I think 2009 is going to be a fantastic year! It’s tough to predict right now, but because I’m generally an optimist, I think you’re going to be alright.

I’ve been watching the news lately, and there’s so much discouraging news, it sickens me. I’m going to have to side with those "right wing nut jobs" and say that I think the media is trying to push a pessimistic mindset. I don’t think it’s to progress a "left wing, liberal agenda," I think it’s because these stories about depressing times sell ad spots. I’m just sick of it all. I know things are bad, and G.W. pretty much let anyone get away with everything, but I think ‘09 is our time to make something happen.

If you’re living here in OKC, I think you’re going to be fine. If you’re living elsewhere, you’re going to be fine too, but you’ll have to work a bit for your success. I’m not going to let a bunch of "agendists" tell me that things are bad, so I’ll watch their broadcast, and buy the MacBook, automobile, or dish washing detergent they’re advertising. This country has always depended on hard-working people to make it great. We certainly shouldn’t let someone else tell us we’re not capable of creating our own success.

I feel sorry for those folks in foreclosure and those individuals whose home are worth less than their debt. I know there’s some injustice somewhere, and hopefully I can help out in some way. However, there’s some responsibility upon all of us to make sure we’re in the place financially, spiritually, and physicially to make our own success. I believe 2009 will be the year you’re going to do that. You need to believe that you’ll have the resources and ability to be successful.

We find constant oppression for our success. It’s time that we pursue what we want to do, and have the optimism that we’ll be successful. I remember wanting to become a Hollywood cinematographer when I was in high school. At that time,  we lacked a lot of the technology to do your own films, but I studied everything I could about filmmaking. I read every magazine, library book, and studied every movie for cinematic genius. Unfortunately, very few people I knew ever really encouraged me to pursue my love. I had a constant stream of negativity, which discouraged me from pursuing that dream. Instead, I put that on the back-burner and became what I am today.

While I love my chosen profession, I still often wonder what that other path would have presented. I wonder how difficult such a career would have been, if I’d had the family, religious, and educational encouragement needed. I’ve always been fascinated with the thought that we often stifle the dreams and aspirations of our youth, because of our own fears of disappointment.

In 2009, your goal should be to encourage your own personal growth and development.. I watched the Back to the Future trilogy this holiday weekend, and gleened a bit more insight into this dilemma of stifled dreams. At the end of the 3rd show, Doc Brown talks to Marty about the prospects of the future. Doc’s words were the capstone of intelligence on this subject. Essentially, Doc Brown counsel’s Marty to not fear the future because one’s future is whatever that person makes it to be.

This is important because you can let others tell you how bad the economy is, or how bad our President-elect is, or how bad some other event is, or you can make your life better.

I encourage you to spend a few moments contemplating how you’re going to accomplish one of those simple goals or aspirations you’ve suppressed because of a few disheartening words., or how you’re going to change your future. Let’s all have a little optimism, and strive for our own personal success. No one should tell us how we’re supposed to feel, or how bad our lives are because of some person or some event. WE control our destiny, and nobody’s future is set in stone.

MAKE 2009 THE YEAR OF YOUR SUCCESS!