“A Fresh Start”

“Focused Financial Fitness” begins with a fresh start which generally means that you get a do over, to try again or a second chance.  We are at the top of a New Year with new opportunities to take advantage of, in different respects.  Whether you live across the borders or in the U.S., anyone can take advantage of starting fresh in 2016.  There are some things that should be taken into consideration that will enable you to properly manage your finances this month and in the months and years to come.   Remember, wherever you are, stay focused!

Everyone that I have met during my travels, desire to accomplish similar things in life whether in Mexico, the U.S., Bahamas or Jamaica; they want to live a better life, worry free and debt free.  Many of you might have spent more money than you had anticipated over the Christmas holidays and now the dreaded bills are starting to roll in.  Now is not the time to panic or become frustrated; instead turn that toxic energy into positive energy towards focusing on the best, fresh start, ever.

These are four tips that you can use to put things into perspective:

• Change your mindset – Resetting and adjusting your mindset is good but the key to a successful focused and fit year involves changing your mindset. Clear your mind of past disappointments and failures and focus on the great possibilities that are awaiting ahead.  Staying focused on the past will create a high level of stagnation.  Envisioning a productive future coupled with doing the work will yield a high level of success on your financial journey.

• Set your priorities – Determine what is most important to you as it relates to your finances. Identify what your needs and wants are, then decide how they will play a role with meeting your goals.  Will your wants take priority above your needs this year?  Find a balanced mode of operation.  Depriving yourself of having some of the things you want can derail your plans; in contrast, over indulging in wants could yield the similar results.  Therefore, take setting your priorities seriously.

• Work hard to meet your goals – Anything worth dreaming about, planning and ultimately accomplishing takes hard work. When you think about being debt free, saving for vacation, college fund retirement or just to manage well enough to have food on the table, clothes for your children, it requires intentional focused activity.  It doesn’t matter what country you live in, socioeconomic status, rich, poor, young or old; setting goals and attaining them requires work.  The decision to make your goals lofty or conservative is your decision; just make sure that your goals are realistic.  Unrealistic goals will hinder your motivation to move forward.

• Consider a second stream of income – If you need to start looking at another stream of income (business start-up or a second job). Now is a great time to indulge.  Many times an increase in income could be a remedy to a situation along with exchanging bad behaviors with good ones where mismanagement of being overextended are concerned.  Cutting back alone is not the only answer to “Focused Financial Fitness”.

These four simple steps are essential and will help lay the foundation for the next steps to take on your debt free journey.  Over the next 21 days we will be discussing how to do it, but first things first; change your mindset, set your priorities, work hard to meet your goals and consider a second stream of income.

Your comments are welcome and are a great encouragement to others.  Please feel free to leave a comment today.  E-mail me christineroebuck@livemylifedebtfree.com | Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.