It's a tough time to be an optimist!

I can't help but notice that there are a lot of people telling us how bad everything is, how the economy sucks, the earth is going to explode, everyone is at war, it is a really terrible time!

If you listen to all the negative stuff floating around you might feel like curling up in a ball in your basement waiting for the end of the world. 
Just remember that ever since the invention of the printing press, it is the bad news that sells.  How many people rush out to grab a copy of the newspaper with a nice headline on the top of the page or who rushes to turn up CNN when they are running a story of some great success?  Does not happen.
Negative sensationalism is what sells, unfortunately.
It makes it tough to be an optimist, especially if you are trying to grow a business or an artistic venture.
But it is times like this that let the real gems blossom and grow.  You need to keep your focus off the negative.
That is one of the reasons I don't watch much of the reality shows where some obnoxious chef or pompous business person yells and barks at people telling them how horrible they are.  Who needs this?
If you are starting out don't be caught up by the naysayers and the people who will tell you how hard it is and how likely you are to fail.  Some of these folks might even be your family and they are trying to tell you this under the guise of they are concerned about you and don't want you to be disappointed.
Hogwash! When anyone tries to express themselves artistically or in a business they are passionate about, there will be more than enough experts and concerned family and friends to bring you back to reality.  What we are short on is people telling us to go for it.
So you need to seek out the positive, the successful and the happy.  It is not to say that thinking positive thoughts will make it all rainbows and bags of cash, it is hard work to do something you love, but the rewards are worth it.
I would rather get scraped and bruised making my way to my goals than to sit comfortably living a life that is safe but not my life.  The encouragement is out there, look for it, embrace it and welcome it in your life.
That way when Aunt Mamie or your brother-in-law Tom says you can't do that, at least you have some defenses built in to encourage you to smile and nod and keep doing it anyway.
This is an important topic, so over the next few days I am going to share some site to blogs and books of the people who will encourage you and who have helped keep me going.