Fundamentally, what I do – help a business inform, promote and sell its product or service – has not changed, but my perspective of my service and the marketplace it sits in has changed.

The nightly news reports daily on the “global financial crisis” and Forrester Research reports that global corporate companies have cut their marketing budgets by 20%+ and their advertising budgets by 60%+. Then there are giant bailouts of some of the largest corporations in America and the quiet closing of small businesses in our communities. And the personal stories of friend or families who have lost a job or the hard reality of owners and bosses who have had to reduce hours or layoff employees.

Clearly, all of us – companies and individuals alike – are in a very different marketplace and economy. On an individual level we are facing change and uncertainty. And we have a choice to move through that change in fear, anxiety and stress, or use the opportunity to dig deep and find our inner strength so that we move through that change in grace, peace and happiness. This is, of course, each person’s personal journey of self discovery.

What I have noticed is companies make a similar journey. You may not have considered it in this way but all businesses have their own separate personalities and lives. They have their ups and downs, are born from a passion and move through life refining and refocusing who they are. They weather challenges and change. They go in and out of relationships. Some even give birth to new companies and products.

And right now, companies and their relationships are shaky and uncertain. Each and every company must now find its way through its ‘personal journey of self-discovery.’ What does that really mean?

It means accept that change is a constant; it can’t be held back or controlled away. It must be embraced and incorporated into your processes.

It means you and your company really have to clear the clutter and go right back to the flame of passion that birthed the enterprise. Find the spark that was the motivation and inspiration. Notice all the corporate practices that have become routine and have drained the energy from the original inspiration. The rules you have for employees, vendors and customers that focus on money or safety or control, rather than passion and inspiration. Change the rules, change the practices to make way for the flame. Give your passion some breathing room again.

It means you have to let go of the status quo and society’s expectations. This is the big one. Accepting and sticking to the safety and surety of what has always been done – what is expected in your industry with regard to your business model, with regard to your relationship with employees, vendors and customers, with regard to just how it’s done – will be your death knell. Take a moment, take all the time you need, but look – REALLY LOOK DEEP – at why you are following the status quo and society’s expectations. If it has anything at all to do with being safe, mitigating risk or following along, then get ready to let it go. Look at what it is and consider if it really feeds the flame, or just safely contains your flame. If it’s not feeding your flame then get rid of it now! It might leave you feeling a bit exposed for a while, but you will find that it quickly gives you space to create a new rule, new structure, a new process, that supports and nourishes your flame.

These are the first steps. And when embraced, will take you a long way to building a stronger business and a stronger marketplace.

Try it. Really. You will be surprised at the inspiration and passion that is sets free again. And isn’t that why you got into business in the first place?