Hope and Optimism Wins
My daughter is in D.C. right now with a group of other high school students for this historic inauguration. At 7 AM our phone pierced our quiet morning. I rose from a deep sleep  (it is the weekend after all) to to hear her screaming with unintelligible but joyful words. In the background I heard a cackle of young people and the wind blasting the cellphone. I had to ask her to slow down three times so I could understand her.

"I saw him! I saw Obama! I saw Obama! Like I was 20 feet away!" she screamed.

I've never heard my kid so excited. Not even when the cutest guy in school asked her out. Her group was visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Obama was driving by in his limo. (did you hear they call his vehicle "The Beast" for all its super capabilities?) Obama had rolled the window down and was waving to the crowds just yards away. What a thrill!

RIght now the streets of D.C. are already packed with people from all over our country as well as citizens of countries from around the world who have traveled here to witness these moments.  Why?

Because this individual has given us hope. His optimisim won him the presidency.  His can-do, MUST-do message sang across this nation and into the wells of millions of Americans hearts. And we answered, "He's right. Yes. We can."

But it's  not all up to our president. He is only one guy. It's yes WE can. It's his attitude that we should all emulate. It is going to take that.

Staying Positive Matters
Every one of us needs to stay positive. Our collective consciousness of possibility, of remaking our future for ourselves, our familes, and our country is what will generate the ideas and the innovation that will bring great things to all of us. That is what is at stake.  No matter what field you work in, staying positive about our future, about change, is what will bring forth the ideas we need. We will reinvent ourselves, our businesses, our country. That is what is at stake. It's not business as usual. There has never been a more exciting time!

Remember this when you look at your "201K."  I just did that, and like everyone else I felt a hole in my stomach. But think of this. Whatever that number is...it is still a whole lot more than what most people in the world have. Way more.  Think of it when you look at your dismal business numbers. Ask what can I do differently? How can I look at this differently?

The other day I was talking to someone about being positive, who shared my optimism, when we were interrupted by another man who groaned, "We'll never have the same worth as we did. It's over. We'll be working until we're dead." Gee, did Eyore just show up? I replied, "I don't accept that."  My positive thinking buddy chimed in, "We can't think that way."   Guess which attitude is going to contribute more to a winning outcome?

What are YOU Made of?
There certainly will be challenges ahead. But this is the time when we all get to ask ourselves, "What are we made of?"  Be the one who answers, "Yes, I can."

(Share your own story of optimism. Post a comment or email me at brenda@liveyourbetterlife.com)