Remaining fearless and positively-focused in a recession

It's hard to remain positive when financial reports and the nation's economy seem to be tanking. Just watching the daily news is enough to set fears ablaze. When we allow fear to dominate our thoughts, we begin to make poor business decisions. We may react by cutting back on marketing or not rewarding our employees for jobs well-done. Fear is not your friend, especially in business. Here are some tips to remaining fearless and staying positively-focused:

1. Stop focusing on the news! That doesn't mean you have to put your head in the sand, but remember from where the media is coming. They are in the news business to make money, and they've been quite successful at it by managing its "shock" value. The more dreadful or shocking the news, the more listeners, watchers and readers.
   
2. Remind yourself that you're a business owner because you had a vision and enough guts to make it happen. You've survived tough times in the past, and your business will weather this storm, too.
3. Never lose sight of the good you are providing for your family, employees, and your community.
4. When those negative thoughts try to come in, replace them with thoughts of success.
   
5. Speak positively.