Zen and the 5 Keys to Staying Positive

One thing you have total control over is your attitude and your ability to make choices. Here are a five things you can do to keep yourself and your business vital, vibrant and alive.

Written Jun 23, 2008, read 513 times since then.

Last night my husband and I went to see Kung Foo Panda as I tend to avoid violent, negative films, and I choose happy endings that leave me feeling hopeful and light. This movie is right in that genre! One of the best lines was when the veritable kung Foo spiritual master turtle looks at his protégé and says " there is no bad news and no good news. There is just news!" How true. How we respond or react is our free choice and it is also the place we have empowerment. Our real demons are our own judgments.

The daily news goes right to our core survival fears; not being able to eat, the cost of gas keeps going up and on and on.

The news is given as facts but portrayed as "bad news." This is important information, however how we each deal with the news in our small business, is where our power lies. Some people plug themselves into the socket of bad news and feel constricted, negative and make decisions from that place. It can take a lot of internal effort and energy to make a different choice against the tide. I am not talking about putting your head in the sand and pretending there are no world issues. I am talking about listening the turtle and to realize your choices.

For some reason there is an addictive pull toward being fear based and negative but the one thing you have total control over is your attitude and your ability to make choices. Here are a few ideas of what you, as small business owners can do to keep yourself vital, vibrant and alive.

1. Focus 100% on your customers . Your own fears will always get in the way of being there for customers. As a small business
owner you have the ability to talk directly with your customers
and find out what they want and how you can help. Ask questions,
listen and care.

2. Find someone to listen to you if you are stressed about money and feeling desperate. Do whatever you can to grow in your self- confidence and empowerment so you don't project that on to your employees and customers. Getting this kind of help will pay for itself.

3. Evaluate your products and services and make sure they are truly valuable to your customers. The world is filled with cool inventions that seemed amazing in the inventor's garage but fall flat out in the world. Look for new ways to help your customers. Be creative. Brain storm with your team.

4. Follow-through with customers. This is the most under-utilized service. Check back with people, care about them, see if there is any other help you can offer them. I am always impressed when someone calls me back. If it is coming from a sincere place then I feel that. Again, as a small business owner that personal touch is an asset.

5. Keep working on all aspects of your business including your money management, marketing language, your website content, and business strategies. This will make your business stronger and more sustainable in the long run.

Kaya Singer's company, Awakening Business Solutions, helps small business owners sharpen their focus! Check out her new Create a Map of Your Business

Learn more about the author, Kaya Singer.

Comment on this article

Posted by Jen Vondenbrink, Foxboro, Massachusetts | Jun 24, 2008

Hi Kaya. Great points in your article. It is so important for us to stay positive not only in our businesses, but also in our lives.

Being optimistic doesn't mean that we don't see the challenges, but we don't focus on them. We focus on what positive outcomes can happen because of this situation.

A big piece of this is how we talk to ourselves. There are so many negative sound bites that float through our heads daily, it is no wonder we focus on the negative on the news.

We can choose to listen or focus on more positive personal language. A great resource for this is Loretta LaRoche's book Life is Short - Wear Your Party Pants.

Another good business book about maintaining a positive customer connection is Jack Mitchell's Hug Your Customer.

Jen
Posted by Kaya Singer, Portland, Oregon | Jun 24, 2008

Hi Jen

Thanks so much for sharing those two books and your positive viewpoint. I agree that it is about yourself personally because when you own a business your values effect everyone you come into contact with.

Just yesterday someone moaned to me about the "poor"economy and how hard it is for businesses right now. She was surprised when I said that my business was doing well and that possibly the business who were not doing well wouldn't do well regardless, because of poor management, poor customer service etc. It is great to know we have choices.

Small business support, mentor, coach, Portland, Oregon
Posted by Janet Burchfield, Coupeville, Whidbey Island, Washington | Jun 24, 2008

Hi Kaya...

Thank you for this inspiring article! I especially love the ideas about turning the focus to great customer service and tuning up one's business fundamentals when engaging in a gloom and doom perspective.
I've learned over the years that nurturing relationships and keeping my spirit intact are the keys to getting through rough patches. Hope to see more articles from you! Janet
Posted by Kaya Singer, Portland, Oregon | Jun 24, 2008

Thanks Janet.

I so appreciate the "positive" feedback and yes it is amazing how the magic happens when you switch your focus to your customers.

Small business support, mentor, coach, Portland, Oregon
Posted by Dana Blozis, Kent, Washington | Jun 24, 2008

Hi, Kaya.

Your article was exactly what I needed today. Thanks for the insight and great tips. I will put these to use immediately!

Dana Blozis Virtually Yourz VirtuallyYourz.com
Posted by Susan Huenefeld, Redmond, Washington | Jun 24, 2008

Kaya,

Thanks so much for reminding us that we create our own reality and for challenging us to do more for our customers to stay strong as companies.

I bought my business two weeks before September 11. I realized what a blessing it turned out to be when business slowed down enough for me to really learn every aspect of the company, hire and train a couple of new staff members, and fine tune the business to be even stronger than before.

A positive attitude makes anything possible! Articles like yours help focus us on positive things that we can do, starting with keeping our attitude in check.

Thanks

Susan Huenefeld, Accents et cetera, Inc.
Posted by Kaya Singer, Portland, Oregon | Jun 24, 2008

Dana I am so glad my article helped you. Thank you so much for taking the time to write a comment as it makes such a huge difference for me.

Susan Thanks so much for your sharing too. I have been working with a new real estate agent recently who was feeling low energy around the supposedly slow market. I reminded her that it would be much easier for her to build her business and skills now rather than three years ago when she would have had to be quick and on top of things. It is all a matter of attitude. Just as you said- positive attitude makes anything possible. Kaya

Small business support, mentor, coach, Portland, Oregon
Posted by Nina Durfee, Sammamish, Washington | Jun 24, 2008

Kaya, you are right on. We are at choice to accept what is with grace or with angst, looking backward or looking forward. Maintaining a positive attitude is not about putting our head in the sand, but about seeing what we face and choosing what we learn in the process.

Adversity is an opportunity to be creative, to stretch, to challenge old beliefs and habits. This action strengthens and validates our core values, capability, and worthiness, and finding our strength enriches our experience.

Thanks for great perspective.

Nina Durfee

Helping women be paid to do what they love!
Posted by CarolAnn Barrows, Bainbridge Island, Washington | Jun 27, 2008

Thank you Kaya for emphasizing our opportunity as small business owners to care about our customers, and to check in to "see if there is any other help we can offer them".

I went to see Kung Foo Panda because of your depiction of the film as fitting your need to "avoid violent, negative films, and to choose happy endings that leave me feeling hopeful and light."

It was perhaps the singularly MOST violent film I have ever viewed. Not a minute went by that there was not some form of violence depicted.

Whispered amidst all of the carnage there was a bit of truth -

There is no "secret sauce". We just need to believe in ourselves.

But why all of the cruelty? What does that have to do with any of us being our true selves?

I am stunned that we still labor under the mistaken belief that bloodshed, death and destruction can bring "peace". And that we continue to teach this to our innocent children.

Peace can only come from a peace.
Posted by Kaya Singer, Portland, Oregon | Jun 27, 2008

Hi CarolAnn

Yes- sadly- you are right. I thought it would be a non-violent film but it wasn't. I chose to focus on the non-violent part and I guess that's what I do in my life all the time. You are so right that peace can only come from peace.

Small business support, mentor, coach, Portland, Oregon
Posted by CarolAnn Barrows, Bainbridge Island, Washington | Jun 28, 2008

Hi Kaya,

Sorry I misunderstood you depiction of the film as nonviolent. Your choice to focus on the "non-violent" part in the film and in life surely increases the peace. Thank you for your efforts.
Posted by Kaya Singer, Portland, Oregon | Jun 28, 2008

It is sad when you go to a "children's" film and it is still filled with violence. Its been like this forever though. I grew up with Saturday morning cartoons in the 50's and funny how we never saw them as violent. I am wondering if the world violence has changed and made us more sensitized.

Small business support, mentor, coach, Portland, Oregon
Posted by CarolAnn Barrows, Bainbridge Island, Washington | Jun 30, 2008

The way I see it, is that there are basically two worlds. One is based on power-over and the other, the one I prefer to live in, is based on shared power.

Riane Eisler has been writing about this for years. Below is a synopsis of one of her books: This powerful book urges readers to examine their relationships — with themselves, their families, their work and communities, their spirituality, and the environment — to determine which of two models dictates their behavior, and then shows how they can improve. The dominator model is based on fear; the partnership model on respect. With practical suggestions for breaking free of the dominator model and moving into partnership, this book shows how respect in relationships can create a better life and a better world.

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Partnership-Seven-Relationships-Change/dp/1577314085

I remember watching cartoons as a child and listening to my brother and sister laugh. I never laughed because I could alway see the cruelty being portrayed.

Perhaps the constant bombardment by the media of images of horrific violence has brought many of us to a point crisis where we realize the need to EVOLVE and choose a path of non-violence. Not a moment too soon.
Posted by Kaya Singer, Portland, Oregon | Jun 30, 2008

Thanks for writing back. I have also read Riane Eisler's books. I think I was sheltered as a child and then went to college during the Viet Nam War and changed.

The change to chemical and nuclear warfare did it for me. Much scarier than a bunch of men choosing to fight with each other - which is the concept I grew up with.

But back to my topic. I still believe we each have the choice to how we live our own life and I have made a commitment to resolved conflicts without violence and this certainly influences how I run my business as well.

Small business support, mentor, coach, Portland, Oregon
Posted by CarolAnn Barrows, Bainbridge Island, Washington | Jul 02, 2008

I love the idea of embracing diversity - of opinions/view - commonly referred to as "conflict". We are then able to take the energy generated by the differences and use it to move forward to a mutually beneficial outcome.
Posted by Kaya Singer, Portland, Oregon | Jul 02, 2008

Yes, yes, Yes!! I have experienced this in a group and it is amazing what happens when people listen to each other.

Small business support, mentor, coach, Portland, Oregon