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Creating Opportunities

"Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem more afraid of life than death."
James F. Byrnes (1879 - 1972)

Great quote, no?

Creating Opportunities

When you think about it, what made America great was our pioneer spirit. The people who settled this country didn't "Go West!" to find security, they went West to find opportunity. And when they couldn't find opportunity, they created it.

Perhaps the real challenge for us today is to take stock of our assets and see what we can create with them. I'm not just talking about money here, what about your skills and talents? Your collected wisdom? Your experiences? What can you do with those assets to move your life and your career forward? Instead of waiting for something to open up, can you create opportunities?

Look around. What's needed and wanted? Where are people hurting? Do you have a product or service that can help? Is there a niche that you can fill? A place for an idea you've had for a while that you haven't acted upon? Is there a way to re-engineer something you've done? Or re-purpose it? Re-package it?

Someone came up with the paper clip, the safety pin, post-it notes, and my personal favorite: rolling wheels for suitcases. Each of these filled a niche, and found a place in our everyday lives.

I'm not suggesting that you have to invent the latest pet rock to survive this weird economy, but a little brainstorming in your area of expertise might yield surprising results.

Carry a small notepad. Keep track of your ideas, no matter how disjointed they may seem. Look at threads in your ideas. Do any of them lead somewhere? Is there someone you can collaborate with? Is there something you need to learn to take these ideas to fruition? Do your ideas mesh with some others out there?

The sense I get about our current world is that we've moved away from competition and on to collaboration. Look for ways you can work with others to make your dreams come true.

Remember, when you create opportunity, you aren't the only one who wins.

Good luck!
Beth

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Quote This!

Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Announcements!

• Keep up with Beth on Twitter.com: BTspeaker
• Beth has just returned from a wonderful trip to South Dakota. The weather was chilly but the people were warm. As a guest speaker at the Governors' Conference on Tourism, she got to meet great people from all over the Midwest. If you are looking for a wonderful and affordable vacation spot, check out South Dakota http://www.TravelSD.com
• Beth's calendar is filling up. She has trips planned all over the US over the next 6 months. Contact Beth to get on her calendar. Ask about her special rates for long time clients and for multiple bookings.
• From Beth: "I want to send a shout-out to the South Dakota office of Tourism, my family, and friends in South Dakota. Your hospitality was wonderful. And, a special hello to Freda Swift, my 4th grade teacher, who is STILL kickin' at 105! I had a nice visit with Freda. She remembered me and told me I'd gotten taller!" ;-D

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Cool Links

While at the South Dakota conference, Beth met some great cowboys. (You know she was in heaven!) If you're putting on a meeting and want some Wild West flavor, check out Beth's new friends at www.WildWestCreations.net They use live performances of old west history to bring the Wild West alive!! The old west will never die as long as Wild West Creations cowboys exist! Several of them also do Confederate war re-enactments. Definitely worth a look at their site.

We are in the first week of the Chinese New Year. Kung Hee Fat Choy! Here's a fun site if you're curious about the Year of the Ox. (It has to be better than last year!)

Feel free to share these with anyone who might enjoy them. Make the world a better place one download at a time!

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Fan Mail from Friends!

Quotes from the Central California Women's Conference Evaluations:
"Beth was easy to listen to and inspiring. She did her homework. Great speaker, great message! I love her voice, the flexibility and tone. Great sense of humor. She made me stop and think. She kept my attention and gave me practical things I can use in my everyday life. Very good information. She's a breath of fresh air. She helped me put things in perspective. Good connection with audience, like we were in a conversation. Bring her back."

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The Word From Xena!

I'll tell you what there's a need for in the world: Less criticism, more Love. Less grumpiness, more giggling. Less frustration, more playing with your dog. Less fear, more faith (Don't tell me you two-leggeds aren't scared right now. We dogs can smell fear!)

Everybody take a deep breath. Don't listen so much to people on TV and radio who want to scare you. Do what I do with that dang Rottweiler on the other side of Beth's fence: stand as tall as you can on your two legs and bark real loud at what scares you. Then go find something useful to do.

It's OK to know you're scared. But don't sit around feeling sorry for yourself. Sheesh. You still have opposable thumbs, so you can open refrigerator doors and cans of food and stuff. You still have a brain in your head so you can go find work to do where someone will give you money (so you can buy me treats.) And, like Freda Swift says, you're tall! You all can work together to figure out how to solve this mess.

I know I'm little and cute, but I'm an old dog (I'll be 10 this year!!) And personally I think you all need to notice you can't expect everyone in that place Beth calls DeeeeCeeee to do every little thing for you. That's how you get in trouble. She says the fat and happy old men in DeeeeCeeee forgot who they are and forgot who they served. So, remind them! And then get busy. I want you to hire Beth so she can go out and buy me more treats!

And send me a note once in awhile [writexena@bethterry.com]. I haven't heard from some of you in ages!

Happy Chinese New Year!
Xena

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