The Signifier

Which Credit Crunch Profile are you?

What's the secret of success in the Credit Crunch?....I'll tell you!

We really can't ignore (still) the talk of Credit Crunch and the gloom and doom effects it's having on the economics of our country (and the World!). Mid February I woke up and decided I would no longer listen/watch the morning news on TV before heading out to the daily grind. Instead I would eliminate the talk of 'who is next to crumble?". Don't get me wrong, I wasn't avoiding the climate, I was just trying to level the amount of bad news floating round my head first thing.

However, one thing I did wish for in this resolution of 'switch off', was for once every so often for there to be some good news amid the bad, some minute granule of 'happy' for us to look at and praise.

Interestingly enough, a survey this week in Marketing now deconstructs our nation into levels of OPTIMISM amidst the crunch! Those who have reacted in a way as to just go 'safe' and those who are (trying) to take the stances of "life goes on...so shall I".

So which profile do you fit into, you're one of eight possibles:

• "On the up" (4%)
• "Life goes on" (13.3%)
• "It's worth it" (14.5%)
• "Occasional treats" (12.5%)
• "Cutting back" (20.4%)
• "Trading down" (18.7%)
• "Life on hold" (9.2%)
• "Trading off" (7.7%)

2008; That was the year that was.....

I know it's something we all do come close-down of the year, but that retrospective of the last twelve months is subconsciously the insight we use to put down our resolutions for the coming months of the new year.

If this is the case, then 2009 should be a year where mistakes, lessons and newnewss from 2008 make it one of the best. In my mind, that's quite fortunate, this being of course for me where traditionally 'life begins'.

So what were the good things to take from 2008 and take along with me on my trip into 2009?

• To never stop being content with oneself
• To have conviction in those instincts/spiritual rumbles that tell us things are good or bad
• To celebrate music and the many senses it pings
• To recognise why people come in and out of our lives
• To be honest with oneself, one's limitations & strengths

Easier said than done? Perhaps so, but we're never too old to make mistakes and learn from them...I can honestly say 2008 will be one year to remember for all the good things I come out of it knowing.

 

And so delicious ambiguity continues.....

With every door that closes, I believe many others open up and make you stop, think and cogitate over where each potential step then leads.

I'm finally heading out to check off one of my NLP'istic beliefs of putting oneself into a space/environment that challenges the nerves and engages the mind to new ideas, beliefs and culture.

With an apartment in The Greens and a job with Ogilvy, I'm leaving Old Blighty and saying "au revoir" to the Lionhearted ones at Publicis. Sad in many ways, leaving friendly faces and fun conversations in the courtyard behind me....but looking ahead and considering escapes to the desert, lifts to the "tallest", trips to the "biggest".