Here are some thoughts to help dispel those feelings of trepidation that have been troubling you at the start of this new year.

  • The UK's credit rating hasn't been downgraded.
  • Inflation is set to tumble.
  • The expected glut of Christmas retail collapses hasn't quite materialised, albeit we did see the largest insolvency since Woolworths in 2008 and Tesco posting its first profits warning in 20 years.
  • Whilst profit warnings jumped 70 per cent in Q4, with retailers being the worst hit with warnings increasing by 14 per cent, a number of retailers reported terrific trading; customers appear to have been very selective in their spending.
  • On-line trading for December was up 16.5 per cent on December 2010 and accounted for £1 in every £6 spent.
  • The Euro might survive.
  • The nation's mood will be lifted by a feast of sport in 2012. For example:
    • The Olympic Games. These will showcase our world class design, construction and organisational expertise. Our athletes will undoubtedly make us proud too as medals are won and records smashed. A clear statement of intent has already been made: cost overruns have already exceeded all expectations;
    • The European Football championships, in which England might stray beyond the group stage; and
    • Cricket, at which we are indisputably the best test match team in the world. Except in games played in Dubai.
  • Media output in 2012 promises a shift away from endless repeats. Instead we'll be able to enjoy wall to wall coverage of the US Presidential election.
  • Whilst we may witness the start of the breakup of the UK, I see no prospect of this leading to the Scots refusing to sell haggis to the English.
  • Come July, we'll be five years distant from the start of the crash and that much closer to putting our economic woes behind us.

Face the future, therefore, not with apprehension, but with enthusiasm and confidence. And good humour.

The following articles are guaranteed to embolden you still further!

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