The spirit of the American Dream

The news is horrible, sometimes it is better not to turn on the news - that way at least you don't feel so depressed at the end of it. In spite of all the bad news, one has to be hopeful that things will change for the better. I guess that is what keeps us going.

As we read about the different businesses and the big bucks that some people made, some of the those numbers have so many zeroes, it is difficult to comprehend.

How does one cope with falling value of houses, no jobs and rising unemployment? In places like Detroit and surrounding areas, it has affected the economy so badly, even the non automotive businesses are suffering. That is no surprise considering people need to have jobs to have insurance to pay for going to the doctor or dentist. If people want to move, how do they do that if no one can afford or buy the house? It seems to be a vicious circle.

However, the spirit of the American Dream is what keeps us going. The belief that working hard will eventually get you where you need to go. People were complacent where they were and the recession pulled the rug out from under them. This shook many out of their comfortable slumber and were forced to take a hard look at reality. The good thing about all this is that recessive times call for creative measures. While of course there are scams running rampant - sticking with the philosophy that hard work pays - it eventually does.

Many are doing what they need to do to keep food on the table. Whether it is working 3 part time jobs, starting their own business that provides value or bartering their services in exchange for other goods or services - the spirit of the American Dream is definitely in action.

No matter how bad things may seem right now - this too shall pass.

Tracking progress

It is almost the end of the first quarter and I thought it would be a good idea to see how far I have gone in achieving my goals and meeting the resolutions set at the beginning of the year.

This is what I said on Dec 31 2009:

1. Write on this blog everyday (> or = 291 posts)
2. Don't worry, be happy (since happiness is a state of mind)
3. Smile more (reflective of #2)
4. Find my passion (so that I can meet #2 and 3)
5. Increase my earning power (when I meet #4, #5 will be attainable)

Now looking at the list - it is all still attainable.

1. I still have 254 posts to go in the next 9 months - that is approximately 28.2 posts a month - that works to one almost every day.
2. Definitely happy
3. I think I am smiling but how do I make sure I am.
4. I am definitely ahead of where I was when I started.
5. I am working on it - based on most of what is written about that subject - it takes a while to get there.

So far so good - now to make it better.

Wish me luck.

Beauty

You have heard it often enough 'Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.' I truly subscribe to that statement.

The media portrays an image of what is beautiful, for a girl, that is. Girls in high school have an image of what is beautiful which is very different than what women in their 30's and 40's think if what is beautiful. Men in their 30's and 40's have a very definite idea of what is beautiful, not very different from men in their 60's and 70's. However boys in their teens have a different idea it would seem.

While most of the world are busy trying to lose weight and combat the battle of the bulge - I wonder if many even wonder what it is like to be too thin? Do they have an idea what it is like to be made fun of because you cannot put on weight and have no figure so to speak.

Girls in high school want to be tall and thin but curvy, clear skin great hair - like the air brushed images you see in the magazines. Women in their 30's and 40's often want to see themselves as they did when they were in their 20's. But marriage and childbirth usually has taken a toll on the body. Men in their 30's and 40's, however, admire their wife's mature figure - (they better admire it if they know what is good for them) while their wife's wish they had their pre-pregnancy figure. Men in their 60's and 70's are smart cause they make it a point to publicly admire they wife (figure and all) cause they have figured out what is good for them. However the boys in their young teens are trying to fit in and say what their peers are saying.

It has taken me a while to figure it out and lots of 'You are so beautiful' to separate the wheat from the chaff. Beauty is relative - when someone says you are beautiful- sometimes they truly mean it - but other times - it is because they feel ugly.

Beauty is from within.

If you are confident and care about yourself and those around you - it shows on the outside.
If you are passionate and not afraid to face life - it shows on the outside.
If you are happy with who you are and what you do - it shows on the outside.

And that, my friends, is beauty.

So are you beautiful? You most definitely are.

What kind of person are you?

There are three groups of people

The first group are brilliant - in everything - everything comes easy to them, nothing is too hard. They don't even have to try, however, there is a flaw. They cannot handle failure. It is hard for them to contemplate that they can fail - at anything.

The second group work really hard - and if it does not work the first time, they learn from their mistakes and keep going. They are good people and they can even handle failure.

The third group are very capable of being very successful if they want to. If they decide to do anything, it is because they have to not because they care, if they don't, it is because they don't want to. They are mostly oblivious to success and failure - marching to the beat of their own drum.

What struck me about this very specific demarcation of people was that it was explained to me by my 11 year old based on his experience with life. Interestingly his Dad falls in the first category, his sister, who is his hero, is in the second category and his mom and he both fall in the third category. He also gave examples of some of the other people he knows and I have to say he is right on the money.

Now I am not sure whether I should be upset about being put in the 3rd category or impressed with his observation and logic.

So which group are you in?