It’s simply a meaningful article I read recently George Carlin – comedian of the 70′s and 80′s. An article that is not only very eloquent but also very appropriate and relevant to read at the beginning of a new year.

I hope it will resonate with you and hopefully, makes you think how you can make 2009 a year of abundance.

A Message by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints.

We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time.

We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years.

We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space.

We’ve done larger things, but not better things. We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less.

We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships.

These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete…

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side..

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.. Remember, to say, ‘I love you’ to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind. AND ALWAYS

REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

by George Carlin

What was your biggest triumph in 2008?

What was the smartest decision you made in 2008?

What major indulgence are you willing to experience in 2009?

What would you most like to change about yourself in 2009?

These are just some of the great questions Vivienne asked in her Completing 2008, Creating 2009 post.  Please check out the questionnaire originally designed by John Stamoulos as these cool questions really serve us to recollect 2008 and plan for 2009 with a better clarity.

Perturbation may be what you will experience as you go through the questions but then again, that’s part of the learning and growing process.  If you think this is one of those cliche “plan-ahead” post that will not help. Well, think again, is the problem with the questions or with you.

Whether it is a big powerful country like USA or a small dot on the map like Singapore, these developed countries are experiencing technical recession now. Not many people lose their jobs currently, but everyone fears the worse will come next year when the full impact of the global economic slowdown became more evident.

When people lost their jobs, 2 scenarios happened – one group will seek social securities while the other group will start a small business. Naturally, I hope more people will join the 2nd group. It is always better to help ourselves than wait for help to come. However, that does not mean we shouldn’t leverage on OPR (other people’s resources). As long as we are willing to seek, to ask and to accept, there are many OPR around – from OPM (other people’s money), OPT (other people’s time), OPE (other people’s expertise) and more. When money is tight, bartering is common so getting OPT and OPE should be easier than OPM.

A lack of money is never the reason not to start a business. If you can find a niche that needs your product/service and your expertise, you will thrive albeit you may trip and fall several times along the way. You can borrow from family, friends or even financial institutions. Unless you have a rich Aunt Martha or Uncle George, what you pooled together may not be quite enough. Many people do not know the magnitude of business expenses and only realized with horror that they were terribly short of funds after they set up their business. It could be tough to get banks to provide a loan in such gloomy outlook too. This will be made tougher if you do not have a solid business plan and the eloquence to convince the bank manager why he should even consider providing a small business loan to a rookie.

In time like this, some people get their small business loan through business financing firms that specialized in unsecured loans and lines of credit for small business owners. These firms helped borrowers to avoid costly and financially deadly mistakes by preparing the application package correctly and sending it to the lenders that based on the finance firms’ extensive experience are most likely to approve the request.  The one fact you must be aware before approaching them is that you must not had any bankruptcies in the last 10 years, or any re-possessions, foreclosures, etc. in the last 7 years. If you are free of these problems, the process is straight forward and and approval is easy provided you meet the normal qualification criteria everyone else would have to meet.

For those who are familiar with Robert Kiyosaki’s books, you will remember that he put “cash flow” at the base of the business pyramid. We know cash flow is king and that small business financing is an area of importance for any start-up as well as small-medium enterprises. If your cash keeps flowing out and never in, you will be out of business in no time. However, I reiterate, a lack of cash is never the reason to extinguish the fire of entrepreneurship in you.  If you know you have an above average business acumen, a good product, a ready market, just do it …. even in this gloomy economy. Where there is risk, there are also opportunities.

If you are an employee reading this, start asking yourself: “Will I be a boss if I’m thrown out of a job?”

My agency’s boss did that.