Change Isn't Easy

Have you ever wanted to ring someone’s neck because you were relying on them to do something for you and at the last minute everything fell apart?  One of my daughters has had an ongoing issue with someone in her life that does that to her regularly.  The person would offer to babysit her three daughters and then change the length of time she was available, or want to do it at her house instead of my daughter’s house, or just plain back out at the last minute, which of course would upset my daughter and son-in-law’s plans for an escape from the kids.  This hasn’t happened once or twice but many times over the last few years.  I would get calls from my daughter expressing frustration and disappointment over the situation.

I finally gave her some advice that I want to share with all of you: 

Stop expecting people to change!  People are who they are and while you may think they will eventually ‘see’ the light and do the right thing, if they have proven multiple times that isn’t the case, it may NEVER be the case!  I believe it was Albert Einstein that said the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.  Isn’t this the same thing?

We are all individuals, capable of making up our own minds.  The vast majority of us know right from wrong, but don’t always make the best decisions.  When someone proves them self to be unreliable, stop expecting a lightbulb to turn on for them, suddenly making them realize what they are doing is wrong in your world.  With their upbringing, life experience, and habits being different than yours, you shouldn’t expect them to react like you would.

Stop relying on the unreliable and move on to someone who has proven you can count on them.  In the end it will get rid of some stress in your life, help you keep your sanity, and maybe allow you to appreciate that person for who they are rather than who you wish they were. 

Remember, don’t expect people to change…because often times, change isn’t easy.

Living a Good Life

You have probably heard people say they want to “live the good life”.  What do you think about when you hear that phrase – independently wealthy, traveling the world, or maybe living in a mansion on a beach somewhere?  Let me tell you about the difference between “living the good life” and “living a good life”.

I have a friend who lost her husband a little while back and has since re-married a wonderful man who makes her very happy.  My friend was able to quit her job but found herself needing to do something to fill her time.   

She is a real social butterfly and absolutely loves to visit with anyone and everyone.  She has also always been a very kind and generous person.  She and her husband had started by visiting with folks in her community that were home bound.  These are people that for one reason or another are not able to get out much and don’t have many opportunities for human interaction.  Then she transitioned to bringing them pie and for some she will even cook a meal.  The tears of gratitude from some of these folks would warm anyone’s heart.  All because someone needed to be “busy” and loved helping others.

Take time out of your busy life to help someone in need from time to time.  It will touch them in ways you may only imagine, and it will warm your soul and make you a happier person.  Learn to life a good life, like my friend.

Fire flies in Wisconsin

Sometimes favorite memories can bring down our blood pressure and help us relax.  Check out this short video and have a fabulous day!

I would like to take a couple minutes to talk about the future.  I’m not talking about having a crystal ball and seeing what’s in store for you personally; I’m talking about everyone’s financial future.  As a Financial Adviser, I’ve had so many people come in saying they probably don’t qualify to work with me because they don’t really have much to invest.  Well guess what?  ANYONE willing to put a little money aside each month for the future is someone I would like to talk with.  People think they must have thousands of dollars to start investing but that is not the case. 

Start by putting $5 or $10 per week into a bank savings account.  If you can afford to save more, do it!  Be diligent about it.  Shop around for the best interest rates.  You would be surprised at the difference in rates.  Don’t just check the banks, check the credit unions as well. 

You could be saving for new furniture, a house, a new car, your kids’ future education, your future retirement or a myriad of other things.  What you are saving for doesn’t matter.  It just matters that you start.  If your employer offers a program that allows you to take the money right from your paycheck and deposit it to a savings account, do it!  The sooner you start, the more likely you are to have a nice little nest egg built up when you really need it.

Stop thinking about it and just start doing it…today.

Hi Everybody!

 I just wanted to share a quick message I recorded on a recent trip.  Take care and have a wonderful day!

Welcome to My Life

Yahoo! By putting this blog post together I am recognizing a couple of different goals in my life.  One was a goal suggested to me by a good friend who is also my business coach.  She thought I was very creative at giving people easy to understand messages about financial topics.  She suggested I try starting a blog.  Oh, by the way, I am a Financial Adviser which is where the financial topics comment originates. 

A blog strictly on financial topics sounded a little mundane to me, so while some posts may point out some financial things to consider, that is not my purpose in creating this blog.

The other goal is to communicate my thoughts and ideas to more than just me, myself and I.  Sometimes these internal discussions revolve around everyday happenings that just point out how we are all human and all have many different viewpoints on how to live a good life.  My hope is to try to spread some positive, “silver lining” types of messages in our daily lives.

Blogging is something I've always thought would be fun to try, but never thought I had the talent to do successfully.  So, success be damned!  You never know if you can achieve success at something if you don't try, right?  

I am a 56-year-old wife, mother of two daughters and a son, and grandmother of 3 amazing little girls.  I am not afraid to share my age because it's part of who I am.  As my title says, I just want to talk about life – my life and the lives of those around me.  I hope some of you can relate to my comments from having had similar experiences.  

I try to be a good person, treat others as I would like to be treated, and maintain a positive attitude in life.  Laughter is incredibly important to me.  Life is what you make of it and you must always try to find the little things to laugh at to get those endorphins working for you in a positive manner!

Please tune in when you can.  I am very excited to share my life experiences with you.