New Years resolutions, is it too late?

The New Year, and the new Mayan cycle are with us and have been for a while. Life goes on and many of us who have sat down and made New Years resolutions are now reconsidering them or have already decided to not follow through on them. However, I would encourage you to consider following some of the following tips to help you become more conscious this year so that you can have the life you want.

1.Take time to plan. Invest time in working out a long term and short term financial plan. The worst thing one can do is start trying to accumulate wealth without a real idea of what they are going to do tomorrow.

2. Pay yourself first. One simple word, save. Before you pay rent, bills and the like, pay yourself that is why you work. Take it out of the money been before it gets passed around. Warren Buffet said something like you should save first and then spend what is left over. 

3. Invest wisely. Research stocks and know the amount of money you are willing to lose. High return equals high risk. Stay diversified and you should not be disappointed.

4. Use cash. Using cash not only gives you bargaining power, but it also brings spending to a more tactile experience. It is much easier to impulse buy with a card, but counting out the cash is a bit harder to do.

5. Do not depend on a credit card. Credit cards are not bad in and of  themselves, but if you are relying on a credit card to pay your rent or bills, then you have a serious problem. Get on your feet first.

6. Pay off debt. Get the monkey off of your back and pay off those outstanding credit card bills or your student loans. Your personal net worth will never increase until debt is g-o-n-e.

7. Pay cash for big ticket items. This makes you save and think about whether or not you really need that 80 inch plasma TV. It also gives you bargaining power at the check out stand. Try it, it works.

8. Shop around. Prices on big ticket items and even cars and comparable houses vary from street to street. Know what is the going rate in a given area for a given item.

9. Give to charities. Read any book about people who were able to amass a ton of wealth and they will say that they gave to charities on a consistent basis. Karma, anyone?

10. Budget. Take control of your money, do not let it control you. Budgeting allows you to tell your money where to go and what to do. It is the single most helpful practice to get into on one’s way to becoming wealthy

Today is compliment day in the US

Today is Compliment Day, created in 1998 by Kathy Chamberlin, of Hopkinton, NH. and Debby Hoffman, of Concord, NH in the United States. World Compliment day on Twitter is March 1, but there is nothing wrong with holding two holidays for this day.  Today is a great opportunity to say something positive about the people you come into contact with. Everyone has good attributes. ...that's right....... everyone.

Take the time today to  find compliments for family and loved ones, even for your Mother-in-Law. (Tip: She's probably a good cook.)

Friends are friends because you see something good about them. Here's an easy compliment to a friend: "Wow, you're very intelligent...you choose your friends wisely". (No sarcasm, intended ;-)

It's more challenging to compliment your boss, or people you don't like. Take up the challenge, and find a compliment for them today, too.

Remember the old saying: "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything". After a long search for something good, if you just can't find a compliment for them, then silence is golden.

Compliment Day is celebrated by offering sincere compliments to people you know. It is important that you are sincere. People will see right through insincerity, and you will do more harm than good.

How many compliments should you give out today? The common suggestion is five compliments. Yes, they should be to five different people.

Enjoy the day and enjoy the feeling that giving compliments brings to you

Is there a problem Officer?

Woman: Is there a problem, Officer? 
Officer: Ma'am, you were speeding. 
Woman: Oh, I see. 
Officer: Can I see your license please? 
Woman: I'd give it to you but I don't have one. 
Officer: Don't have one? 
Woman: Lost it 4 times for drunk driving. 
Officer: I see...Can I see your vehicle registration papers please. 
Woman: I can't do that. 
Officer: Why not? Woman: I stole this car. 
Officer: Stole it? 
Woman: Yes, and I killed and hacked up the owner. 
Officer: You what? Woman: His body parts are in plastic bags in the trunk if you want to see. 
The Officer looks at the woman, slowly backs away to his car, and calls for back up. Within minutes 5 police cars circle the car. A senior officer slowly approaches the car, clasping his half drawn gun. 
Officer 2: Ma'am, could you step out of your vehicle please! 
The woman steps out of her vehicle. 
Woman: Is there a problem sir? 
Officer 2: One of my officers told me that you have stolen this car and murdered the owner. 
Woman: Murdered the owner? 
Officer 2: Yes, could you please open the trunk of your car, please. The woman opens the trunk, revealing nothing but an empty trunk. 
Officer 2: Is this your car, ma'am? 
Woman: Yes, here are the registration papers. 
The first officer is stunned. 
Officer 2: One of my officers claims that you do not have a driving license. 
The woman digs into her handbag and pulls out a clutch purse and hands it to the officer. 
The officer snaps open the clutch purse and examines the license. He looks quite puzzled. 
Officer 2: Thank you ma'am, one of my officers told me you didn't have a license, that you stole this car, and that you murdered and hacked up the owner. 
Woman: Betcha the lying bastard told you I was speeding too.

10 Secrets to Happiness

This is an interesting article by Yee Shun-Jian , and I thought I would share:

1) Be happy where you are now

Right now! Be thankful for what you have, instead of moaning about what you lack. Be satisfied with what you have when you are in pursuit of what you want.

2) Happiness, more than anything, is a choice we make every day

Happiness is a conscious decision. You choose to be happy today or you choose to be miserable. Your action/reaction is determined by how you choose to perceive a situation. Andrew gave an amusing illustration of a couple surrounded by a pack of crocodiles. The man thought “OMG Crocodiles!” while his wife thought “OMG Handbags!”

3) Happiness is understanding the things we can’t change yet and working on those we can

Some things are hard to change overnight. It’s unusual to change from a pauper into a millionaire in a day. Happiness is knowing that some things take more time. We can start by working on what we can change immediately.

4) Put a smile on your face. It changes how you think.

I was teaching a friend to ice-skate last Friday evening and there was this beautiful girl I met while getting a drink. She smiled as we both walked towards the vending machine. I smiled back and allowed her to buy her drink first.

While on the ice-skating rink, we passed each other a couple of times. I was trying to keep my friend on his feet while she was falling happily on the ice with hers. Our eyes met again. She smiled and I smiled back.

Then as she was making her way out of the rink, I smiled and waved goodbye. She smiled back. I could hear her friends asking “Is that your friend?” I didn’t catch her reply but I remembered her turning towards me with another smile. I returned the smile with a wave to her bewildered friends.

We didn’t exchange a single word. We didn’t need to. The smiles were enough to brighten up both our days.

5) Whatever you get, accept it and deal with it

All too often, when something bad happens, we are too quick to point fingers and start placing blame on everyone else. Happiness is about accepting responsibility and dealing with what comes your way. Blaming the whole world is not going to solve anything.

6) Problems = Catalyst to take Action

Andrew advises to see problems as a catalyst for us to take action. Problems are good teachers, so learn to love them. Next time, when you face a problem at work/in business, remember to run up to your boss/partner and say, “We have a huge opportunity!”

7) Learn from the elephants!

How do you eat an elephant?
Answer: One bite at a time.
What did the elephant say to the naked man?
Answer: How do you breathe through that thing?

8 ) Put everything you have into whatever you are doing now

Do your best (100%) and life will support you!

9) It’s not what you get. It’s what you become that matters

Know what to expect – Expect a better you.

10) No one else is going to make you happier. Work on yourself.

A lot of people get things mixed up. A wife thinks about all the bad things her husband does while a widow remembers all the good stuff. That is the ultimate recipe for misery! Isn’t it better to switch the lists around?

Work on your mindset. See things from a positive light.

Conclusion

Happiness is in the way you think. No one can make you happy except yourself. To conclude this article on happiness, I would like to share with you a video of an extraordinary dog (Faith, the two legged dog). I hope Faith will teach you something about happiness that goes beyond words.