Monday, January 5, 2009

Happy New Year

Yes, I understand that we are technically past the "New Year," but since we are not quite a week in, I thought I'd write my New Year post.

So, what exactly does a new year mean? Most people look at the new year as a potential new start, especially if the year prior was pretty bad, and let's face it, 2008 was kind of an up and down year overall. I mean, we elected our first African-American President on a message of hope, but we also watch a lot of our collective income vanish like a good show on FOX. Many people were ready for 2008 to end. I mean, 2009 HAS to be better, right?

But what about those people who might have had a pretty good year? I know, they are as far and few between as those nice 5 people who like the Matrix sequels, but they are out there (I know, I'm one of them...liked the Matrix Sequels AND had a pretty ok year. Yes I like The Phantom Menace too...I live in a wonderful world).

The good and bad of a year (or any situation) ultimately lies in the person who is having said year. This may sound like common sense, but you would NOT believe how many people don't understand that simple fact. The good or bad in a situation lies in the perception of the beholder.

I often find this out not with the people I work with, but with my vendors. I don'tknow if it comes from a nervousness of possibly losing me as an account (as many of the vendors I work with are either home run businesses or sole proprietorships), but it honestly feels like many of these people are trying to be as friendly and amiable as possible by joking about things that everyone MUST be feeling. I usually smile and wink, partially because I understand how hard they are working to do what they do and partially because I really don't want to get into an arguement.

Trust me, there are many worse things in life than what happened this year...at least happened to me. I was pretty lucky this year, I admit that. But just because I was lucky, I don't want to make that assumption that everyone else did ok this year.

That's one side of the coin, the other is to notlet it get to you when someone holds the opposite view of how something is. If you just smile and nod, it'll make all your relationships, professional and personal, good for yet another year.

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