improve your situation.

3. Meditate to find the answers inside of yourself
Quite time with yourself allows you to connect to the universal consciousness and your true creative powers. Fear and complaining prevent you from doing this. Even if you only sit quietly for a few minutes each day with your eyes closed, breathing deeply, you will begin to train yourself to quiet down. Mediation instructions are at http://ProsperityPlace.com/articles/gethigh.html

4. Pay attention to your numbers.
During tough financial times people tend to stop taking care of their money because looking at the numbers brings up all sorts of uncomfortable emotions. Yet during tough times, it’s especially important to keep track of everything and make sound financial decisions, even if it seems that there isn’t enough to work with. Basic money management instructions are available in Build Your Money Muscles. http://ProsperityPlace.com/bymm

5. Join with others to find solutions
The days of “me first” are coming to an end as we learn to develop systems that support “we” rather than “me.” Rugged individualism may have worked in the past, but the new paradigm requires cooperation and teamwork. You may need to develop communication skills and join groups in order to learn the new foundation for thriving.

Ongoing, affordable help is available for those who wish to rise above what looks like a bad economic environment and find ways to prosper. Read about the Peace of Mind & Prosperity Program.

Years ago, when I was attending a number of 12-Step programs, I learned the Serenity Prayer and repeated it often. The Serenity Prayer states:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Let’s look at the phrase, “accept the things I cannot change.”

During these tumultuous times acceptance can be an antidote to fear. Acceptance allows you to find solutions to your problems and to experience peace of mind, no matter what is going on the world. Non-acceptance leads to dissatisfaction and many forms of emotional discomfort as well as poor financial decisions.

Like it or not, economic conditions have changed for most people in many countries. You can’t alter the state of economic affairs, but you can accept what’s happening as neither good nor bad. It’s just what’s happening. And by being aware and realistic rather than staying in a state of longing for what was, you can adjust your behaviors and goals to realistically fit current conditions.

Acceptance is not the same as resignation because resignation usually means giving up. I see acceptance as a stimulus for new actions and behaviors, and this can be downright exciting.

No Judgements
Acceptance starts with taking the judgment out of any situation. These times are not good or bad, they are what they are. What’s happening to you is not good or bad, it’s just what’s happening. What matters is how you deal with what’s happening.

It would seem relatively safe to assume that economic conditions are not going to dramatically improve for an extended period of time. That’s not good or bad, it’s just what is. The question is what actions can you take to turn this into a time of opportunity, growth, and financial stability, which may be something you’ve never had before.

This is the perfect time to learn real-world financial skills. Unless you’ve got your head totally in the sand, then you know that frugality and saving for the future are definitely in style. Gross consumerism no longer is.

If you’ve been out of work for an extended period of time or have been earning less than you did before, accepting the situation allows you to examine new income-producing pathways that you may never have considered before. Once you accept that old methods aren’t working, you can look for new ones.

Of course moving in the direction may necessitate altering habitual behaviors and accepting the discomfort of change. Don’t fight it, just roll with it.

I understand this isn’t easy for people who like to be in control or who need certainty in their lives. Learning to accept what is and act within the reality of a constant change takes time, patience, understanding, and self-acceptance.

For the last 10 months, members of the Peace of Mind & Prosperity program have been discussing and developing ways of overcoming fear and accepting what’s going on in their world. The results have been measurable, with the many of the active participants finding financial stability now.

During the 40 years that I’ve been on a spiritual self-improvement path, I’ve developed many techniques for overcoming financial difficulties and developing the real-world skills necessary to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

I consider it an honor to be able to share what I’ve learned with those on the Peace of Mind & Prosperity and prosperity program who are seriously looking for a new approach to life and finance. I hope you’ll consider joining me. Read more about the program.

If you have questions about the program, feel free to ask them via this the comment box below.

People often tell me why they aren’t able to make “enough” money. The most common include:

• I have a low self-image
• My needs weren’t met as a child
• What I did was never enough for my father
• I’m not very good with money (or numbers)
• I don’t know enough about marketing
• I feel pushy if I’m trying to sell someone my products or service
• Actually, the list could go on and on.

Here’s a fact: every one of the reasons given is an excuse for not moving forward. And everything listed above can be altered with conscious intention and effort — effort being the operative word.

There’s no reason why you can’t:

• Develop a positive self-image and accept your personal power
• Let go of the story of your past and meet your own needs now that you are adult
• Stop waiting for others to validate your talents and abilities
• Learn how to manage money. (It’s not rocket science.)
• Study sales and marketing techniques that can help you build a successful business

What it takes to move forward financially — or in any other area of your life — is a decision. . .a deep-down decision to do whatever it takes to learn what you have to learn and do what the marketplace requires in order to succeed in a capitalistic world.

If you are having trouble or dealing with a lot of fear because of the current economic environment, be sure to listen the your self-talk and see if you have excuses for not changing how you are living your life.

The current environment does require that most people alter their goals and behaviors and develop new skills in order to thrive financially. Although you may feel like a victim of circumstances, dwelling on why you are where you are is not going to change or improve anything. There is opportunity in every situation if you look for it.

W. Mitchell is an inspiring speaker who was severely burned in a motorcycle accident. He lost his fingers, has endured the pain and suffering of deep burns, and is confined to a wheelchair. His positive message inspires thousands: It’s not what happens to you, but what you do with it. (Watch this video of W. Mitchell)

People who join my Peace of Mind & Prosperity program and make real progress are those who have made the decision to give up excuses, including the excuse that there just isn’t enough time to learn new skills and techniques.

What’s your excuse?

(Here’s another good video that makes the point.)

NEW AUDIO: End Underearning & Debting

Now you can download the End Underearning & Debting teleclass that was recorded in May along with a follow up call we did a month later. You’ll also receive a worksheet and additional materials, all designed to help you become solvent and develop a healthy cash flow. It’s offered at a special price for a limited time. Read about the offer here.

Not that long ago it seemed rational to have material wealth as a measure of prosperity. People who promoted  methods for manifesting prosperity, such as the Law of Attraction,  used images of material wealth as the goal. The ultimate was a large home filled with the latest gadgets touted as necessary for one’s comfort.

Lots of people bought into this dream, often making purchases far beyond their financial means. The economy seemed to flourish as consumers, on whom our economy depends, acted as if they were rich when they weren’t.

When the economy tanked, people were left with lots of stuff coupled with burdensome debt. Many lost their jobs and had no cushion to fall back on.

Now, there is an effort to pull us out of the recession by stimulating consumer spending, as if our acquisition of material goods is what we all need to bring our economy back to health. At the same time, there is lots of talk about creating jobs, even though the majority of the manufacturing jobs that might produce the goods used by consumers have been shipped to other countries. None of this makes sense to me.

What does make sense is the new push for frugality and savings that many people are buying into. It no longer seems like “scarcity thinking” to live below one’s means while creating a financial safety net.

The Time Has Come. . .
It’s time to create a new definition of prosperity, one based not on individual material wealth, but on the health and well-being of society and how all of us interact with each other. A definition of prosperity would include a measure of peace of mind, the kind that comes from living within your means and having a financial cushion.

Prosperity is not about how much you can spend or generating a huge income, but about how you can live your life supporting your deep inner values and increasing the amount of love and happiness in your life.

This kind of definition could contribute to lessening the amount of anger, disagreement, and violence that appear daily through our news stories. Perhaps we could take money out of our politics and replace endless disagreements with honest cooperation and respect for each other.

It has to start with loving and respecting ourselves. Take a long hard look at what you are craving now and ask if what you seek is truly in tune with who you are and what matters to you. Do you want to spend your days in an anxious state pushing for more, or are you willing to take a chance and let go and allow good to come to you?

If you are, then your focus can be on love, giving, sharing, and caring. You can love and care for yourself and others and work for the establishment of a healthy society.

There are many people for whom a high-powered life is comfortable and natural. They thrive by building big businesses and working at a fast and furious pace, and they often have a gift for sales and marketing. We need these people to grease the wheels of capitalism.

But if that’s not who you are, then respect yourself and find a personal definition of prosperity that fits who you are and how you want to spend your time.

If this all sounds very philosophical it’s because I’m in that kind of mood. My beloved dog Lucky’s life ended this week, and that kind of event tends to put things in perspective. It brings love and caring to the forefront and diminishes the importance of material success.

——————–
Think Like a Black Belt by Jim Bouchard

Jim Bourchard is a no-nonsense kind of guy who teaches martial arts and lives the philosophy. In his book, Think Like a Black Belt, he shares — in his inimitable no-nonsense way — how to incorporate martial arts principles into daily living in order to insure success.

I’ve never met Jim in person, but we have shared many hours by phone. I have the greatest respect for Jim, his approach to living, and his genuine desire to help people connect to their true inner power.

Learn more about Jim and his book at http://ThinkLikeABlackBeltBlog.com

The many changes occurring in our economic foundation require a new focus and discipline for you to thrive and prosper. Here are five keys that I consider essential.

• Pay close attention to your finances. During difficult or transitional times knowing exactly where you stand financially and keeping up-to-date financial records are essential for strategizing and making rational financial decisions.
• Stay tuned to financial news. You will benefit from following stories and commentary about the financial sector and becoming more literate about the financial world. This requires knowing much more than just the movement of the stock market, which is a limited view of financial trends. Read the rest of this entry »

With everything that is going on in the world, it sometimes feels to me as if the world is falling apart. The news stories often contain phrases such as “the biggest,” “the worst since,” and “never seen before.”

Yet despite what is going on in the world, each of us has to continue performing our day-to-day tasks for our business ventures or jobs. Few of us can just sit back and wait for it all to pass, especially since it would seem that it’s not going to pass.

Uncertainty prevails.

There are times when I just want to surf the Net, go for a nice long walk, or even hide under the covers. On some days, I find it hard to focus on the task at hand.

Read the rest of this entry »

Each day, new data is released in the United States that deepens the gloom and doom surrounding the current “economic recovery.” In the past week we have learned:

• Job openings are at a record low — there are 50% fewer than in 2007
• More homeowners are struggling as option ARMs reset higher
• Approximately one-third of all mortgage holders have a loan balance that’s higher than the current value of their home
• Cities and states are still struggling to find ways to balance their budgets
• People are using far less credit and are saving more, which is great for them, but slows the economy which depends on consumer spending
• Although the unemployment rate is 10%, the number of people who are either unemployed, underemployed, or have given up looking reaches more than 17% of the working-age population
• Qualified people who are finding work are often accepting lower salaries than they earned before they were laid off. 

Read the rest of this entry »

I recently had a conversation with a successful business owner about surviving the current economy. We both agreed that there is business to be had, but in these times, a little hustling is in order.

Reaching out to potential clients through innovative marketing, increased networking, restructuring prices, cutting expenses, and other actions can increase profits even in a down market.

A local plastic surgeon, has cut his prices and told me that he had his best month ever in September. He was willing to compromise, and has benefited from his actions.

Read the rest of this entry »