Don't be Jealous of People, Be Inspired!

 

Focusing Positive Energy Toward Your Competition: The Power of Growth Mindset

It's easy to fall into the trap of negative thinking when we see our competitors doing well. We may find ourselves hoping for their failure, criticizing ourselves for not being at their level, or begrudging them for their success. However, these negative thoughts only hurt us and do nothing to our competitors. In this blog post, we'll explore the power of a growth mindset and how focusing positive energy toward your competition can help you grow your own skills and improve your business.

Starting with a Negative Tone

It's natural to feel negative emotions when we see someone else succeeding, especially when we feel like we're not making progress ourselves. However, it's important to recognize that this negativity only infects our own thoughts and actions, and does nothing to our competition. Instead of dwelling on negative thoughts, we can shift our mindset and focus on the positive.

Focusing Negative Thoughts Only Hurts You

When we focus negative thoughts on our competition, it only hurts us. We may become envious, resentful, or critical, which can affect our own ability to succeed. These negative emotions can also impact our relationships with our competitors, creating tension and hostility. By focusing positive energy toward our competition, we can build better relationships and create a more positive environment for everyone.

Criticizing Yourself Instead of Growing Your Own Skills

Focusing on the success of others can lead us to criticize ourselves and our own abilities. Instead of seeing their success as a point of learning, we may feel discouraged and stuck. This negative mindset only holds us back from growing and improving our own skills. By shifting our focus to positive energy, we can use the success of our competitors as a motivator to improve ourselves and our businesses.

Being Happy for Their Success

When we see someone else succeeding, it's important to be happy for them. This positive energy can help us build better relationships with our competitors and create a more positive environment for everyone. Instead of feeling envious or resentful, we can choose to celebrate their success and use it as a motivator to improve ourselves.

Using Their Success as a Driver and a Positive Motivator

When we see our competition winning, we can use their success as a driver and a positive motivator. Instead of focusing on beating them, we can focus on improving ourselves and our businesses. By examining their success as a point of learning, we can identify what they're doing right and how we can be better. This positive energy can help us grow and improve, without being held back by negative emotions.

Creating Positive Energy for Both of You

When we focus positive energy toward our competition, we create positive energy for both of us. There is enough business for everyone, and their success does not take money from us. Instead, it's material proof that we can do the same if we apply ourselves in a positive way. By building better relationships with our competitors, we can create a more positive environment for everyone, and ultimately grow our businesses together.

Conclusion

Focusing positive energy toward your competition is a powerful tool for growth and success. By shifting our mindset and focusing on the positive, we can build better relationships with our competitors, improve our own skills and businesses, and create a more positive environment for everyone. So, the next time you see your competition succeeding, celebrate their success and use it as a motivator to improve yourself. With a growth mindset, anything is possible.

Craig Grove

GRT Realty/RGV Living 

Is a Housing Crash Coming to the Valley?

Image Credit: MPAMag.com

Following any housing boom, you will hear the familiar claim that a housing crash is imminent. However, this is more based on flawed logic from "experts" who are parroting other "experts" who are simply citing historic trends on a national level. However, standard historic trends based purely on past housing booms are not sufficient to explain the current situation due to differing variables in the current market place and varied regions across the country.

The first thing to consider is that all housing is local. So although the greater economy will affect housing trends, the economic activity in your local market is the real indicator of whether there will be a housing bust that will affect you. For example, the recent collapse of Silicon Valley Bank will have a global impact, but it will affect the tech sector first and foremost. The people in this industry and in heavily technology-based regions will be affected as they navigate through the banking collapse. This will cause people to need to sell homes and relocate or downsize. So, this will very likely affect home prices in the related areas. If people in related regions and industries are overleveraged, they will need to sell their homes. If multiple people put their homes on the market at the same time, there will not be enough buyers. This will cause the housing prices to drop in the related areas.

With respect to our geographic region, we have a completely different economic base than the heavily tech-invested areas, for example. Here are just a few reasons why we are different. Our primary job creator in our region is related to state and federal government. Due to our young population, relatively low economic income levels, and geographic orientation on the border, we have a disproportionately high level of government employees relative to the overall population. Being on the border with Mexico creates an intense level of Law Enforcement employment, and we benefit from cross-border trade. Whether the national economy is weak or strong, south Texas benefits from cross-border trade. If the economy is strong in the US, we buy goods and pull labor from Mexico. If the economy is good in Mexico, they buy goods from us and travel in the US.

In addition to being heavily government and border-related in our region, in Brownsville, we now have the benefit of having SpaceX. Brownsville is fortunate to have a seaport, an international border, and now we are a literal Space Port! Throughout history, regions of trade and ports to exploration tend to do well regardless of the national or global economic climate. For example, the Space Industry is projected to be a 1 Trillion dollar industry. With Brownsville now being one of the very few sites that have a Space Port, we are destined to get a share of that economic activity. And even a tiny bit of 1 Trillion dollars is an astounding amount of money. For example, due in large part to SpaceX's development in Brownsville, our economic activity due to private investment jumped from $212,000 Million in 2021 to $425,000 in 2022. As you can see, this is over double! It is literally more than a 100% increase in economic activity. By any measurement, this is absolutely astounding.

Being a hub to international trade and a frontier to exploration puts us in a unique position to weather an economic storm more than almost any region. When there is economic instability, people with money look for other places to spend money. One such place to do that is Trade and Exploration. Trade and Exploration expose potential investors that are high risk but high yield, especially when it comes to exploration. This is why in the past, you saw the Kings and Queens of the great powers of the past send their explorers on unthinkable missions. Their goal was to expand their wealth and influence. In doing so, they spent money which stimulated economic activity in the affected regions. 

Despite the concerns about a housing crash in the wake of a housing boom, it's important to understand that the situation is more complex than historical trends suggest. The economy of a particular region, as well as local factors, play a crucial role in determining the housing market's health. In the case of our region, we have a unique economic base that makes it more resilient than others, even during tough economic times. With its proximity to Mexico and the presence of government jobs, cross-border trade, and SpaceX, our region is well-positioned for continued growth and prosperity. As long as we stay vigilant and continue to leverage our strengths, we can be confident in a stable housing market and a bright future for our community.

Craig Grove

GRT Realty/RGV Living

Image Credit: MPAMag.com

The Power of Prayer is Universal!

Hello everyone,

I had a blog post ready to go about the local and national housing situation, but today I felt inspired to share a positive message about the power of prayer. With so much negativity in the world, it's important to take a moment to focus on the positive and uplifting things in our lives. And prayer can be just that.

Prayer is not just about religion. It can be a powerful tool for relaxation, focus, and positivity. As Dr. David H. Rosmarin states in "The Science of Prayer" in the Wall Street Journal, "the research that has been done on prayer shows it may have similar benefits to meditation: It can calm your nervous system, shutting down your fight or flight response. It can make you less reactive to negative emotions and less angry."

Personally, I have experienced the power of prayer in my own life. When I was in a negative place and struggling with grief, prayer helped me focus on gratitude and a desire to find a positive direction in life. And it worked. Through consistent practice, I was able to move past my grief and into a happier state of being.

It's important to note that prayer doesn't have to be religious. If you are conflicted about religion, you can start by just believing in a higher power and expressing feelings of gratitude, regret, repentance, and hope to that perceived higher power. As you consistently practice this, you may find religious meaning and direction in your quest.

The key to any exercise is consistency. If you consistently focus on the things you are grateful for, own the things you regret, and look forward in a positive manner, you will begin to release regret, see your blessings, and manifest new ones. Of course, this is not a quick fix. It will take time and effort, and setbacks may occur. But the key is to keep coming back to the practice with humility and confidence, knowing that you are not alone.

So, if you haven't already, don't be afraid to start praying right now. Some of us may feel regret or shame over a failure to be in touch with our higher purpose or God. But the simple fact of the matter is that there is no judgment in this space. You are never too far behind or too bad of a person to start letting go of the past and focusing on improving your future. You can't change the past, but the future is completely under your control. Be grateful, be humble, believe in your future, and express it silently to a higher power.

The power of prayer is real. It can bring relaxation, focus, positivity, and a sense of direction to your life. It's never too late to start praying, and you won't regret it. So, take a moment today to focus on the positive and uplifting things in your life, and express your gratitude and hope to a higher power.

Craig Grove

GRT Realty/RGV Living

Photo Credit: iStock by Getty Images 

Should I Panic About the Banking Situation in the US?

 

Photo Credit: Men's Health

It's been a tough couple of years for the economy. Yesterday's crash of Silicon Valley Bank, the second largest failure in bank history and the largest bank failure since 2008, has left many people worried about what's to come. As we navigate through these uncertain times, it's important to understand what's happening and how it could affect you and your family.

Banks typically buy lots of government bonds at very low rates, which they can then sell at a profit. However, if there is a run on the bank, banks will be forced to sell their bonds at a huge loss. The problem is that banks only keep a small fraction of the money they have lent out on hand. When there is a bank run and they have to sell bonds at a loss, the bank loses money. This is known as fractional banking, and it's one of the reasons why banks can fail.

The question on everyone's mind is whether this is the tip of the iceberg. Could this spread to other banks? It's too soon to know for sure, but we should always be prepared for something like this. If it does happen, it could affect the regular person in several ways depending on their income/wealth level.

So, what can you do to protect yourself and your family? The good news is that the FDIC insures deposits up to $250,000. So if you have less than $250,000 in the bank, theoretically you are fine as even if your bank collapses, the FDIC should cover your losses.

However, if you are one of the small percentage of Americans who has over $250,000, you should consider diversifying your investments to different banks and different types of investments. Sitting on more than $250,000 in one bank is not advisable.

With respect to immediate needs, it would be a good idea to have cash on hand. You should always keep at least enough cash to cover your household operations for about a month. I know this is easier said than done, but it's something to work towards.

So, should you be panicked about the banking situation? No, you should be prepared and cautious. If more Americans were prepared, there would be less need for panic. Panic arises for most at the thought of not being able to get money to cover daily needs. So make sure you are diversified, keep some cash on hand, and don't panic.

While the changes happening in the economy may be scary, it's important to stay positive and take action to protect yourself and your family. By being prepared and cautious, we can weather the storm and come out stronger on the other side.

Craig 

**** Note: Craig Grove is not a financial advisor. Be sure to consult with a trusted financial advisor before you make any financial changes. **** 

Why I do what I do...

 

Why I do what I do... this is the most transparent I have ever been. It came to me now so I am letting it out.

People often ask me how and why I do what I do with constantly creating and sharing positive information and content on my pages. The answer is simple... I went through a very hard time in my life at a certain point. There was a time when I couldn't see past my nose due to the sadness and regret that overwhelmed every waking moment. At that time I didn't have a relationship with God.

A very dear friend who had been through a very tough time told me that each day they had to pray and force themselves to be thankful. Instead of being filled with dread they chose to focus on the smallest things that they took for granted. For example, they would just say thank you God for the fact that I can breathe and expand from there. When you start from the smallest thing and start counting your blessings you will find that you truly have an abundance of blessings. When you are in a deep dark hole this tiny spark of gratitude can get you to the next hour or even the next day.

However, this wasn't enough to bring me out of the darkness. I felt I wasn't deserving of forgiveness from anyone much less God... but a deep part of me wanted to continue to live. I had a cat at the time. He was very dear to me... I had to tell myself who would take care of him if I wasn't around? That gave me something to live for all be it small and furry.

And yet I still struggled... I clearly wasn't getting the message. I prayed and prayed and asked for an answer and slowly it started to form. I told God that I would go forward the rest of my life and be a light to the world. Then I found myself in Brownsville surrounded by negative energy and I knew I had to do something. That's when social media came into existence. I saw a way I could shine positive light on the things that I believed were good and positive. So I started doing it.

Now, I haven't been perfect but I do learn from my mistakes. I have evolved and changed how, when, where and what I do on these platforms. But the drive and reason I do what I do has not changed. I am sure many think that I just do it for my business or purely out of a narcissistic personality. And I will admit it can be beneficial to my business and who doesn't like to receive some positive attention? But ultimately, my goal and drive has not changed since day one. Many of you know I have been criticized and slandered many times. I have not always handled it perfectly but I am still here doing my thing and where are the trolls?

So my message to anyone that is out there hurting... First of all, believe in something bigger than you. You don't have to be a Christian but you need to believe that life is bigger than you just existing because it is. We don't know the answers or what that means... but it is bigger than we can imagine and I know this from the deepest part of my soul. Secondly, find something that is good and that gives you fulfillment. It may be your job, it may be your kids, it may be art... who knows? But seek it, find it and pour your heart and soul into it. Don't let anyone take it away from you. Because once you start to shine people will be mean. They will say hateful things and through their jealousy, inadequacy or pettiness they will try to hurt you. Remember what your mom said and remind yourself that their criticism has more to do with their shortcomings than yours.

I promise if you let go of the fear of rejection and don't worry about what other people think even though it's hard, you will find your path. It will not be easy, it will not always be fun but it will give you a path and that's what we all need.

Craig

Is Visualization Corny or Legit?

Photo Credit: TonyRobbins.com

Visualization of your goals is a concept that has gained a lot of popularity in recent years, but for many people, including myself, it seemed too corny and unscientific to be taken seriously. However, as I've come to learn, there's actually a lot of evidence to support the idea that visualizing your goals can be an effective tool for achieving success.

For much of my life, I considered myself a practical person who was simply being realistic about the world. I didn't see myself as being negative, but looking back, I can see how my tendency to focus on the worst-case scenario was actually a form of negativity. I didn't realize it at the time, but my subconscious mind was taking my negative thoughts and using them as a code to create negative outcomes in my life.

This is where the power of visualization comes in. When we visualize positive outcomes, we set our subconscious mind to work towards achieving those outcomes. It's like we're programming our brain to focus on what we want, rather than what we don't want. And as we take small steps towards our goals, our brain continues to work in the background, using the power of visualization to help us achieve our dreams.

Of course, it's important to note that visualization alone is not enough. We still need to take action and put in the effort to make our goals a reality. But by combining visualization with action, we create a powerful synergy that can help us achieve things we may have once thought were impossible.

So, how can you start using visualization to achieve your goals? The first step is to take an inventory of the things you're grateful for. It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day challenges of life and forget about all the things we have to be thankful for. By taking a few minutes each day to focus on the good in our lives, we create a positive mindset that's more receptive to visualization.

Next, start setting realistic goals for the short, mid, and long term. This doesn't mean you have to settle for less than what you really want, but it does mean being honest with yourself about what's achievable given your current circumstances. When you've set your goals, take some time each day to visualize yourself achieving them. Imagine what it will feel like to reach your goal, and focus on the positive emotions that come with success.

Finally, start taking small steps each day towards your goals. These don't have to be big, dramatic steps, but rather small, incremental ones that move you closer to your desired outcome. As you take action, continue to use visualization to reinforce your goals and keep your subconscious mind focused on what you want.

The power of visualization is a real and effective tool for achieving success. It may seem corny or unscientific at first, but with practice, you'll start to see the benefits of focusing on what you want rather than what you don't want. By taking the time to visualize your goals, setting realistic targets, and taking small steps each day towards success, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

Slow Down & Be Grateful For What You Have

 

In our busy lives, it's easy to become preoccupied with everything we need to accomplish. Whether it's managing a business, participating in community events, or dealing with health issues in the family, it can be challenging to take a moment to stop and appreciate all the good things in our lives.

My Home at Night

Recently, I found myself in a similar situation. I was running from one responsibility to another, trying to keep up with everything on my plate. I was stressed and worried, trying to make sure that everything was going smoothly. But amidst all the chaos, I realized that I was losing sight of the things I should be grateful for every day.

My Team at the Harlingen Opening 

The turning point came when we opened our new Harlingen GRT Realty office. I was nervous about the event, wondering whether people would show up. But as it turned out, we had a tremendous outpouring of support from the local community and our Brownsville team. It was a reminder that I am incredibly blessed, and I should take a moment to appreciate all that I have.

Me and My Boys at the Sombrero Fest Kayak Fun Race

As the event ended, and the day turned to night, I began to feel grateful for all the success we had achieved. I woke up the next day to a beautiful South Texas day, with my sons sleeping late in their rooms, and my wife making me breakfast. Madison was getting better every day, and I had my son's baseball game to look forward to in the afternoon.

My beautiful wife Christine

The lesson I learned is simple but important: don't get so caught up in everything you're trying to accomplish that you lose sight of what you should be grateful for every day. Take a moment, slow down, and count your blessings. There's always something to be grateful for, no matter how busy or challenging life may seem.

My Step-Daughter Madison 

So take some time today to smell the roses, appreciate the good things in your life, and focus on what really matters. You'll be surprised how much it can change your perspective and bring you happiness and peace.