As we move into January, we all know by now just how bad the economy is nationwide. People are scared, and with good reason. Jobs are scarce, companies continue laying off more and more people, credit card companies are taking advantage of us, people are losing their homes,... on and on and on.

Sometimes, when things feel overwhelming, we tend to want to pack it all in and do absolutely nothing. A day laying in bed, or watching television, or just sitting in a chair and staring at a wall,... that's a good day. People don't even pick up the phone to call a friend all that often; they're too ashamed to talk about their problems, and may not get the commiseration back that they were hoping for. Or, maybe they're hoping to hear someone say "I know of a job at,...", or "I can give you some money", or almost any number of other things.

And, of course, things start getting neglected. You don't shower as often. You let things pile up. You don't open your main because you can't afford to pay the bills. Doesn't matter what it is; you feel put upon, like no one understands you, and like you're all alone.

Been there, done that. I'm no different. The life of an independent consultant can be a slow one. There are periods of great activity sometimes followed by long periods of nothingness. If you're a traveling consultant, like I am, sometimes it's hard to figure out how to make your living locally. I'm not all that much different than anyone else; trust me on this one.

However, there is one way that I am different. I don't remain in what's known as a "victim mentality" all that long. I can't afford to allow circumstances to control me; actually, no one can. We all are responsible for our own selves and our own lives, and we all have to try to find ways to change our mindsets and start doing something positive. When you start doing positive things, positive things will come your way, no matter what those things are.

So, it's in this vein that I've openly declared today Victim No More Day. On this day, my proclamation is that you get up and do something positive. If you've allowed your area to get cluttered, straighten up that clutter. Open up those envelopes and face the bad news; it might not be so bad, and, as Dr. Phil says all the time, you can't fix what you can't acknowledge.

Maybe get out of the house and go for a long walk. Maybe get into the garden and do some digging or planting, or even cut the grass. I don't do yard work myself, but some people absolutely love that.

Think about making a good meal, a "real" meal, something that might take a little bit of time but offers so much satisfaction on the back end. Put on some nice music behind you, or some inspirational, motivational speeches or presentations. Heck, listen to a book on tape. Don't turn on the TV; yeah, I know, that can be uplifting, but you have to sit and watch TV, and I'm looking to get everyone moving in some fashion.

Many of you know I have another blog called I'm Just Sharing. Last year at this time, I participated in what's known as a meme, or a sharing of a common thought or theme by many bloggers throughout the day. I posted the image below, which is something that I have on my wall next to my desk, my own little mantra. If you can do it, I want everyone to create their own mantra today, make it as big as it'll fit on one sheet of paper, color it if you like, print it out, and post it somewhere you can see it all day, and every day for the week. This is mine; you can "borrow" it if you can't come up with your own:

Stop being a victim, at least for the day. Make some positive strides; you might be amazed at how good you'll feel, and it may even carry over into the week. How inspiring would that be for you?