Happy New Year : Peace and Prosperity

Not my intention to go all religious, spiritual or zen on you (this is a recruitment/HR blog after all!)…

….but yesterday I visited the Tian Tan (Giant) Buddha in Hong Kong. I climbed the 268 steps and looked out over the peak and monastery. The Buddha’s setting had been chosen to symbolise the relationship between man and nature.  It was a very peaceful moment, and a great experience. Reading the various inscriptions of wisdom and teachings, I focused on

Peace and Prosperity

and decided that, although I’m on holiday, I wanted to share a New Year message.

Now I appreciate the words ‘peace and prosperity’ have been discussed, appropriated and mis-appropriated by many people and groups over the years, however I think that the true, intended meaning, the spiritual meaning is as important as ever in these troubled times.

I know that 2009 has been a difficult year for so many. I have been following end of year blogs and messages from a whole host of people and it is plain that some of them have had a hard, challenging, stressful year for a variety of personal and professional reasons. Many have undertaken difficult journeys and transitions, and others have found themselves facing challenges that they may never have imagined a year ago.

Certainly a lot of people have suffered this year, and despite the sounds of optimism emanating from so many business commentators, I think most of us know that 2010 may well prove to be just as testing and challenging.

                                                            But reading those blogs and messages you also get a strong sense of enthusiasm and energy, of hope and determination…of motivated individuals really looking to act and take charge of their own destinies, looking to create activity and opportunities, not feeling sorry for themselves but feeling determined to make something for themselves.

So whatever kind of year you’ve had I wish all of you Peace and Prosperity in 2010.

Peace with those around you and with yourself, your hopes and dreams…your actions, efforts and achievements.

And the Prosperity and satisfaction that comes from knowing you’ve taken control, done everything you can, taken advantage of chances that have come your way and have achieved as much as you could have hoped for.

A Happy, Healthy and Lucky New Year to you all…

             …see you in 2010