OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE

Some people will read the headline above as opportunity is NO WHERE. Others will read opportunity is NOW HERE. This is the beginning of a new year. Reading the headline is like thinking about the New Year. Some people are seeing all doom and gloom, while others are affirming the many possibilities of a new year.

I am sure 2011, like any other year, will present many challenges, but I firmly believe that 2011 is the Year of Opportunity. Let us affirm it in our consciousness. Here in Jamaica, the year has started with a lot of positives. For example, crime, which has plagued us for years, is decreasing. The police have clearly taken back control of this country. This augurs well for economic development and investment. By all indications, tourism is doing well and is creating opportunities.

Interest rates are declining and I was amazed over the holidays to hear that the Jamaican dollar was revaluing.

Let us make 2011 the Year of Opportunity. Begin to seek opportunity to build our communities, families and, most important, our personal lives.

1. Create that vision now. What is your vision for 2011? Reflect on the areas of your life that you would like to see growth. Do you want to experience better health? Do you want to achieve wealth and prosperity? Do you want to experience spiritual growth? What do you plan to achieve in your personal life? What are the plans for you in your relationships, at work, at home? Take some time out and create a vision for yourself for 2011. It is very important that we take time out to create a vision, for 'without vision, the people perish'.

2. Seek opportunity. Make a conscious effort to seek opportunity in 2011 so that we can transform our vision into reality. Opportunity knocks for those who seek it. Every day many opportunities present themselves, but many of us, because of our mindset, fail to see them. It is our negative patterns of thinking that chase opportunities away.

Some people magnify the negatives and minimise the positives and so they never take hold of an opportunity. Other people think in only black or white terms - it is either this way or no way at all. They never consider the middle ground. Then there are those of us who are always expecting the worst. We speak about it, we plan for it and we live it. William Churchill wrote, "The pessimist sees the difficulties in every opportunity and the optimist sees the opportunity in every difficult."

3. Take action. Great minds take action. Today, I encourage us all to take action. Jot down your vision for yourself. Make a plan and start today. Remember, the journey of a thousand miles start with a simple, small step. Take action. Happy New Year!

Dr Wendel Abel is a consultant psychiatrist and head, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Community Health and Psychiatry, University of the West Indies; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.