As 2008 draws to a close, so many of us in China business can safely say the following: Thank God.

But have we said it wisely?

Business has not been good. Even in the fastest-growing economy in the world, friends have lost jobs and businesses have gone under.

On a personal note, I could count more business and personal failings in 2008 than in any other year.

And I did until this morning when I received a letter from a friend, which read:

Dear friends around the world,

This is the longest night of what has been in many respects a tough year. Yet amid the gloom there have been moves well made, jobs well done, fun visits with dear family and friends old and new. Tonight…I went to a public Chanukah ceremony here in Santa Barbara. It seemed especially appropriate falling on this shortest day, and a good time to call on this Festival of Lights to overcome the dark parts of 2008.

So, whether you will celebrate Christmas or Kwanzaa, whether your festival of lights is Diwali or Chanukah, whether you recently celebrated Eid al-Adha, whether your New Year will be solar or lunar, or whether the season simply tickles your agnostic or atheistic hearts, please accept…my wishes for a better 2009. We all need it.

This letter was especially touching considering what has happened to me over the past 72 hours. Those readers who know me personally will understand what I mean best, but suffice it to say that I have endured one of the great hardships of my life.

Presuming 2009 isn’t the apocalypse, we could take comfort knowing that it’s right around the corner.

The wiser among us will find strength in 2008 in small victories, in pure failure (without which success cannot breed), and in making the best of the remains of the year.

PowerHomeBiz.com has some excellent tips on how to stay positive when business is down, which I’d like to share with you here. There’s plenty of time to do one of these things each day in the countdown to 2009, and still save some small room for crying over spilt milk:

1. Take inventory of all the good things that have happened in the last month. Write them down, and really appreciate them.

2. Put a “plus” sign over your desk or any symbol that conveys optimism for you. It may be a picture of your family, a religious icon, or a valuable object. Place it at eye level, so you remember to try and remain positive at all times (especially when on the phone with customers). As Peter Pan would say: “Think happy thoughts!”

3. Concentrate on the opportunities you still have. So often, we expend all of our energy on negative things that happen. Focusing on the future will keep you from ignoring potentially great opportunities that you might have missed while wallowing in your sorrow.

4. Surround yourself with positive people. If you’ve got friends in business, try to support one another in times of despair. Offer positive advice and encouragement–but, most of all, learn to accept it when it’s given to you.

5. See, then be. Picture yourself succeeding again, and your chances of success will nearly double. Get into the habit of visualizing your success. Never underestimate the power of creative visualization. Use your imagination to visualize new and better ways to accomplish things.

6. Don’t give up. Even the most successful entrepreneurs have experienced setbacks, so you’re not the only one. Have the courage to go on.

There is a lot of foolishness circulating now about how to survive the global financial meltdown. In its Asia section, BusinessWeek cites what Toyota has done as as a shining example of “How Asian Companies Can Beat the Recession,” while also publishing, “Will Toyota Now Make a Full Year Loss?”

At the risk of sounding trite, at least we think this advice more solid: Count your blessings.

    Channel: Local Wisdom     |