25 Apr Bringing Your Future Into Your Present: Finding the Right Balance (Part 3)
My Actions Reflect What I Believe
A friend of mine regularly asks me, “How are you doing?” My regular response is, “I’m just plugging along and keeping my head in the right place.” This morning when I asked him how he was doing, he gave me my response. I’ve learned that my actions reflect what I believe. How about you?
Do Comfort Foods Really Enrich Our Life?
I’m coaching an individual on a limited income who has multiple sclerosis, chromes disease and diabetes. Consequently, lifestyle choices are critically important. She and the family enjoy drinking soda. When I suggested that they begin cutting back, I was told, “Life’s been hard and this is one of life’s pleasures that I enjoy.”
I understand how she feels. Life is full of challenges. We all need that little something to take our minds off our problems and challenge. We’re looking for that little break that will calm and energize us – maybe even lift our spirits. How do you achieve this? What’s your list of choices? Does your favorite purchase or activity energize, relax and make you happy?
Commercials attempt to persuade us that their product will energize, calm and make us happy. We’re not asked to visualize where and what we’d like to be doing in five, ten and fifteen years. We’re not asked to consider how we’ll feel if we are unable to do what’s most important to us. We’re not encouraged to ask if we’ll feel disappointed or trapped if don’t feel any more secure in five or ten years than we are today.
Budgeting Can Create Excitement!
Taking an action today, tackling a problem and taking a step toward achieving what’s most important to you feels great. However, taking an action why robs us of the joy of satisfaction. Where we spend our money contributes to successfully achieving our future.
In short, looking back is only helpful when we use it to identify the positive steps we’ll take to create and make a dream come true.
Having a clear dream means we won’t be misers. Hoarding money just to build a cash balance may make us secure; however, a large savings account balance doesn’t enrich life. ‘The Ten Worst Scrooges’ published by Listverse.com and ‘Get Rich Slowly’s article, ‘The Rich Man’s Peril: Why You Should Save for Tomorrow and Enjoy Today’, provide wonderful examples of spending habits I wouldn’t want to emulate. How about you?
Here’s a thought for you to consider. Budgeting is about planning your happiness. It’s about not leaving it up to chance. Budgeting is about knowing that every dollar is about bringing satisfaction. Budgeting is mindfully striking a balance.
Budgeting is about Dreaming
I don’t want to leave my life to chance. How about you? Take your first step by writing your dreams. You’ll then be motivated to know how you are spending your hard earned dollars. Knowing where you going will enable you to bring your future into your present. Unless you are one of the few people who have more money than you know how to spend, clarity is a great way to positively manage spontaneous spending. What do you think? Feel free to download my free template ‘These are My Dreams’.
Thanks for joining me. I’d love to hear from you. To learn more about how to keep your dollars working for you 24/7, let’s chat. The concepts are easy but they’re a bit counterintuitive. Take advantage of our articles, interactive materials, videos and, e-books. Please send your questions, topics or suggestions to dennis@cashmapconsulting.com. You can also follow me on twitter at cash_map.
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