Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year!!!

Just a quick post to wish everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year!!!

As the new year begins I have worked on keeping the procrastination down for the last couple days of my vacation.  Using Simpleology on a daily basis helps tremendously.  I strongly recommend it for anyone looking to achieve success in what ever they choose to do.  It's a great way to stay focused on what needs to be done for the day and keeps you on track for future goals.  It's free to sign up and is constantly improving.

Here's my disclaimer for the above*** I do not solicit, or work for Simpleology, nor am I compensated in any way for mentioning them in my blog.  I truly believe in and use the system, so I recommend it to those who can benefit from it.***

On that note, I'm off to finish a few tasks before turning in for the night...

I do hope everyone has had a safe and happy holiday...

Saying Goodbye to 2016

Saying Goodbye to 2016

Well this is it... The final day of 2016.  A look back and a look forward for success.

Sitting here writing this causes me to reflect on the past year but also look towards the new one.  I believe we shouldn't dwell on the past but learn from it.  At times I find myself falling back into the same old habits that drug me down into financial despair.  This is why continually reading books relating to personal finances is so important.  Even if you only take 5 minutes a day to read a couple of pages.  You'll find yourself advancing towards your ultimate goals.  Remember that when you reach a goal, reward yourself and set a new goal.  We can only move forward if we always have a goal in front of us.  This takes time, patience and practice but is very achievable.

The past couple weeks I have been home with my family to celebrate the holidays.  Come Tuesday, January 3rd, I'll be off and running again.  Although I still work to make ends meet, I have set new goals to replace the old and am on a direct path to reach them.  This brings me to one of my greatest downfalls, procrastination.  Procrastination has plagued me my whole life.  I will sit there thinking of all the things that need to be done and put it off until the last minute.  Sometimes I perform better when pressured into doing something, having no choice but to tackle it.  Other times I need to self-motivate.  I'm sure many of you have the same problem as I do.  We look for the easiest path and when we can't find one we step aside and hope for the best.  I know it can be hard at times to find motivation.  Believe me, I know how hard it can be but people who "Just Focus and Do It" achieve so much more.  Now for my disclaimer... "Just Focus and Do It" is derived from my training at Rapport Leadership International.  If you ever get invited, and you can only attend if invited, do not hesitate to go.  I had sent my oldest child and intend on sending my other two as time allows.  It is a very mind opening experience that gets you to dig deep into yourself and find the leader qualities we all have.  What you take away from it is up to you.  Some have gone and really find nothing.  They are happy with how they live and the situations they are in.  Others have revelations of great proportions that forever change their lives such as I did.  When things get tough, I look back on what that has taught me as well as the books I've read.  Much like this blog, I had put it off for so long.  I have come to realize that this is truly a great way for me to journal my progress and help others discover their own "Success from within".

As far as today goes, we finish some holiday cookies, cheese balls and Chex Mix.  I'll make some bacon wrapped smokies later.  I'll cut up some summer sausage, cheese and veggies.  It'll only be my wife and myself but we will toast in the New Year as we do every year.  Since moving to the Mid-West, I don't watch to ball come down but I'll still toast to everyones health and good fortune for the coming year.  I've already prepared for tomorrows dinner from Honeybaked Ham.  We'll be having Prime Rib as our first family meal of the New Year.  A prosperous year helped make that a reality.  I've prepared for my trip to Kansas on the 3rd so I don't have to worry about that.  Very little left to do except so sprucing up around the house.

What does 2017 have in store for me.  Well in the next couple weeks I'll see an addition to the family.  Our first grandson will be brought into this world.  My oldest daughter will be coming back to Iowa for that event.  With all the traveling I do, I was able to book her first class on Delta for the week visit.  This too is a result of a prosperous 2016.  I do wish she would listen to us and move back here but she is old enough to make her own decisions and mistakes.  I will no undoubtedly be traveling when the baby arrives but I know he'll be surrounded by family and loved ones to welcome him into the world.  New goals for the year is to really make progress on the house and a new savings goal.  It is tough at times to say no to buying something when the money is there but really has another purpose.  I also have been looking at new ways of relaxing.  Ways to let me unwind with the week after week travels I've run into the last couple years.  The money is good but it shouldn't come at a cost of personal health.  With that I've been working on getting the funds together to follow some passions of mine.

Allowing yourself to pursue your passion can be a great personal healer.  Finding a way to monetize your passion also opens up a whole new world of opportunities.  It creates extra income or even a fall back if you lose your position in economic unrest.  Allows you to be creative in your own way.  Brings happiness and self piece because you are doing something you enjoy.  Personal satisfaction since you may even be sharing it with others who enjoy the same thing.

Well I'm going to get back to getting rid of some more office clutter, so I can start the New Year with a fresh outlook and a cleaner working environment...

Wishing everyone safe travels and Happy Holidays!!!

Welcome to a New Year!

Welcome 2015 and a prosperous New Year!

      Today is the start of the New Year and a prosperous you!  Do you believe that?  I do!  We all run into struggles as I have myself and which you can read in my past blogs.  I see people struggle everyday but I also see the people who continue on to enrich themselves and use their struggles to become stronger.  I like to learn from my mistakes and share them with others to prevent them from making the same mistakes.  I think back on the things that I use to enjoy and wonder why I don't do those things anymore.  I enjoyed model railroading but haven't in over 20 years.  I loved working on my '67 Chevelle but rarely touch it these days.  I like to work on the house and make changes that bring out my creativity.  Looking back, I've spent half my life working for someone else and just scraping by.  Some of the books that I've read have really made me think about my future, my direction.

     Today is the start of a new beginning, for you and me.  Some people have used dream boards or even post-it notes to have their dreams constantly in their view.  How about you?  I've been told that if you have these things around you, they will penetrate your subconscious mind and you will make unknown changes to achieve what you want.  If you place negative things around you, your life will always be negative.  I'm not the neatest person or the most organized but I know where everything is.  Every time I clean things up, everything ends up missing and my time becomes absorbed by attempting to locate these items.  Likewise, your vocabulary can effect your attitude.  If you constantly say "I'll try to do that", the word try is really meaningless.  You need to replace it with "I will do this", the word will is a powerful word to get what you want.

     Today is the start to your prosperity and happiness.  Make it a point to move forward.  Forget the past failures but learn from them.  Make a plan for the future and set goals for this year and the next 5 years.  I might not be taking the vacations that I did in years past but that hasn't stopped me from looking and discovering new places that I'd like to go with my family.  My work takes me all over the country as well as to other countries.  I would have never imagined that I'd be suited for such a life since I never preferred traveling before.  Now I don't think I'd be able to go back to the normal drive and work schedule.  No one knows what their work future really is, so it is best to always be prepared for change.  I'm making provisions for the eventual end of my present position but will have something in place that will allow me to continue traveling.  Having my own business has always been in my sights and now incorporating traveling with it would be a plus.  I know the many things I have learned can help others keep from falling into the traps of debt and dis-pare as had once been in.  Tell yourself, "I will be prosperous and happy in 2015!".

Cheers to you and prosperous, Happy New Year!

It's been a while... but I'm back and ready for an exciting New Year!

So here is the update that has been over two years in the making!

     When last I entered anything into this blog, I was making great strides to a better life, brighter future and more success.  I am happy to report that all of that and more have been coming to pass in my life.  I have saved more and gave more then I have my entire life.  I have truly been blessed these past couple of years and would like to share it with you.  I have been for the most part reading many financial books as I've been flying.  Needless to say when one spends about 16 hours a week traveling through various airports, it is best to have something that will help pass the time.  What is interesting about all the books that I have read over the past couple of years is that they basically all say the same thing.  Pay yourself first, this puts money away for that rainy day.  My thought follows what many claim, but I don't have any money left to save.  Every dime goes towards bills and food.  This is where I'd like to point out the "Pay YOURSELF first!"  Even if you only put $5.00 into a separate account each pay, it's at least something and believe me, you won't even miss it.  I have an account through the former ING Direct, now Capitol One 360, and have X amount automatically withdrawn every pay period.  I started out small and slowly raised the amount as I felt comfortable and as my bills were paid off.  Yes, paid off!  You can also create as many accounts as you'd like and set up as many different automatic deposits as you see fit.  Each account then can be labeled for specific things such as, deductibles or Christmas fund.  Typically you should be socking away 10% of your income.  Next all the books pointed to giving of tithing.  This too should be at least 10% of your income.  Now I had barely given anything to anyone for all my life but since the gift that our local church had given us in our time of need, that was about to change.  I made it a point to give something, every week or at least every pay period.  Again I started small and worked my way up.  Given that most people will look at their account balance and go from there, I never really missed the money that I saved or gave.  I have been doing this ever since and this has actually help in some unforeseen situations.

     Now you don't have to take my word for it but after reading about 10 different books on finance and getting out of debt that all mentioned the same thing, I had to believe there was something to it.  Over the past couple of years, I have proved what the books had mentioned.  I only have two payments that are loans, all else are regular monthly bills such as telephone, satellite, electric and gas.  Of course we still have groceries and auto to contend with.  The economy picked up which led to more traveling and longer hours which also contributed to socking away a few more bucks.  My company began giving out bonuses again which also helped.  On the downside of things my children are slowly growing up and moving on.  My oldest has lived just over 1000 miles away but luckily I get to see her once or twice a year.  My next graduated in 2013 so I've slowly lost some of my original tax advantages.  With that being said I've recently started an IRA separate from my 401K plan to leverage some more tax relief from my growing income.

      I'm sure I could go on and on but seeing how this is the last day of 2014 with mere hours left before the New Year, I'd like to leave everyone with this:

I wish everyone a Blessed and Prosperous Holiday and New Year!