YOUR LIFE A-Z:VACATION

A MENTAL VACATION IS ONLY A PICTURE AWAY

VACATION

Sometimes a vacation is the most uplifting thing you can do for yourself. However, it is important to be very wise about it or a VACATION can dump you into the bottom of the depression barrel more so than anything else. A VACATION is a change of pace, a change of scenery, and/or a change from the daily grind of monotony.  Thus, let’s explore wise VACATIONS.  First the budget… not can you afford a VACATION, but what type of VACATION, can you afford?   A VACATION is not an all or nothing venture.  Think of it as a “ both-and” adventure.  You will enjoy your VACATION to the max if you come home with no CC debt.  In order to do that you must learn to save and plan for a VACATION.  If you come back to a budget disaster you will most likely lose any benefit you gained from you VACATION.  Go ahead and dream about your ultimate VACATION and create a dream container for it by placing pictures, ideas, maps and create a $fund to go with it.  Add something each week or each pay -check to that account for this trip.  In the meantime actually do some break the monotony VACATIONS.   Choose something fun and relaxing (your kind of relaxing) and go for 3-5 days and fully enjoy yourself on the budget you can live with it.  A luxury hotel is nice but it is not really where you spend your time, unless you are on a spa vacation.  So play with the “both-and” VACATION and do something fun for yourself before summer is over!  Coaches orders. 

YOUR LIFE A-Z SIMPLIFY

KEEP IT SIMPLE

SIMPLIFY

SIMPLIFY! SIMPLIFY! SIMPLIFY.  It will be a lot easier to be Neat if you SIMPLIFY your life.  SIMPLIFY the thing in your life that is currently driving you crazy.  What is it?  We all have something that we keep grinding away at and never feel as if any progress is made.  Here is a short check-list to get you thinking:  budget, household chores; relationships (partner, child, family member, friend); spiritual life; hobby; cooking; and the list goes on and on.  Choose one thing to SIMPLIFY today.  For example, SIMPLIFY your schedule.  Take a look at what you try to cram into one day and organize it.  Prioritize what has to be done and then add what you would also like to get done today. Balance the list with some positive actions so that SIMPLIFY does not become a task–master.  Manage your time to make the things happen that must happen.  Where are you wasting time or adding just one more thing that is creating stress or chaos?  Eliminate it.  That unnecessary drive through Starbucks is going to cost you at least ten minutes if not longer depending on the line.  Skip it and stay focused so you free up some time rather than cram twelve hours of things to do into eight.  Slow down and take some things off of what you think of as “must–have, must-do” list.  That will SIMPLIFY your day.  Ask yourself how much of what is on this list do you dread.  Eliminate one of them and reframe the others into positives.  Doing this will help you enjoy the day more. 

YOUR LIFE A-Z BUDGET

IT IS NEEDED FOR A BUDGET

BUDGET

Tax season is finished and it is time to do next year differently.  If you got money or are going to get money back, don’t rush out to spend it.  Do something that is meaningful with the money.  BUDGET your finances, BUDGET your time, BUDGET your eating and BUDGET your break time.  Some of you get federally mandated breaks at work.  What are you doing with those twenty minutes?  Twenty Minute Coach says twenty minutes is a valuable measure of time that allows you to make significant changes and progress in your daily life.  What if you went for a twenty minute walk, meditated or read something inspirational during your federally mandated break time?  For others, breaks are important recovery times.  Mandate your own twenty- minute breaks throughout your day.  Pretend they are mandated so you do not have to feel guilty and do something to change out your day in those twenty-minute segments.  

Back to finances.  If you do not know how to BUDGET, Google helpful ways to BUDGET, maximize your financial situation, and follow a plan for thirty days.  Then tweak the BUDGET on day 31 and start over again.  On eating, if you want to change your eating habits and/or your weight, keep a food journal for one week. Calculate the calories and the types of food and Tweak it the second week and notice that small changes make you feel better.  BUDGET your time by Analyzing where you are spending it.  Speed up some tasks you dawdle at and carve out some time for something important, for instance Journaling.  Live life better with a BUDGET.

Your Life A-Z MONEY

MONEY

No better time than today to get your financial self in order for the New Year!  Do you have a budget?  If not, stop right now and make a quick list of your monthly expenses.  Include everything from mortgage to groceries and, yes, make sure you do not cheat.  Put those Starbuck coffees in your budget.  You will be shocked how much of your hard earned money goes into their pretty packaging. That is not a criticism!  I think we should treat ourselves, even daily, if we want good quality things that make us feel good and smile.  It is important though when it comes to money that we learn to honor it and trust it.  We need to know where our hard-earned money is going and only then can we make a choice about how we spend it.  Starbucks is a choice.  If you find yourself broke at the end of the month, then it is important to make different choices so that you feel good about how you are choosing to invest your money.  If you don't know where it is going, then you are operating from a place of deprivation and sabotaging your feel good feelings at the end of the month.  Don't be afraid of your money.  Develop a healthy relationship with it and make it work for you - not against you.