Is your glass half full yet?

While many of us will admit that we were glad to see 2009 end; a time when friends and family lost their jobs, big chain stores were closing left and right: AnnTaylor (177 stores closed), Talbots (100 stores closed) and others like Linens 'N Things and Circuit City were forced to go out of business, there were also many good stories.In a recent seminar, our visionary, April Williams, spoke about how half empty 2009 was at times for her...but then she began to see the success stories, the courageous, smart choices people were making. Williams asked attendees "Are you half full or half empty?"The audience was split 70% half full and 30% half empty. Her talk was to inspire a perspective shift...to stop seeing things half empty but rather half full.Go to YouTube to watch the seminar now.

Need more reasons to see the glass half full? In a recent survey released by DM News, 62% of marketers say their optimism about the US economy has INCREASED since the last quarter. They see it improving in various ways:

• 66% anticipate increased volume in customer purchases
  
• 47% expect an increase in the number of new customers in their market
  
• 45% have improved their abilities to retain customers
  
• 26% are forecasting higher prices

Now that's worth smiling about!Here at North Star, we believe it's time to keep the positivity going. Share how your business is half full now at our Facebook page! After all, action almost always generates inspiration - and inspiration is meant to pass along!