A New Reality

“There are three types of people in this world: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what happened”. ~ Unknown

Which one are you?

Every day we hear conflicting news reports that say the economy is turning around or it is going to get worse before it gets better.  So many of us are sitting on the sidelines in a holding pattern waiting to see exactly what is going to happen.

I want to challenge you to be one of those who make things happen.  You have skills and experiences that you can call on to change your life for the better.  This means that you may have to take chances and risk failure.  Real meaningful change will involve taking risks, but with the risks come big rewards.  The key is perseverance.

You have to trust yourself and all that you have learned.  If you want to be successful you will need to take stock of who you are.  Assess your strengths and your weaknesses.  If you do not know who you are, you will have no clue on where and how you will fit in this world.

When I lost my job, I found that one of my strengths was my ability to communicate on a personal level.  I was given many opportunities to speak to diverse groups all over the Bay Area.  As a result, I started my own company which allows me to speak to men, women and young people about finding their purpose in life and how to live life to the Full.

If you are one of the people who do not know what is happening, I want to challenge you to educate yourself on what is going on in your community and the world you live in.   I want you to think about how you can play a significant role in changing the lives of others and thereby change your own life.

The economy is what it is.  You cannot change it. But you can change how you respond to it.  Let today be the day, that you make the one positive choice that will change your life forever!

It's All In How You Look At It

Two men John and Ken had been working for a company for over 15 years.  They both were well thought of employees and dedicated to the organization.  Over the past several months they had seen several employees laid off.  However, due to the length of their employment and the quality of their work they were not concerned about losing their jobs.  It was a Friday afternoon and they were looking forward to spending the weekend with their families.

It was about two o’clock in the in the afternoon and each of them were called into their manager’s office.  The manager explained that due to a poor economy the company needed to make some tough choices.  One of the choices was to lay them off.

When John heard the news he could not believe it.  Something cut him deep down inside.  For a brief moment he did not know how to feel or what to say.  There was only shock and a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He asked, “Why me?  Was my work not satisfactory?”  His manager reassured him that it was not his work, and that the company would be offering a two month severance package along with transition assistance.  He restated that the reason was purely financial.

John wrestled with how he would break the news to his wife.  With kids in college and very little savings John was overwhelmed with the thought of what he would do.  John quickly crawled into a shell of despair.  He started to question his worth and whether he would ever find another job in this economy.  Paralyzed with fear of the unknown, John was stuck.

Ken on the other hand took the news differently.  Ken was definitely disappointed in the loss of his job; after all he loved his work and the people he worked with.  However, understanding that the loss of his job was not due to his inability to do the work or the quality of it, he looked at the loss as an opportunity.  He had always thought about opening up his own small business and now this gave him the opportunity to investigate it further.  After telling his wife and family about being laid off Ken put a plan of action in place to position himself for his next opportunity.  He figured he had two months of severance and unemployment insurance to get his business up and running.

After four months Ken opened his new business, and although it is not making money, he believes it is only a matter of time.

Two men in the same position, one chooses to give in to fear and anxiety and the other looks at the situation as an opportunity.  To be clear, John is not wrong to feel the way he feels.  It is said that losing a job is like a death in the family.  There is a grief cycle that one goes through.  The key to coming out of it is not to lose faith in your abilities and experience.  When John and Ken lost their jobs the company did not keep their skills and their experience, they took their skills with them.

Remember your accomplishments and your successes.  Trust yourself and focus on the goals you have set for your future.

It‘s important to remember that all of us will be faced with significant challenges in life.  In order to navigate through them it will take fortitude and perseverance.

You have the ability to create a new reality for your life.  It is not just about your ability to get the next job.  It is about positively impacting the lives of those you come in contact with on the road to your next job opportunity.

Remember:  It’s all in how you look at it.

A Super Attitude

You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.
~Brian Tracy


The Power of a positive attitude is without a doubt one of the greatest assets one can possess. Christopher Reeves, (Superman) lived nine years after being paralyzed from a horseback riding accident. There is no doubt that one primary factor for his longevity after the accident was his positive attitude. He continued to act and speak all across the country in spite of his being confined to a wheel chair. He could have easily given up but with the support of his wife and family he pressed on. What an inspiration to those who have suffered a serious debilitating accident.


Carol Ryff, a psychology professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison says: "There is a science that is emerging that says a positive attitude isn't just a state of mind," she says. "It also has linkages to what's going on in the brain and in the body."


The power of a positive attitude can have a dramatic impact on the people you live and work with. A positive attitude can change the course of your home, company and your community. All human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitude. A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health and a successful outcome of every situation and action. What the mind seeks, it usually finds.


What part of your life could you change with a different attitude?

A New Direction

After some consideration, I have decided to change the name of my blog from the Altitude of Attitude to A Powerful Day! For years now much of my correspondence has ended with “Have a Powerful Day!” A Powerful Day is more reflective of how I live my life, and how I encourage others to live theirs with a positive attitude, energy, passion and power!

A Powerful Day will focus on . . .

Your power to change your attitude

Your power to help others be successful

Your power to live a life that can change your family, neighborhood, city, state, country and the world

A Powerful Day

It is my hope that you will come along for the ride and find out that in spite of everything that is going on in the world today, both good and bad, you can experience a life of power!

Hang on tight and enjoy the ride!

Have a Powerful Day!

"Don't Believe Everything You Think"

"When things are roughest, and life seems the toughest, it is easy to lose hope, to lose confidence in ourselves, as well as to lose self esteem, self love and our sense of self worth." Unknown

I was speaking to a group of job seekers about how they felt during their job search? From the day they received their “pink slip” till now, most have spent hundreds of hours completing applications, sending resumes, networking, and going on interviews with little to show for the exercise. The impact of their job loss has been dramatic. Loss of self-worth, not feeling good enough, fear of the unknown and high anxiety leaves many feeling hopeless. My last post dealt with this same issue and I am writing about it again because next to the economy, joblessness is high on the list of most American's concerns.

It is very easy to allow negative thinking to imprison your mind. It will tell you things about yourself that are not true. The reality is the economy is not optimal, but that does not mean that opportunities don’t exist for those whose mind is opened to the possibilities of landing their dream job. However, it will take a change in your thinking to redefine what is possible and thereby create a new reality for your life.

That being said, it is crucial that you prime your thinking with positive words and affirmations daily. These words need to be driven deep into your subconscious mind. They become part of you and who you are and want to become.

YOU ARE SIGNIFICANT!

YOU ARE VALUABLE!

YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES!

Say it loud and say it often. If you do not believe it, no one else will.

What is your favorite affirmation?