Money Tip #2: Stop Spending Money

Ok, I don't mean stop spending money period - but there alot of unnecessary things that we spend our money on. Of course, this is easier said than done, but here are some ways to cut your spending:

1) Stop eating out. This is where most people waste the most money. Instead, go to the grocery store and start cooking for a change. It's healthier and easier on the wallet. Don't have the time? There are dozens of meals that you can make for under 30 minutes.

2) Cut down on the DVD and CD buying. I know we all have our collections, but if you really want to get out of debt, you need to make some sacrifices. DVD's and CD's will always be there. Watch TV or listen to the radio. Better yet, check out a book at the library and start educating yourself on how to save money :)

3) Buy clothes you NEED. Notice that I said NEED and not WANT. There's a big difference. Next time you go shopping, ask yourself if you really need it. However, it would be better if you didn't even go shopping at all. I did it for almost a year when I was on a tight budget, so it can be done. It just takes alot of will power!

Money Tip #1: Stop Worrying About Money

If you want to be financially free, you need to stop worrying about money. I know, I know - it's easier said than done. I've been there - done that. There was a time that I worried about money every second of every day.

But where does worrying get you? Nowhere. All worrying does is give you wrinkles and grey hair. Worrying puts out negative energy and shows your lack of trust in Source.

It's time to change your thinking from negative to positive. This is what I say to myself when I start to feel anxious about money,

"All my needs are met. God provides for me every second of every day."

I would say that over and over in my head until I began to feel relaxed. Always keep in mind that God will always provide for you. Stop worrying and take action. Think of ways that you can start generating more income for yourself. Turn that negative into positive. Do it now.

Get tips on how to attract money at my Squidoo lens!

Related Posts:

• Attracting More Money Into Your Life
• How to Stop Worrying About Money
  
  
  

Oprah's Debt Diet Challenge

"Your gut is your inner compass."
—Oprah

This week's focus is money and abundance!

On Friday's Oprah, families talked about their struggles with debt. My mouth dropped when I heard about the lady with the 66 page credit report!

If you think that you can't get out of the debt hole you've dug for yourself, I'm telling you right now that it's possible. Oprah announced her Debt Diet challenge which you can join by clicking here.

I went on a money diet last year and it really helped me gain control of myself and my finances. I'll share my secrets this week...

Update 4/7/06: Read Oprah's Debt Diet Part 5 & Creating Wealth

Clouds Over San Diego

Thank God, the weather has been beautiful here in San Diego. Yesterday I took a few pictures of the clouds coming over San Diego. It was a beautiful sight :)

I will be starting a new photography series soon.... Be on the lookout for it on my website: http://www.salondemaria.info

I Am

by Rick Meredith

The words “I am” are very powerful and creative words. It is how we use these words in our thoughts and our speech that is the creative element in shaping our lives. What I know is that our thoughts are the source of what we create, and the real question that needs to be asked of ourselves is: “What have I created and what thoughts are responsible for what I have created?”

The first step in creating the life of our heart’s desire is developing this awareness of the quality of our thoughts. What is it I believe about myself, the people around me and the world? What negative thought patterns do I habitually have in my mind? Do I blame others for my current life, or do I take responsibility for the life I have created? Do I think positive thoughts about my life? Am I grateful or do I feel lacking? The answers to these questions will lead to an awareness of our lives and current circumstances and how they were created. We will discover that if our life is peaceful, well balanced, healthy and fulfilled, the quality of our thoughts are likely to be very positive. If, on the other hand, we are seeing a lack in the things we desire, be it peace, financial abundance, love, etc., it can be assumed that our thoughts are in need of correction. Does our internal dialogue say “I have a great life, I have enough. Life is good, life is easy”? Or does it say, “I am so broke, I am so stressed out, and I am so lonely”? This is the basis of our experience and it will be simple to create the life we truly desire if we improve the quality of our thoughts. We can change things today if we choose.

Speaking as both a coach and client, I have learned the power of the words“I am.” They truly do create your entire life experience, and by focusing your attention around how you use them, you can train your mind to be working for you for your greater good. The Buddhists call this mindfulness. Quantum Physics says what you focus on expands. In other words, you create what you think about.

A simple exercise to begin the process of conscious creation would be to find a quiet space. Put on some soothing music or light a candle, whatever gives your body and mind the signal it’s time to relax. Perhaps a hot bath is what works for you. Whatever the method, get yourself quiet and comfortable. In a relaxed position, do some deep breathing from the diaphragm. After 3-4 minutes of deep breathing, focus your attention on each part of your body, starting at your toes. With each inhalation, focus on the body part and as you exhale, visualize the release of all tension from this part of your body. Do this with your whole body, working your way up until you reach the crown of your head. Now, from this place of deep relaxation, say the following while focusing on your heart:

I am creating my life. I am a powerful, loving creator. I am creating thoughts of love and peace towards myself and others. I am grateful for all of the abundance in my life. I am spiritually, emotionally, physically abundant. I am attracting all that I desire into my life. I am a living example of how to be as I was created to be. After doing this, you can add your own I am’s at the end to focus on a particular area of interest, such as career, finances etc. Try this each day for 30 days and I am sure you will notice tremendous change. They say you cannot change the world around you, but you can certainly change how you see what is around you.

Copyright 2006 Indigo Coaching
Rick Meredith is a leadership coach specializing in helping individuals be leaders in their lives. Professionally trained at the Coaches Training Institute as a life coach, Rick can be reached at info@indigocoaching.ca or web, http://www.indigocoaching.ca.

Choices in Life

One of my favorite blogs to read is Awareness and Consciousness because of all the wisdom that is shared there....

In a previous post, I talked about how we can either choose to be happy or depressed in life. Kavit Haria, writer for Awareness and Consciousness, also talks about the "choices" in life in relation to the recent release of a death row inmate, Juan Roberto Melendez-Colon:

"The biggest message I was able to take away from his talk is “choices.” Juan put a lot of emphasis on understanding that each and everyone has a choice. He said he made the choice to forgive those who got him in their for nearly 18 years because it was his choice. If he chose to continue being angry, it would only hurt him inside and so his choice was to forgive. He spoke about times on Florida’s death row where he nearly gave up, thought of suicide and just didn’t see the point. But what came to his rescue were letters from his friends and family - especially his “mama” who wrote to believe in himself and in God and that it would be okay. Well, as he has shown, he made the choice to follow his “mama’s” words and so he was freed!"

What choices have you made in your life?

Love and Compassion

One thing I always aim to do is to have compassion for my fellow human. Even if I perceive them to be the "enemy", I try to see past the surface and search for their true essence which may be buried deep within.

As I get closer to finishing The Power of Now, I'm learning more about compassion. To quote from the book,

"...the dual nature of true compassion, which is awareness of a common bond of shared mortality and immortality. At this deep level, compassion becomes healing in the widest sense. In that state, your healing influence is primarily based not on doing but on being. Everybody you come in contact with will be touched by your presence and affected by the peace you emanate, whether they are conscious of it or not. When you are fully present and people around you manifest unconscious behavior, you won't feel the need to react to it, so you don't give it any reality. Your peace is so vast and deep that anything that is not peace disappears into it as if it had never existed. This breaks the karmic cycle of action and reaction. Animals, trees, flowers will feel your peace and respond to it. You teach through being, through demonstrating the peace of God. You become the 'light of the world,' an emanation of pure consciousness, and so you eliminate suffering on the level of cause. You eliminate unconsciousness from the world."

In the spirit of love I felt that this passage was so powerful - I just had to share it....

I began to understand the meaning of compassion when I studied psychology in college. I realized that each of us is a product of our environment and most of us grow up doing what we witnessed as children. So when someone acts negatively towards me, I just look at it as just a lack of knowledge or truth. This has helped me be more forgiving and accepting of what is.

Prosperity and Abundance Quotes

I came across some great prosperity and abundance quotes from Soulfuture.com :

--Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into. -Wayne Dyer-

--Prosperity is not just having things. It is the consciousness that attracts the things. Prosperity is a way of living and thinking, and not just having money or things. Poverty is a way of living and thinking, and not just a lack of money or things.-Eric Butterworth-

--Work for the fun of it, and the money will arrive some day.-Ronnie Milsap-

Do you have a quote you'd like to share?

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Highly Recommended Reading:

The One Minute Millionaire: The Enlightened Way to Wealth

Lessons from Desperate Housewives: Anything IS possible...

Tonight I watched "Desperate Housewives" and learned a few things. When the show first debuted, I didn't think anything of it because I thought that it was just going to be another soap opera with drama, killing, gossip, etc. Although the show does have those elements, it is quite funny and witty, and I have actually learned a few things from watching it.

In tonight's episode Eva Longoria's character is talking to an Asian woman who is about to go back to her country. She tells her, "That's why I love America - anything is possible..."

Yes, America is a very wealthy country and so many people have made fortunes here. However, anything is possible anywhere.

It all begins in the mind...You will find freedom, true happiness, and achieve anything if you just set your mind to it. I think we should take the word "impossible" out of the dictionary, don't you?

The Good Life Is....

When you think about living a "good life", what comes to mind? Living in your dream home with a overflowing bank account? Meeting and falling in love with your soul mate? Or is it traveling the world and helping the less fortunate?

Everyone has their own idea and opinion as to what constitutes a good life. One thing I think we can all agree on is that living a good life is living a happy and fulfilling life.

Becoming a happy person begins within. You don't depend on external circumstances to determine your happiness. Most people look to the future and figure they'll be happy when they win the lottery, find that special someone, or have that dream home. Being happy is a state of mind and a choice. Happiness can happen now - at this minute if you'd like. It is all in how you perceive the circumstances in your life. You can choose to happy and look at the bright side of everything, or you can choose to be depressed and negative.

What is my idea of the good life?

The good life for me includes being grateful for all that is given to me. The Universe accepts your thanks and continues to give you more. Sharing in the gifts that you are given opens up opportunities for more good to come.

Moreover, the good life for me also means doing work that you absolutely love. We're all born with a purpose in life - something that we are meant to do. When you've discovered that one thing (or maybe a few things) that puts you in a state of bliss, you know that you're living the good life.

Stick to what you love and everything else will fall into place.

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Related Posts:

7 Keys to a Happy Life

Happy - 5 Easy Tips
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Who Else Is Talking About a Happy Life

• Darius


• Jennifer

Technorati tag: good life

Walk Your Own Walk

You have to walk your own walk in this life. And as you are traveling down your road, don't look down at your feet. Keep your head up and your eyes focused on what you know to be true. Be neither a follower nor a leader. You are not forsaken; you are forgiven, and when shadows exist simply find higher ground to tread upon. If you come across an obstacle or an impasse, pay mind to it but don't focus on it for too long or your feet may sink into the quicksand that surrounds it. Find the courage to surmount it and continue on your journey.

Offer your hand to those you come across who are stuck in their own personal sand traps, but do not point them in the direction you feel they must go, that has to be their decision. Only imply to them that they are never alone, and they will eventually find their way. When you get to where you are going and you look back, it is your own footprints you are going to want to see, not someone else's. The importance of your trials and tribulations is a gift to be beholden, for that is how you will learn whom you truly are. --- Copyright © 2005 Diane Gresham

Source: MotivateUs.com

Working On Mind, Body, & Soul

Most of us have made resolutions for this year. I like to use the word "commitment". because it seems like a stronger word to me.

This year I'm making three commitments to myself:

• To improve and strengthen my mind
• To improve and strengthen my body
• To improve and strengthen my soul

Each month I will focus on one thing. Everyday of last month I focused on my mind by reading self-improvement books and meditating. This month I'm focusing on getting back into shape by exercising three or more times a week and cutting down on coffee.

Next month I'll dig deep into my soul and rediscover myself. Then I'll repeat the process each month for the rest of 2006 so that I'll have established great habits and feel more balanced both inside and out.

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Read books on mind, body, and soul:

• 365 Ways to Energize Mind, Body & Soul


• 101 Ways to Happiness: Nourishing Body, Mind, and Soul

Law of Attraction

"There is nothing new under the sun but there are alot of old things we don't know."
-Ambrose Bierce

I was first introduced to the Law of Attraction by Marilyn Jenett, who I've mentioned in previous posts. I think of Marilyn as an angel who helped guide me to enlightenment. She was the person who helped me realize that I could have anything I wanted in life I could just focus on what I really wanted from life.

The Law of Attraction has been around for centuries, but has somehow been left out of our general education system. This Law of Attraction is related to quantum physics, in that energy frequencies are atrracted to each other. Whatever energy you put out into the world finds other like enrgy, and is reflected back to you. This attraction can be done consciously, but more often it is done subconsciously.

It was just over a year ago that I was not feeling very prosperous. I had a bad attitude towrad people with money, (perhaps it sprung from jealousy) and towards money in general. I was doing work I didn't like, and my relationships with friends and family were unfulfilling.

The will to change ignited the energy needed to attract all kinds of help and knowledge. I began to manifest good back into my life. I've read many self-improvement books such as The Power of Intention, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, and I Will - to name a few. The loving spirits of these authors exuded from the words I read and I was able to finally dig deep and find my true self.

I still have my challenges, but I know that's a given. I now look at these challenges as a way to improve myself.

In the meantime I'll keep focus on attracting my dream home in Rancho Santa Fe...

Recommended Reading: "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle

It was about July of last year that I was first introduced to this book, "The Power of Now" This book seemed to be calling me because it came up again in a conversation with someone at a bookstore not too long ago. I browsed through the book, but didn't purchase it for whatever reason.

Now I have the book and I have to say that it has really put life back in perspective. You know that old saying, "Live in the moment"? Now I truly know how to focus on what's going on in my life right now and to stop looking to the future for happiness as well as to stop dwelling on the past and the mistakes that were made.

This book gives you the tools and knowledge to create a happy life for you now - this instant. I'm learning that time is just an illusion and that all that matters in life is this very moment.

All we have is now. Start living and enjoying life today - not tomorrow!

Be Happy - 5 Easy Tips

by Andy Britnell

We all want to be happy, or maybe just a bit happier than we are already. We often tend to compare ourselves with others, whom we see as happier than we are. Instead why not focus on yourself and take a few actions every day to increase your level of happiness? Here are my first five tips to help you be happy.

1. Breathe: in the West we often breathe very shallowly. Just taking time to become aware of your breath will calm you. Then begin to count as you slowly inhale, then count to the same number again as you slowly exhale. As you repeat this process you will find yourself taking longer and deeper breaths, and becoming more relaxed.

2. Relax: life in modern society is frequently stressful, but the stress can be controlled if you find a method of relaxing which suits you. Activities such as yoga and Pilates concentrate the mind on what the body is doing and give you a break from endless thinking and worrying. Try a meditation tape or technique to quieten the mind and put things back into perspective. Attend a class and learn to relax alongside other like-minded people.

3. Visualise: imagine your favourite place, a place where you feel relaxed, at home and protected. This could be a beach, park, lake, mountain or building. Start to notice your senses - what do you see, what can you hear, what smells are present, is there a taste associated to where you are, what can you feel around you (warm sand, cool water, soft fabric)? Imagine your closest friend there with you, someone you feel totally comfortable with. Keep exploring and notice how you are feeling. You can do this for as long as you wish.

4. Exercise regularly: get out at lunchtime or when there is a natural break in your work and have a walk, go swimming or go to the gym. Try to be aware of what you are doing, how your body is moving and what is happening around you and you will let go of anxieties quicker.

5. Find a purpose for your life: do you have a purpose for your life other than earning money? You will be happier if you do. A Dutch study looked at the aspirations of two groups of students — those on a business course and those training to be teachers. The business students were more likely to be interested in making money, while the teachers were more concerned with helping their pupils. The study found that the teachers, although earning less, ended up much happier than the business students.

Give these tips a try and see how much they help. Then have a look at my article “Be Happy – 5 More Tips” for some more simple suggestions to increase your happiness.

Andy Britnell is an executive coach who works with businesspeople in both the private and public sectors who wish to achieve better results. More information can be seen at http://executive-coaching-for-business-growth.com/
Sign up for my FREE e-mail coaching and FREE monthly newsletter Grow and Learn at http://andybritnell.co.uk/