Month: January 2012

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Step back from the ledge

I spent some time today pondering.

When I was a kid my friends and I went rock climbing.  The trip up the mountain was scary, and at one point I almost fell backwards onto jagged rocks.  After hours of climbing we made it to the top.  The funny part when we got there, the other side of the mountain was an gentle sloping hill.  We lived on the side of the hill that had the rocks.  It would have made more sense to look at both sides of the hill before we decided to climb up the sheer rock face.  Still we didn’t realize there was another side of the mountain until we reached the top.

How many people spend their lives climbing up the tough side of the mountain?  There is another solution. Don’t let your life experience become a climb up the rock face, scary and perilous. Find a roadmap, a mentor or create a plan before you set out for the climb.

When was the last time you took a look, stopped to look at the other side of the hill, or just stopped to be quiet in the noise?

Anyone who knows me personally will tell you that I’m a big fan of Dr. Stephen Covey.  I make it a habit to re-evaluate my plan often.  I try to live in Q2 most of the time.   I protect my planning and thinking time.

I’ve met a lot of people who live in Crisis (Q1) or Coma (Q4).  I refuse to be pushed to ledge, if I find myself there it’s because I’m out of Q2.

Q2 is planning and that’s where the hidden treasure lies.

Ask yourself where are you right now are you being pushed over the edge AND hanging on by your fingernails on the ledge (Q1)?  Are you procrastinating and avoiding doing anything (Q4)?

Or are you looking at both sides of the mountain to see if there is another way up the hill?

The only reason I can live in Q2 is because I’ve spent time deciding what I need to accomplish.  My life mission, my long-term goals, short-term goals and how the whole picture fits together.  Writing this blog satisfies one portion of my life plan goals.

Take some time this weekend to evaluate where you are emotionally, socially, spiritually and financially.  You may find you need an overhaul, but savor the trip.

How are my fans doing cleaning up their lives and organizing?  Did you find some hidden treasures lurking in the pile of filing?

Tell your friends about my blog – who knows maybe there is a hidden treasure in all my musings…

Develop your plan, find your center and get into action!

Christine

 

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What’s your future plan?

I had an interesting few days, but I realized one thing…  You can’t wait for someone else to give you a future.  Leave your future in the hands of someone else you might not like the results.

 

 

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Secret to becoming RICH

Howdee everyone,

I had something wonderful happen to me recently that I wanted to share.

I have a room in my house which serves many purposes.  It is our guest bedroom, office, art studio, and general junk room.  One of my New Year promises (see I avoided the resolution trap) was to add beauty and color in my life.  So we decided to paint.  During the dismantling of this room something occurred to me – what a disorganized mess – who lives here!

You know the room where you encounter “I’ll get to that task later syndrome”!   This was my own version of the land of misfit toys.  Papers were misfiled in a 4-drawer filing cabinet.  I found receipts which we never claimed on our taxes.  We had purchased items, some twice or three times.  I had enough paper, pens and school supplies to run a small private school.  Then it occurred to me – this didn’t happen overnight.   We just forgot to take care of it, we were busy, but worse yet – just like the sky opening up – AHHHH… that’s the secret.

But I’m not going to tell you just yet, first I’m going to lay a little more wisdom on you.  Think about living with less, and spending less?  Does that thought make you sweat?  Do you get a feeling of panic?

Most people wouldn’t feel comfortable without eight credit cards in their wallets.  How about living on 10% less each and every month.  You could do it quiet easily and stop living on credit tomorrow.  Take the next 45 days and go on a crash credit diet.  December is over, it should be easy.  Don’t pull out the plastic take this year and be on a credit diet – only pay cash for items.  But the real trick is tracking where you’re spending the money.

First you roll 10% savings (of your monthly net earnings) and pay off your consumer debt.  You know all the stuff you bought for the holidays which is already forgotten.  You’ll see the balances melt away like winter snow.  When the breathing room finally catches up to you – roll that money into your next biggest debt – your car payment or your mortgage.

Of course when you choose to live on cash someone will be very sad.  Your bank or credit card company will be very lonely and miss you terribly…Do you care?

Set the 2012 money goals – Small, measurable, achievable, realistic and time driven.  Don’t turn down the heat to 60 and live on mac and cheese for a year.  Make the goal to be consumer debt free by 2013.

Not sure where you are on the debt scale or what your FICO score is?  I found a cool website – check it out

The big A-HA moment I had – stay organized and know where your money goes.  Write down your spending for a month you will be shocked where the holes are in your financial budget.

Let me know if you’re going on a Debt Diet – Next week – I’ll focus on the idea of organization as a tool for getting rich.

Live, love and pay it forward,

Christine

Your Momprenure Coach

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