Are we talking ourselves into a recession? All the news seems to be bad news and everyone seems to be gloomy. Why don’t we speak positively instead?
The business environment has to change but human nature being what it is resists change. So a C.E.O might, for instance, exhort his staff to accept the challenge of change in business. A manager might encourage his workers by urging them to look at what they are doing and asking them to do it differently. He might, more profitably, say to them “Make innovation your business.” Instead of doom and gloom employers need to put a positive spin on the future and to talk about what can actually be achieved.
It is not, of course, only employers who must speak positively. We all need to change our mindset.  We cannot change what is happening on the world markets but we can, and indeed must, change our own attitude to the results of the economic downturn. Every one of us has some thoughts or ideas floating at the back of our minds. We are inclined to leave them there. Now is the time to turn your thoughts into actions. Even if we only took one nebulous though and did something with it we would be making a change for the better.
We could make a positive decision not to listen to radio and television shows that speak only of the economy. We might switch on instead to ones that speak of entrepreneurship and doing positive good for the community. Why not forget to read the newspaper and read instead a local newsletter speaking of happy things in your parish or neighbourhood. Markets have always gone up and down but daily life goes on. In fact life is a challenge-meet it.

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There is a saying that feeling appreciation and not expressing it is like wrapping a gift and not giving it.  Does that apply to your “Thanksgiving day?” As you sit down to your meal surrounded by family and friends do you actually give thanks for what you have received?
In these harsh times perhaps its time that we got back to basics and began to appreciate all that we have.  Most of us have roofs over our heads and food on our tables.  We have that aforementioned family and that, surely, is a great blessing when others are lonely.  Should not we be giving thanks for friendship and what it means in our lives?  Each one of us has been given talents and skills and as well as being grateful for them perhaps, at this time of thanksgiving, we should decide to use them. We may not sing like Pavarotti but we could entertain our acquaintances or help a party go with a swing.
Maybe too we should give thanks for living in a democracy where we can express our feelings through the ballet box. We should be thankful for the fact that we can walk down the street without fearing a hand on our shoulder snatching us off to imprisonment and torture.
Our health is, they say, our wealth and anyone who has been ill knows that is true. For most of us, whatever our illness, there is a hospital where we can avail of help and pain relief. Maybe as a token of our gratitude we might press for medical care to be more readily available to all who need it.
Thanksgiving you see is more than just being grateful. It is more than a secular holiday.  It is a day for appreciating our own good fortune and sharing it with others. Whatever your creed or beliefs on this Thanksgiving Day remember the real reason for the celebration.

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Recessionary times mean that we all have to change our attitude to life.  It’s a time to break out of your comfort zone and face the harsh realities of more stringent time. That is not to say that you should be miserable. There is great satisfaction to be had from facing challenges and changing the way we live. Think of people who have changed the world or their own little corner of it by having an idea and going for it.  Now is probably not the time to start selling hugely expensive clothes in middle class areas but if you sold one classic type of dress that could be mixed and matched to suit any occasion you might find a ready market. It’s really a question of Luck; you can make your own.
Maybe lack of money will make us all realise that there are more important things in life such as family and friendships. Those who have suffered a serious illness often say they
have a whole new outlook and a different lifestyle. Perhaps we would find it rewarding to help others by joining a charity Maybe instead of going to the gym we could simply enjoy a walk in the park or the countryside. Maybe we should simply forget those long term plans and live each day as if it were your last.  The recession is biting hard but there are ways we can bite back.

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Retirement is an important milestone in lift. As such it should be celebrated and it usually is. Whether you work in a family firm or a multi- national organisation there is usually a party or get-together of some sort to mark the occasion.  Those present will usually have bought a gift and somebody, a boss or a close colleague, will be asked to say a few words.  What they say really matters because, if expressed well, the retiree will remember those words for the rest of his or her life.
The retirement of the boss, for instance, calls for admiration of his/her ability as a C.E.O and his flair and insight into the world of business. The retirement of an officer in the army calls for a speech that is patriotic in tone, mentioning love of country and duty well done.  When you are speaking about the retirement of a father it is appropriate to mention how hard he worked on behalf of his family all his life. Such a speech will, of course, be much more personal than one said in the pub on the day you are leaving.
When you are retiring yourself it is customary to mention the help and support you got from colleagues and friends over the years. All retirement speeches are improved by the addition of a little humour, a funny incident that happened during the course of a working life.  A personal word of thanks to someone who influenced you greatly also adds to the speech.
Retirement should be seen as something positive. So while the speech may be a little nostalgic it should also be optimistic and speak of the future and the excitement and challenges it will bring. After all most of us spend a third of our lives in retirement and few of us really want to sit in a rocking chair for all that time!

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Beating the recession is all the rage just now. Wherever people are gathered they are comparing notes on how they are budgeting. Unfortunately not enough people have decided to walk which is a way of getting fit and having fun while still saving. Religion and politics may not be dinner time topics in polite circles but welfare reform must certainly be one of the ways where money could be saved and where people could be helped to help themselves. Everyone has a hot tip on where to get value and how to save money. Newspapers and magazines all have articles on the topic. Whether it’s at home or in the office it seems that being frugal is the new fun. There is one certainty though and changing times won’t change the fact that gamblers are born losers. So don’t hope to make your fortune at the casino. Instead write a best seller on how to make your dollars stretch and your cents count.

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Christmas cards convey season’s greetings to those who receive them. What, though, should you say if you are actually addressing people at a seasonal gathering? You might, for instance, be a guest at an annual dinner/party of another company. Obviously your speech should be gracious in tone thanking your hosts for their kind invitation and speaking of the connection between your companies over the years. You may have to as a club or association’s Christmas speech. You will naturally speak of shared experiences of club members over the year and, naturally, wish your members all the compliments of the season. . A retirement association annual dinner is often held at the festive season and you may be asked to address those one time members of your staff. You should speak of their invaluable contribution to the company and stress the positive side of retirement. All such speeches should be light-hearted and jovial in tone as befits the holiday spirit and end with an appropriate toast. Unless you are a riveting speaker make it short. Those attending the function are, after all, enjoying a social occasion and don’t want to listen to long speeches. A card can say it in a few lines. You should be able to say it in a few moments.

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The colours of the leaves in the fall really remind us of the beauty of Nature. What a pity then that we seem to be intent on killing the natural world and our environment. We all know the outcome of deforestation yet we continue to cut down trees and do away with our hedgerows. How much better if each one of us took it upon ourselves to plant a tree and to use only recycled paper…? In fact all we have to do is be aware that some company plant trees to replace those they fell. So we should support them… Automobiles kill people and the environment yet we continue to use them mindlessly when we could, at least use car pools or public transport. In fact we could simply walk. We all know the dangers posed by the threats to our environment but most of us are waiting for someone with a magic wand to improve matters and to save our planet for us… We cannot afford to do that any longer. It’s your environment clean up your own backyard.

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The dark evenings of winter encourage closing the shutters and early nights. When the nights are cold as well as dark we like to snuggle up in our beds and go to sleep. That’s all, very well for those of us who can sleep. Pity the poor insomniac though who cannot sleep despite drinking camomile tea and counting sheep. Insomnia is probably the root cause of thousands of accidents on the roads and in factories all over the world. It is certainly the cause of many rows and arguments in the home and in society generally. It’s probably the cause of many failed exams and much mismanagement in firms. After all you cannot be bright and bushytailed if you haven’t slept for a week. Everything gets you down and the slightest, most innocent remark becomes a matter for pistols at dawn. Obviously there are beds and bunks of all sorts and sizes but quite often people sleep in the same bed for twenty or thirty years and never dream of buying a new one. So insomniacs should check to ensure the comfort of their beds if they wish to overcome all that tossing and turning. Everyone has the odd sleepless night but if you don’t nod off when you are reading your bedtime story or saying your bedtime prayers then it really is time to seek professional help. Here’s to sweet dreams!

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“Shop early for Christmas” is a saying that applies only to the well organised amongst us.  In fact in these tight-beltening times perhaps we won’t even be Christmas shopping at all. Certainly companies might be tempted to cancel their Christmas parties or their Happy holiday functions at this time of recession. Yet this might prove to be an ill advised move because it is like saying that you have no confidence in your staff or in the future of your business. The bosses Christmas speech is full of seasonal good will of course but it is also time to get a motivational message across when you staff are all gathered and in a relaxed and happy humour. The office party is a time when you can rightly share your hopes with your staff and explain to them that you need their help in facing into tougher times. That Christmas party is a time to sell the future of your company to those who will make it happen.

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