A friend recounted last week how he set up his accountancy firm during the last major recession while his wife was heavily pregnant with their third child

 

Necessity spurred Matt on to make a success of it. It was 'easy' at the time, he said, as there was no other option.

But the reality is that he chose to 'go for it' despite the economic climate.  

 

That fire is still in his belly today and he's close to celebrating, with his team, the first anniversary of his two businesses' rebranding and move to bigger premises.

 

In these leaner times it's all too easy to be discouraged and flash-frozen by what's 'out there'.

The external circumstances, hand-wringing and harbingers of doom.

 

Granted, we can't always choose our circumstances.

But we can choose how we respond to them and direct our energy in ways that can make a difference.

 

We can take control of what's 'in here': our thought life, our attitudes and own actions.

There is a choice to be made. On the one hand is learned limitation by the way things are or what people tell us or how they label us.

On the other is envisioning what can be and going after it.

 

We can choose what we focus on, how we prioritise and spend time and how we engage with, inspire and serve others.

 

Instead of waiting for the recovery, let's be the recovery.

 

This distinction is summed up perfectly in a prayer by Karl Niebuhr that's inspired millions worldwide:

 

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference."