Persistence is one of many keys to success

Greetings and Salutations--
  Good evening to you. Hope this Monday finds you well. I have been thinking a lot about persistence and how much it takes to have the kind of life that I think most of us want to have but for one reason or another don't. This is a basic factor that keeps me doggedly at my quest to shape my life into what I see in my minds eye. Persistence is one of the foundations to achievement. This is a basic truth in any subject of your life; financial, personal, and professional.
  Lets talk about financial--as you are trying to reshape your spending habits and save-concentrate on your successes not your shortcomings ...see every opportunity to make better choices with your money as just that--endless chances to get it right. A poor choice today should not automatically mean to give up or in and continue to make more poor choices. The best way to stop digging a hole is to put down the flipping shovel...basic right? yet most all of us just keep digging the proverbial hole and then say "how the hell did I get here?" When the next spending opportunity occurs, think before you decide, if you don't get it right this time--aim for getting it right next time.
   I think often we all suffer from the "all or nothing" disease. It has plagued me my entire life. It is as if I haven't seen any real value in stopping something that isn't working for me even though I know I need to stop but why? Is it human nature? I think mostly yes. I think we have a real need to be able to predict our environment so much so that despite what we intellectually know to be counterproductive--we persist with that behavior because we are familiar with the outcome. Fear of that unknown is the foundation as to why it is so difficult to learn new behaviors and ideas. Most of what we do in life is done while our brains are "asleep at the wheel". How we spend, what we spend it on, the amount we spend and we do it over and over again. This is why I am a firm believer that as you start to master your finances your mind will be ripe for opening the door to the rest of your life before you even realize it. Its intuitive to want more. More out of life. Take responsibility for who and what are you.
  Personal- take an inventory of your life. Are you doing what you want? Are you living to your fullest potential? Are you fulfilling your destiny as you know you can and want to? Are you sharing your life with the person that brings out the best in you more often than the worst? most importantly and the one that will kick you in the kisser every time--WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT? what are your action steps to give yourself the life you want? It isn't going happen by spontaneous combustion. This is where it can get really sticky. This is where the real hard work is waiting for you. Should there be things in your life that you don't like or want- change it. It shouldn't be over night.It is going to take lots of real truths about yourself. Its hard and its raw. But most importantly its REAL.
  When you go at life with the passion to be the best person you were put on this planet to be you begin to see the world in a different light. Which brings persistence back to mind. No matter how small the change- decide what about you that you want to change and DO NOT stop until you achieve your goal. "failures" are what let you know that you are getting closer to success because you are trying. Learn what doesn't work and you will be all the smarter with the next attempt.
  I would like to share one of my recent "ah-ha" moments. (other than the great song "take on me"..lol) So I have been fairly new at this "Monday through Friday" grind. My entire professional career I have worked on/off with no rhythm. Finally after trying and trying I have figured this out about my Mondays- No running, no getting up early and no structure. No real plans except to come home and blog. That is it. It is now my official "get started gently" day and I am stoked about that. Instead of setting myself up for failure with unrealistic expectations, I've instead given myself permission to "ease" into the work week and you know what? It has been the best start to a great work week in quite some time-- I think I am on to something. Wishing you the best in your week

Tootles,
Heather :)