Harbingers of Change

Today I was walking home from a local coffee shop, and I was walking by about a quarter of a mile of store fronts. I couldn’t help but notice that most of them were vacant. In fact, there were more vacant store fronts than occupied. Those that were occupied were doing their best to capture the attention of anyone who even remotely looked in their direction.

I know that this shopping plaza is not the only one with such high vacancy rates, and I am left with an array of feelings. For one, I feel really bad for the owners of these buildings. I know how they must be struggling these days. I also feel for those businesses that had to make the decision to close their doors. We went through that this year, and it is not an easy decision at all. It means the death of one of your creations and even if it is for the best, it still leaves a hole in your heart. I felt particularly sad when I passed a place that I have been to many times, and I still harbor happy memories from my visits there. It was a dinner theater and had been at that location for over thirty years. Now, it’s gone, and the theater is empty.

On another level, I know that there are opportunities in these times. I was thinking that it must be much easier to negotiate rent amounts for retail/commercial space these days, and if someone IS opening a business that is viable, then this is a great time to negotiate a long term lease. It doesn’t change what’s happening in the economy to do so, and in fact, new viable businesses may very well be an answer to the faltering economy.

I’ve heard many great financial folks say that we cannot blame the economy for any lack of success. We can create success in our lives no matter what is going on, and in fact, most millionaires are made from times when the economy is in a slump. Those that can recognize the opportunities and take advantage of them are also the knights in shining armor that will start the charge into a new future as they create massive value for others.

In my own life, I know I am on the verge of some great opportunities, and I feel excited about the coming year. I know that I have the tools, and the means to create value for others and to assist them into finding their own great opportunities. Together, in collaboration and cooperation, we will do our part to herald in a new way of living.

For sure, our world is on the verge of change. Things are not how they used to be. We can longingly wish that everything would go back to how it was, but that is wishful thinking. It won’t happen. We have a clean slate before us and it’s time to create something new. We are the engineers of what comes next.

Are you ready?