Hope, opportunities and possibilities - these are the lifeblood of the entrepreneurial spirit. Yet now, with world events, economic forecasts, and the reality of your own bottom-line your entrepreneurial spirit may be having trouble responding. You may not feel the hope, see the opportunities or imagine the possibilities yet they still exist. Here are ten tips for keeping your entrepreneurial spirit strong during these challenging times.

Reflect and reposition Now is a perfect time to reflect on who you are and what you are creating in this world. Does your business reflect your principles and values? Are you working from the paradigms of the 'new economy' or sticking to the old economy? Are you boldly creating your own reality or following others? Reconnect with your passion and reposition your business accordingly.

Collaborate To collaborate is to work in partnership with others. Who else is doing work that is similar or complimentary to yours? Do they have a solid reputation? How might collaboration be of benefit to everyone involved? Answer these three basic questions and then invite your potential collaborators for a coffee and explore the possibilities.

Reconnect with your customers, suppliers and employees You do not operate in a vacuum. Your customers, suppliers and employees are living this reality. Reconnect with them. Now is a time for the human connection. Shake hands, make eye contact, smile - be deliberate in your human interactions. Provide as much of a sense of stability as possible.

Get to know the people in your neighborhood It is amazing the variety and scope of businesses that exists in your own neighborhood. Join your local Chamber of Commerce, or a networking group and get to know your business neighborhood. You never know - you might find the perfect partner for collaboration.

Accept 100% responsibility for your survival When you accept 100% responsibility for your own survival you stop looking for excuses and you start looking for solutions. You call upon your entrepreneurial spirit to be creative, to find new and improved ways of doing business. Your desire for success must be greater than the forces that would like to stand in your way. Roar like a lion. Feel your determination. Move boldly forward with the courage of a warrior or warrior princess and the wisdom of the ages.

Clean-up Nothing helps us to see more clearly than a good clean-up. Clean-up everything. Clean up your computer files, your computer programs, your accounting, your calendar, your files, your inbox your physical space, dust the lights, vacuum the dust bunnies, re-arrange the furniture. Get rid of anything you haven't touched in three months. Clean, clean, clean.

Make a choice You have a choice in how you react to the events that happen every day. Remember the saying 'if life hands you lemons, make lemonade'. Choose your vision, choose your success, choose hope, choose to see the opportunity, choose to explore the possibility. Make a choice every moment of every day to feel the courage and conviction of your entrepreneurial spirit.

Take the pressure off When we are feeling threatened or pressured our thinking is less clear and our actions less rationale. Look at consolidating debts, or cutting back on your inventory orders, or sell unnecessary assets or apply for a credit line when you don't need it. All of these will help to ease the anxiety that usually lurks somewhere between the bottom-line and the cash flow projections.

Become your own best compass Read the media reports, watch the trends, listen to the experts but always think for yourself. You have a gut instinct for what works and doesn't work for you in your business. Pay equal attention to that instinct as you do the experts. You are your own best compass and your entrepreneurial spirit is a willing guide.

Read great books There are great books that exist that can feed your entrepreneurial spirit. Books that remind you of the hope, the opportunities and the possibilities. Read these books first thing in the morning and last thing at night so that you recharge your brain when it is most receptive to this kind of information.