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THE VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL 18 www.TheValleyBusinessJournal.com <strong>October</strong> 2018 Abundance or Scarcity Mentality? EDUCATION by by Drake Levasheff, PhD. Steve Fillingim When I started my first full time job, my boss recommended that I read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. Over the years, I have gone back to the lessons of the book again and again. It is no wonder that the book has been identified as a classic for business management—its lessons are timeless and foundational to success in the personal and social dimensions of business. Indeed, over the years I have come to accept its lessons as a given: there is wisdom and simplicity in encouraging people to “be proactive,” “begin with the end in mind,” “put first things first,” and the like. I recently returned to Covey’s work and discovered the concept I had not latched onto when I read the book decades ago. It relates to a theme that is woven throughout the writing, the abundance mentality. The abundance mentality refers to a perspective that says there is enough for everyone: enough resources, enough opportunity, and enough wealth to go around. It leads to an open, collaborative approach to interpersonal relationship and business interactions. Those who think there is enough for everyone are more likely to collaborate with others and approach relationships in a constructive way because they don’t perceive the person across the table as a threat or a competitor for things they want or need. This concept brought to mind research I had done related to social values of the New Testament world: in that agrarian, pre-industrial world, everything that one needed was in limited supply. For 95% of the population, items like meat, salt, and honey were not accessible to everyone, but scarce. Land, which was a source of income, was the same. Intangible items like reputation were also limited and could be lost at any time. This reality created tension: if one’s neighbor, or opponent gained access to more wealth, food, or honor, jealousy and conflict were likely follow. Our modern, postindustrial society is in many ways different. We have access to so much; products from around the world are available at our fingertips. We can press a button and expect to see any number of goods delivered to our home within two days. (I wonder what people in the ancient world would think about Amazon prime!) One would expect Coveys concept of the abundance mentality would be evident in our interactions and community, if only because what we want and need really is available in abundance. Yet when I follow the news, listen to our political leaders, and engage in society at large, I see a scarcity mentality at work more often than not. Why is that? Covey points that we only live from an abundance mentality if we believe there are enough opportunities and resources to go around. And I think that’s our issue: though we live in a land with plenty, we have begun to believe that we do not. Such a misunderstanding has significant consequences for our society. Dr. Drake Levasheff is Senior Director of Azusa Pacific University’s Murrieta Regional Campus. He can be reached via email at dlevasheff@apu.edu.
<strong>October</strong> 2018 Diabetes and Your Vision Healthy Living by Tina Dr. Patrick M. Gottlieb, Utnehmer D.C. Summer is ending, and Halloween will be here before we know it. Imagining all those sugary treats brings to mind one of the most important reasons to get an eye exam: checking for diabetes-related eye disease. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which there is a high blood sugar level over a long period and that can cause damage throughout the body, including the eyes. Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that occurs in people who have diabetes. It causes progressive damage to the retina, the light-sensitive lining at the back of the eye. Diabetic retinopathy is a serious sight-threatening complication of diabetes. Over time, diabetes damages the blood vessels in the retina. Diabetic retinopathy occurs when these tiny blood vessels leak blood and other fluids. This causes the retinal tissue to swell, resulting in cloudy or blurred vision. The condition usually affects both eyes. The longer a person has diabetes, the more likely they will develop diabetic retinopathy. If left untreated, diabetic retinopathy can cause blindness. Symptoms of diabetic retinopathy include: • Seeing spots or floaters • Blurred vision • Having a dark or empty spot in the center of your vision • Difficulty seeing well at night When people with diabetes experience long periods of high blood sugar, fluid can accumulate in the lens THE VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL www.TheValleyBusinessJournal.com inside the eye that controls focusing. This changes the curvature of the lens, leading to blurred vision. However, once blood sugar levels are controlled, blurred distance vision will improve. Patients with diabetes who can better control their blood sugar levels will slow the onset and progression of diabetic retinopathy. Often the early stages of diabetic retinopathy have no visual symptoms. That is why the American Optometric Association recommends that everyone with diabetes have a comprehensive dilated eye examination once a year. Early detection and treatment can limit the potential for significant vision loss from diabetic retinopathy. Treatment of diabetic retinopathy varies depending on the extent of the disease. People with diabetic retinopathy may need laser surgery to seal leaking blood vessels or to discourage other blood vessels from leaking. An eye doctor might need to inject medications into the eye to decrease inflammation or stop the formation of new blood vessels. People with advanced cases of diabetic retinopathy might need a surgical procedure to remove and replace the gel-like fluid in the back of the eye, called the vitreous. Surgery may also be needed to repair a retinal detachment. This is a separation of the light-receiving lining in the back of the eye. If you are diabetic, you can help prevent or slow the development of diabetic retinopathy by: • Taking your prescribed medication • Sticking to your diet • Exercising regularly • Controlling high blood pressure • Avoiding alcohol and smoking So, eat less doughnuts and hit the gym a little more often. You will be happy you did later. Dr. Patrick Utnehmer, Promenade Optometry & Lasik, (951) 296-2211. “ The longer a person has diabetes, the more likely they will develop diabetic retinopathy Send us your news! publishertvbj@verizon.net 19
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