I am a Geek, a Self-Improvement Junkie and an Eternal Optimist…
I read every business, real estate, motivational, self-help and success oriented book I can get my hands on and I take some flak for it from family and friends. However, there are certain threads that run through almost all self-improvement books and these are the ones we should really pay attention to. One of the most common themes is that “you become what you focus on”.
If you focus on the positive, and associate with positive people, you will be happy, successful and yes…positive. And, of course, the opposite is also true. Every great motivational and self-improvement speaker/writer covers some variation of this theme including some of my favorite authors such as Dale Carnegie, Stephen R. Covey, Peter Drucker, Brian Tracy, Napoleon Hill and the one name I get the most flak for – Anthony Robbins. Say what you like, his stuff is excellent.
Anyway, in these challenging times it may be a bit tougher to find positive things to focus on but, believe it or not, wonderful things are happening every day here in Ridgewood and all over thew world.
For example, today is Halloween, and we had a beautiful day here in Ridgewood. The leaves were falling, the weather was beautiful, my two boys had a great time trick-or-treating and it was great to see our little street (Colonial Road) packed with smiling children running around in there scary costumes. I also got in a car accident this week and my basement flooded last week – but I choose to focus on the great time my boys had today and all the smiling faces that came to my door. It’s a much better way to live. I’ll get my car fixed and the basement will be fine – these things are not worth focusing on.
To help you get started focusing on the positive things in life, check out the list of 10 Things That Are Going Right from Kiplinger’s:
No. 1: Oil Loses Its Swagger
With the U.S. and global economy hurting, oil prices have dropped 50% in just three months, from $147 a barrel in July to the $70 range. Remember $80-$100 fill-ups at the pump? The national average for a gallon of gasoline is down to $3.00, from $4.11 in March, and should stay in the $3.00-$3.50 range through next year. Prices for home heating oil and natural gas are also headed lower this winter than last.
No. 2: A Tipping Point For the Auto Industry
After years of talk and false starts, finally, all the major car makers are furiously developing hybrid and alternative-fuel vehicles that could lessen our dependence on foreign oil. Meanwhile, desperate dealers are offering unheard-of incentives on new, gas-fired models. For example, Toyota is offering $1,000 cash back and 0% financing on the 2009 Camry, the most popular car in America. Don’t drive much? If you’ve always wanted an SUV or truck, the discounting on some models is extraordinary.
No. 3: Interest Rates Are Low and Headed Lower
The prime rate is at 4.5%, which is driving down interest rates on home-equity lines of credit and some consumer loans. The interest rate on a traditional 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is averaging 6.5%, the highest it’s been since the summer of ‘07, but still not too far from the historic low of 5.8% reached in ‘03-05 and ‘63-65. And although credit-card companies are cutting personal spending limits, rates are dropping, too. The average rate on credit-card purchases fell to 11.89% in the first week of October, down from 12.13% in September, according to LowCards.com.
No. 4: Homes Are More Affordable
Real estate, which was overpriced during the housing bubble, has returned to earth. That’s especially good news for first-time home buyers who were priced out of the market. While scare stories persist of credit drying up, the reality is more a return to traditional lending standards that had been thrown overboard-recklessly in many cases-by lenders. That means to qualify you usually need a 20% down payment, sufficient annual income, good credit and a tolerable load of debt. Read the rest of this entry »
