End of the 1st Quarter 2009 -- Well?

Here we are, one full quarter of the year is up. How has your world changed since January 1st? How much is it the same? On April 30, you will hear a lot about Obama's "100 Days" report, but right now, you can assess your own "90 Days" report.

Despite all the "downturn" news, I hope this posting finds you doing decently well. Maybe you set some goals at the start of the year and are making progress. Or you have lost a few pounds or inches. You could be feeling good about your contributions to a better, greener earth. Spring has sprung, hopefully you've had at least a couple of days decent weather to step out of the house.

We have seen markets tumble. We have seen our friends get laid off. We all know (or are) some of the folks that have not been able to land a new job. Has this created excessive stress for you? Tell us a little about your way of dealing with it.

Some big name retailers, and countless small businesses across the nation have folded up their tents. Some of our favorite places to get a "deal" are gone. Share a little bit about what you are doing in place of that?

Do some of your goals seem a little more difficult than you thought they might be? Sometimes that is a sign you have a good goal, if it was too easy, you probably didn't set it high enough. On the other hand, don't forget that sometimes our goals need a reality check too. Setting goals is perfect and helps us get places. But blindly aiming for a goal that is no longer relevant could be wasting valuable energy worth spending elsewhere.

And while you are doing a little 90-day check here, check back on those simpler things we often forget about. Have you been able to laugh and smile? Have you stopped to "smell the flowers" on the road of life? And, have you taken time to tell others you care about exactly that? Don't tell us here, go tell, and show, them... NOW!