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Show THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Page 20 Volume V, Issue VIII February 1, 2002 Stop . . . and Take a Deep Breath . . . “Only one thing has to change for us to know happiness in our lives: where we focus our attention.” —Greg Anderson We all have those days when life hands us one frustration after another, as though we’ve been possessed by some kind of negative force that brings mayhem to even the simplest tasks. I’m sure you know what I mean . . . You’re rushing off to a meeting when your child’s school calls to say your little boy is sick. You grab your paperwork on your way out the door, trip and drop the files all over the parking lot, curse yourself and rush to the car (and of course, you can’t seem to get the key in the ignition fast enough). Finally, on your way to pick up your son, you get stopped for speeding and realize that you left your wallet back at the office. By this time it feels like you can’t do anything right. Sometimes the tailspin begins with something small like an upsetting phone call or an e-mail that pushes your buttons. As a result, you shift your focus to something stressful and your mood quickly goes into a downward spiral. Fortunately there are things you can do to change your mental direction in order to head toward a better state of mind. This week I’d like to recommend a few simple ways to shift your mood so you can reverse this downward trend. When you find yourself feeling out of sorts, unsettled, frustrated, overwhelmed, or just plain old stuck, take one of the following actions: 1. Clear the air. Do something to shift the energy. You might take a shower, change your clothes, tidy up your office, vacuum the living room, open a window, or even change the sheets on your bed. Imagine yourself clearing energy blocks that are fueling your negative mood. 2. Get into motion. To change your mood, get up and move your body. Take a brisk walk, go for a bike ride, or for a quick run or jog. Get into water. For example, you might take a bath or go for a swim. When one mom I worked with felt overwhelmed, she used to set up the sprinkler and run through it with her kids—an action that worked like a charm! 3. Shift your thinking. If it’s true that our thoughts create our circumstances, then you’ll want to shift your negative thoughts to positive ones as quickly as you can. There are many ways to do this. You might remember a favorite childhood song and start singing it out loud. Or, you could pick up an inspirational book, open to any page and start reading. For some, taking a nap can do the trick—sometimes it helps to shut down your mind for a while, allowing you to wake up refreshed and clear headed. The point is to plug up the hole in the dike before it results in a flood. Rather than let one bad event create a whole string of others, do something that not only shifts your attention to something positive, but sets you up to have an even better day. Take Action Challenge Monitor your mood each day this week. When you feel the slightest bit low, frustrated or overwhelmed, choose one of the items above and give it a try. Try a different one each day. By the end of the week you should have at least five examples of things you can do to get yourself on the right track. Jot these examples down on a card or piece of paper and add them to your self-care first aid kit! Celeste C. Canning PLLC Attorney at Law 1470 N. Main Bountiful, Utah 84010 Local: 801 791-1092 Office: 801 294-6999 Email: ccanninglaw@aol.com Meeting the Legal Needs of Small Business and Their Owners A Multinational Answers the Critics of Globalization By Ruth R. Harkin (NAPSI)—Over the past year and a half, many international conferences have become targets for anti-globalization protests, which have spurred heated discussion on the merits of removing barriers to international trade and investment. Some people are frightened by globalization, and oppose it out of deep conviction about how labor and environmental concerns are treated in the emerging global trade regime. But they tend to see globalization as a “zero sum game” in which one party has to lose if another wins. To the contrary; if managed properly, it is a phenomenon in which the vast majority of people can win. In the U.S., a decade of aggressive trade policies have resulted in historically low unemployment, rising wages and record economic growth. During this period, exports accounted for one quarter of our growth and contributed significantly to the high standard of living enjoyed by American families. More than 11 million American jobs are supported by U.S. exports, and those who fill them earn up to 20% more than others. These benefits could not have been realized without the trade policy initiatives undertaken by our government over the past decade. These include working with our trading partners to reduce barriers, organizing the World Trade Organization to set rules for trade and investment and opening our borders to Canada and Mexico through the North American Free Trade Agreement. Each of these has helped create the prosperity America enjoys today. Trade is also essential to international development. According to a recent A.T. Kearney study, countries that have linked their economies most closely to global markets experienced faster economic growth than others. For example, Morocco, which ranked 42 out of 50 on the study’s globalization scale, suffered a negative GDP growth rate in 1999, while Singapore, at the top of the list, enjoyed more than 5% growth in that same year. China’s annual foreign trade in 1978, before its “open door” policy, was a mere $21 billion. Twenty years later it was $324 billion—more than 15 times larger. Foreign investment in developing countries generally means progress: new jobs, higher wages and improved living standards for local employees. In Turkey, for example, wages paid by foreign companies are 124% higher than the average local salary. Employment in foreign companies has risen 11.5% per year while that in local companies grew under one percent a year. That’s strong testimony to the power of an open economy. Trade and investment not only reduce poverty; they also help create the infrastructure to protect the environment. Taiwan is a good illustration. In their bid to join the first world, Taiwan’s entrepreneurs raced to create a modern economy in the 1970s and 1980s, paying little regard to the costs imposed on their environment. By the late 1980s, however, the Taiwanese had reached a level of affluence that permitted them to recognize the path of environmental destruction down which they were heading, and to funnel significant resources into cleaning up their industrial sector. Corporations and governments have a responsibility to address environmental and labor concerns. Many, like my own company, United Technologies Corporation (UTC), already do so. A $26 billion dollar corporation, UTC operates in 2,000 locations around the world. You know us best through our products: Otis elevators, Pratt and Whitney engines, Sikorsky helicopters, Carrier air conditioners and IFC fuel cells, among others. UTC takes its global responsibility seriously, and we apply the same high standards to our overseas and domestic operations. Not just in product performance and financial reporting, but in ethics, environment and employee health and safety. We adhere to the higher of the U.S. GLOBALIZATION cont. on page 21 Winter activities can leave you with pain and stiffness in your upperback, lower back and often in your knees and hips. A Therapeutic Massage can help alleviate these discomforts. To schedule an appointment, please call: Richard Smyka, Licensed Massage Therapist FREE Initial Thirty Minute Consultation. 745-0108 Appointments in Ogden Valley upon request. Conveniently located at Harper Rocky Mountain Chiropractic, next toValley Market. Also available for out-call. Liberty BARBARA BEALBA INTERIORS Custom Draperies Blinds, Shutters & Shades Reupholstery Design Consultation 745-2269 E-mail: barbarab@konnections.net Unbelievable price! 4-5 bedroom, 2 bath home on .31 acres. Approximately 2,178 sq. ft., hardwood floors, fenced yard with greenhouse Only 163,000! 801 898-5853 Dyan Gill Licensed Utah Realtor Since 1991 Selling Ogden Valley and surrounding areas. |