Owning a business is a dream millions long for.  What's the best thing about owning a business anyway? Well, for starters, it is YOUR business! You are your own boss and your business reflects and holds everything that you hold true.
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When things are going great, it's easy to be positive, but what can you do when you have some slow times, or when your business is not shaping into the way that you envisioned it?

In bad times, here are some tips on how to stay positive:

• Take inventory of all the good things that have happened in the last month. Write them down, and really appreciate them.

• Put a "plus" sign over your desk or any symbol that conveys optimism for you. It may be a picture of your family, a religious icon, or a valuable object. Place it at eye level, so you remember to try and remain positive at all times (especially when on the phone with customers). As Peter Pan would say: "Think happy thoughts!"

• Concentrate on the opportunities you still have. So often, we expend all of our energy on negative things that happen. Focusing on the future will keep you from ignoring potentially great opportunities that you might have missed while wallowing in your sorrow.

• Surround yourself with positive people. If you've got friends in business, try to support one another in times of despair. Offer positive advice and encouragement--but, most of all, learn to accept it when it's given to you.

• See, then be. Picture yourself succeeding again, and your chances of success will nearly double. Get into the habit of visualizing your success. Never underestimate the power of creative visualization. Use your imagination to visualize new and better ways to accomplish things. 
  

• Don't give up. Even the most successful entrepreneurs have experienced setbacks, so you're not the only one. Have the courage to go on.