"We might as well substitute ‘Merry’ for ‘Scary’ this Christmas" says Confidence Coach Matt Davies, reacting to gloomy figures from The British Retail Consortium who’ve said like-for-like UK retail sales in October were 0.6% lower than the same month last year.
BRC Director General Stephen Robertson said: "This is evidence of the basic weakness of consumer confidence and demand and is worrying this close to Christmas."
However Matt Davies says "Be a warrior not a worrier!"
Matt goes on to say “in these difficult times it’s easy to hibernate in a dungeon of doom but where’s our fighting spirit? We need courage right now to build confidence not a powerless shrug to how bad it is.”
Howard Archer, Chief UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight, said the weak retail sales data would increase fears that the wider economy was heading back towards recession.
Matt Davies suggests that it’s important to face up to what’s happening and not live under some confidence cloud and agrees with Howard Archer that wallowing in our woes will only increase fear.
"Focus on the problem and the problem will get bigger" says Matt "Focus on the solution and the solution gets bigger, it’s not rocket science."
Matt coaches Businesses in confidence for his company Upfront Guru and says that accepting the current climate is crucial to recovery but having the courage to do something about it is just as important.
"Listen, economists are not harbingers of doom but need to take some responsibility for the downturn." He finishes by saying “If I were to talk you down all day, how would you feel, better or worse about yourself? Go figure.”
