August 6, 2008
Things tied to the economy, personal and global, remain on the forefront. Today I would like to mention something that has surfaced in many of my current readings. Many have invested in businesses in recent years and now find their business failing, and questioning what should they do. Does one pour good money into bad? Many clients have continued to pull moneys out of their equities, both home and investments, or their retirement funds, like 401(k)s, or increase their borrowing and get deeper into debt, with some even using their credit cards at 20%+ interest rates. Even some borrow from their families, trying to stay afloat while drowning in debt.
It is tough for many to take a honest, objective look at their activities and assess what the best next steps are. Why? Many investments are done emotionally and there is a deep emotional attachment to it and its outcome. The business investment is their 'baby', and don't want to see it fail. It becomes a personal reflection and statement of the owner and anyone who had faith and lent them money. This is one reason why continued efforts and additional money is poured into the original investment. It is tough to let go. As in relationships that go bad, and when one doesn't want to leave the other person, you have to be intensely honest with yourself, understand what you are feeling and why, and try to be objective in terms of where things are going? Are they going to get any better -- honestly?
Denial is a strong force and can easily distort the real situation. Hope is always a strong factor in this, and should be tempered with, again, an honest assessment. We live in a metaphysical age where we feel we may be able to manifest it, but nature is cyclical. It runs in cycles and to go against the cycles and rhythms of nature is to swim upstream.
This economical cycle is a recession. This is all part of taking an objective outlook at the economical landscape, both country wide and local, as it pertains to one's business. More importantly, one can observe how the biggest companies in the US, such as General Motors and major banks and financial institutions, are coming to terms with this. If the big companies are dealing with this, rest assured, that the smaller companies and single owner businesses have to deal with it as well.
Some good advice is to try to divorce yourself emotionally from the business particulars and objectively assess where things are. Quitting now while you are ahead is a sound business decision for some. Many cannot face this and continue to pour money into their markets and investments, sometimes to the further erosion of their financial base, impacting family situations.
Business expenses and the cost to operate it, such as taxes, water costs, oil costs, are increasing and will continue to increase. Remember, both presidential candidates are now very clearly saying that increased taxes are a possibility. So, look at where you are with your business. How well are you doing? Look at the future in terms of costs and the business cycles and see where you are going. Come to an honest assessment and at least determine a deadline date whereby if things do not improve, other actions are needed, up to and including a declaration of bankruptcy. It might be very hard to do, that is, let go, but it might be the best thing for yourself and your family.
Metaphysically speaking we are indoctrinated to believe that we can manifest anything. If life and love were just that easy. Many believe in the expression, "The money will always be there", but that is not the case or most of us would be having a very different experience than we are. We have the ability to attract that which is needed to play out our programmed experiences and come to understand how, when and why we manifest abundance as we do. It's all a learning lesson created at a higher realm of our soul's experience.
When it comes to putting money into a failing business, don't go there. Know when it's time to cut your losses and move on. You can try to sell your business, merge it with another company, or just walk away before it becomes a total disaster.