Are you worried? Turn off the news...

Here's the thing: when you have 24-hour news slots to fill, you have to fill them. And what has proven to draw viewers, more than anything else, is negative, sensationalized news. We all know that - and yet - we all play into it by watching.

Ick. So, yes, the economy is not what we hope. But how many different news segments do we need to hear/watch filled with doom and gloom to get the picture? Housing - whether your area had a bubble or not - has faced record trouble, but in many parts of the country, things are starting to stabilize. At my company, Real Living, we are based in the heart of the heartland - Ohio. And here, like other areas of the country without the extreme highs, buyers are coming back into the market.

You don't really hear about that though. It's doubtful the 24-hour news cycle could sustain interest in stability. That just doesn't sell. So, you'll continue to hear that you better save, that America and Americans are living on borrowed time, that the sky is falling.

So tune out. Tune back into you.

As I write in my book Real You Incorporated, www.RealYouIncorporated.com, the key is to make sure you - and your passions - are in alignment. Is the business you created, want to create or where you work a good fit for the real you? Take some time for introspection and reflection. A time not filled with worry, but with possibility and excitement. Take action if you have financial challenges, but don't stew. That won't change anything.

Make 2008 great for you, no matter the latest news. It all starts with you.