Fearless Fridays: Worry Less, Accept More, Part 1

“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” ~ Lao Tzu

I am writing this as I sit in Tampa International Airport, trying to catch a flight back home to New York. This is Day #2. Yes, you read right. I was here yesterday, which was my original return flight date. I ended up spending 10 hours at the airport. My flight was canceled due to mechanical problems and the flights after that were delayed hours due to weather in the Northeast. I went from being on a 10:15am flight to a 5:30pm flight, which got delayed to 8pm. After that, I decided to stay the night and try again tomorrow. So here I am.

Going through this experience really tested my patience. And it made me see that I am a patient person. I always thought I was impatient but now I see that really it was just me having moments of impatience.  Overall I am a patient person. I think that my patience comes from the positive mindset I always set out to have. It’s something I work on daily. Sometimes it is not easy but as I keep trying on a daily basis, it becomes easier because it becomes a habit. That’s what growth in life is all about.  

One of my recent life goals has been to worry less and accept more. That is my mantra, which I repeat to myself when I am in situations such as this one at the airport. I think that goes hand in hand with patience. When you worry less and accept more, you are building your patience. That’s growth in a nutshell. Just as we strive to build relationships with people, we have to build one with ourselves. One of the ways to build that relationship with yourself is to make better choices when handling tough situations.   

When we worry about something, it affects our mood and our mindset. And I kept telling myself as I watched people get angry and yell at the gate agents, “Why get angry? It will not change the fact that the flight is delayed.” It takes so much energy to be angry, frustrated, and worrisome. I made the choice to not get angry over something beyond my control. Instead, I was patient. I didn’t worry. I had to wait it out and see what happens. It’s all any of us can do, when you think of it. As my dad used to always say, “It is what it is.” My father was a big believer in accepting things and people as they are and not dwelling on the disappointments and setbacks. You learn the lesson and then keep moving. Moving forward…

Sometimes all it takes is taking a moment, being still and putting things in perspective. Once you do that, it is so much easier to accept the situation and not freak out. For me, it helps to breathe and do some sort of meditation. Some people laugh at me when I say that but real talk, it works. Our minds can become so cluttered with everything going on around us. Sometimes it pays to be still and just clear your mind so you can see things clearer.

Now when I say “meditation”, I don’t mean that I got on the floor right there in the middle of the airport, sat cross-legged and started humming. I just sat in a corner and focused on my breathing. I took deep breaths and relaxed myself. Then I thought about my situation and the options. I then said to myself, “It is what it is. I can wait or I can go and try again tomorrow.” I ended up waiting all day but then coming back the next day. 

My flight today was scheduled to depart at 10:15am but is now delayed until 10:40am. I’m calm, smiling and in good spirits. If I can’t get on a flight today, it’s okay. Everything happens for a reason. Who knew I could experience growth from sitting in an airport? I sure didn’t. I am pretty proud of myself.

Special note: My flight ended up departing at 10:45am and I am home! After an exhausting two days, I am happy to be home. But I don’t regret what happened because I passed another test on my patience with flying colors. Remember, you always have a choice, down to how you view a situation. You can look at it with a positive perspective or you can look at it negatively. The choice is yours and the right one will change your life for the better.

The keys to patience are acceptance and faith. Accept things as they are, and look realistically at the world around you. Have faith in yourself and in the direction you have chosen. ~ Ralph Marston 

Fearless Fridays: Taking Control of Your Story, Part 1

We’re almost at the end of the year, folks. 2012 was a very pivotal year for me personally and professionally. I have to be honest and say I am not sad to see this year end. However, no matter what happens, at the end of the day, we each have control over the story of our lives. 

If you are unhappy with the state of your life at the moment, the upside is that your life doesn’t have to stay that way. The next chapter of your life can be rewritten. As I have said before, we all have a choice. We can choose to be a hero or a victim. We can choose what we do next. We always have a choice. So do you choose to stand still in your own pity party and not grow? Or do you choose to make a change and take control of your story?

If you choose to take control of your story, all you have to do is rewrite it. And now is a great time. Not New Year’s Eve. Not January 1st. NOW. We are closing out a chapter with the year ending; today is the winter solstice and according to the Mayans, it is the ending of one time cycle and the beginning of a new one. It is a time for renewal and starting over. Some people actually view the next three days as a solstice sojourn and take this time to clean out their lives, open their heart and spirit to what’s coming in 2013. Empty and receive – those are the major words to describe this solstice period. It is a time to really listen to your inner voice and set goals for the next year.

If you want to make changes in your life for the better and rewrite the next chapter of your story, you have to be committed to making some changes in your life. It won’t be easy but I promise you, it will be worth it. Your happiness and well-being are invaluable so any tough steps to getting there and achieving the best life you can live is well worth it.

First and foremost, it is so important to surround yourself with positive people and things .  Throughout your life, you have to clean house. Some people are only meant to be in your life for a season. Sometimes we tend to try to hold on to these seasonal people and when they have outgrown their season, they become toxic to our lives. Just as you clean your home and get rid of things you no longer use, the same has to be done in your life. Your space should be something you hold invaluable and take great care as to who you choose to let in your space. 

When you surround yourself with positive people who mirror what you want to achieve in your life, you will see the difference in your way of thinking, your mood and your overall outlook on life. It’s also important to surround yourself with positive places. If you are somewhere that makes you unhappy, that will affect your life negatively. It’s hard to let go of some people and places but once you do, it will change your life for the better. Just listen to your intuition and pay attention to how they treat you. That will show you who are lifelong friends and who are seasonal. It’s like what Maya Angelou once said, “When someone first shows you who they are, believe them.” People won’t change and we cannot control their actions. But we can control who we let into our life and where we choose to be.

Next, make love a priority in your life - for yourself and others. If you don’t love yourself, you will not know how to love someone else and let them love you fully. As I always say, there is only one you in the world and that’s an amazing thing. You were put on this Earth as you for a reason. Everything starts with you. You have to believe in yourself and what you can do in your life. No one else can do that for you. Once you love yourself, you will be able to love freely and get that love back in your life. You will not stand for mistreatment or abuse because you love yourself enough to know your worth. Loving yourself is not easy for some. But is very necessary to live your life to its fullest.

Loving yourself is a daily project. It won’t happen overnight, especially if you have spent most of your life not being happy with yourself. Start off by focusing on the parts of you that you love, physically and non-physically. Start doing little things for yourself that you enjoy. Start speaking positively to yourself and others. Learn to enjoy being you. As in the start of every great love affair, you have to start somewhere and build from there. The love will grow, believe me. You just have to take that first step and accept you for who you are. Now if there is something about you that you don’t like, again, you have a choice. You can change IF you really want to. Instead of commiserating over it, do something about it. Accepting yourself as you are does not mean you have to stay the way you are. You have to be who you are happiest being. You have to be true to yourself. For example, do you want to lose weight and be healthier? All it takes is being active and eating better. Do you want to be a more giving person? Then volunteer or help someone. We each have the power within us to be the best person we can be if we choose to be. 

One of the most important things you can do in your life is take a chance. So many opportunities are thrown in our path but we miss them because we let fear stop us from taking a chance. If you take a chance on something or someone and it doesn't work out, then it wasn't in the cards. It was not meant to be. But at least, you know the outcome because you took the chance. There will be no “what ifs”. There is a reason for everything and a lesson to be learned from every experience. And while some experiences don’t work out in the end, during the experience, you may have the time of your life or may encounter something or someone that will lead to an even bigger and better opportunity. You are doing yourself and the world a disservice when you don't take a chance and put yourself out there. So just take a chance and let go. You never know what could happen.

Next week, I will continue to give tips on how to rewrite the next chapter of your life in part 2 of this blog. Let’s start 2013 with a renewed outlook on life and commitment to living the best lives we can.

I wish all of you and your families a wonderful holiday. Be thankful, be inspired and most of all, be YOU. xoxo  

Fearless Fridays: Facing Your Fears

"Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live." ~ Dorothy Thompson

My journey got a swift kick in the butt four years ago when I was laid off from my job and dumped by my boyfriend in the same week. To top it off, my now ex-boyfriend had actually left me for someone else. My world had been turned upside down all at once.  I worked at the same job for seven years so it was definitely a shocker to suddenly be let go. I came into work at 8:30am. By 11am, my boss called me and said her boss wanted to meet with me. By 12n, I was being escorted out of the building, unemployed and stunned. I had no idea my day would turn out that way.  I didn’t know it then but that was the Universe’s way of basically kicking me out of my comfort zone so I can proceed on my journey.

We all go through moments in our lives where we become comfortable and unintentionally end up “stuck” in our current state. However, life is not meant to be spent in one place. Our journey is all about progressing and moving along. Our personal evolutions cannot happen unless we continue to move along in life. The Universe/God will always nudge you along your journey and throw opportunities your way that are meant to help you get to where you’re supposed to be. But this is where our free will comes into play.  It’s like what my dad used to always say: “You can lead someone to the pool but it is up to them to decide if they want to jump in or not.”

Despite those great opportunities in our path, we ultimately choose which road to travel. These opportunities look very good to us and we may feel that twinge in our heart that tells us it is the right opportunity for us. But… something holds us back from seizing that opportunity. We choose to instead stay where we are, where we are comfortable. Almost always, the reason why we stay in our comfort zone is because of fear.

Fear is definitely a roadblock on anyone’s journey.  Don’t get me wrong; fear is normal to experience.  We all have our moments of fear at times in our lives. However, in order to be successful in life, we have to learn to face our fears and push through that roadblock on our path. Or else, you will never realize your full potential.

When we let fear block us from fully experiencing life, we then start to use the following words regularly, which I call the “trilogy of regret”: would of, could of, and should of. You’ll look back at your life and ask yourself something like, “What WOULD OF happened had I taken that job promotion?” Or, “What COULD OF happened if I had spoken up and expressed my ideas?” The worst is “should of”. You then realize that you SHOULD OF made a different choice because you now know after the fact that the outcome would have been in your favor. Making a choice outside of your comfort zone is taking a chance. And taking a chance in life is a fearless move.

As my daily mantra goes, you only get one shot at your life, so why not take a chance? What do you have to lose? To take a chance is to be bold and daring. And that is such an empowering feeling that will make you forget that roadblock called fear. I didn’t always see things this way. I used to be the person who started something but then didn’t finish. I was afraid of the outcome because I could not control it. I grew comfortable in where I was in my journey because me being comfortable made me feel like I was in control. The funny thing about life is that even when you grow comfortable in your life, you are never fully in control. The Universe/God is not having that. Situations will be thrown at you that will shake up your life, just as it happened to me four years ago.

Your life is shaken up so you can see that you have stayed still for too long. And that you are destined for bigger and better things. For me, in looking back, I see that I was in that job longer than I should have been. My journey had halted. I also was with someone that I didn’t belong with but stayed with him because it was comfortable. Sometimes if you can’t walk away and let go on your own, the Universe/God forces you out of that situation. And you are given another opportunity to resume your journey. Some doors close for a reason. Let them.

I learned that it’s not about what goes wrong in your life because there will always be disappointments, setbacks and letdowns. It’s about how you deal with them. When you face your fears and push through the dark times…when you opt to not be comfortable and stand still…you can do anything you set your mind to. Facing your fears means living your dreams. It means enjoying the ride. Your journey will be full of ups and downs but when you confront your fears, you can deal with the ride, appreciate it and learn from it. 

I am still a work in progress but I face my fears one day at a time. It’s not easy but I believe in myself and my limitless capabilities in this life. I am now pursuing my love for writing, teaching and just doing what makes me happy. This is how my blog Fearlessly Just Me was born. This is how Fearless Fridays on this site was born. Every week, I get to write about my journey, what I have learned and hopefully, inspire at least one person. I am proof that if I can do it, you can, too. 

I’m not going to keep myself in a box. I am going to be me and that is a wonderful thing. The world is out there for me to explore and even though at times, it scares the crap out of me, I then remind myself that I can do anything I set my mind to because I believe in myself.

Don’t let fear limit you and what you can do in your life. Stay believing in you and tackle each fear, one day at a time.

Need more inspiration on being fearless? Please check out my feature story on the Catherines I Am website: Becoming Fearless One Day at a Time.

New Year, Improved You: Be The Person You Want To Meet

I spent the first week of the year, sick in bed with the flu. What a way to bring in the new year! At first, I was miserable, thinking how much it sucks that I had to spend New Year's Eve and the first week of 2012 being extremely sick. However, looking back on the time I spent sick, I realize that being sick was also a blessing. I know it sounds weird so bear with me here...

While in bed, I read so many magazines and watched 5 seasons of Dexter (lol). And the one constant thing I kept seeing is the phrase "New Year, New You". And that made me reflect on my own life. It also annoyed the crap out of me. Just because it's a new year does not mean you have to be a new you. What's wrong with who you are now? Or who you were in 2011? I guess to me, that phrase just comes across as if someone is telling me that the present me is not good enough so I have to become a "new" me because it's a new year. And I think that's ridiculous.

A new year is a time for renewal. The key word is re-newal, as in "re", which is repeating something aka a do-over. A do-over, to me, is getting another chance to get it right, whatever you are trying to do. However, that does not mean you have to become a completely new person for you to achieve that change or goal. It just means you learned the lesson from past mistakes and now you are going to make a better decision. But while making this decision, you are still YOU. You're just an improved you, not a new you.

Being sick reminded me that the best way I can improve myself is to take better care of myself. That means taking care of my mind, body and spirit. When you take care of those 3 key things, you become the person you want to meet.

Mind: The mind can be a beautiful thing or your biggest saboteur. The quote "It's all a state of mind" is so true. I wrote last week about creating vision boards and that is one way to change your way of thinking for the better. It will also help you with recognizing and focusing on your goals. It doesn't have to be a vision board, though. It can be as easy as making a list. I am the queen of lists. They help me stay focused and organized. You can make a list of goals that you would like to achieve in 2012. A few things on my list are: I want to get my driver's license, eat more healthy, exercise more, and clean up my credit. When you make a list, you are validating your inner wants and dreams. You are making yourself accountable; you're making those goals a reality by listing them. Once you have a list, you can then focus on how to obtain those goals. Following your goals will help in getting yourself right because you are improving your life for the better.

Body: A mind cannot be fully healthy, if you feel like you're going to pass out after walking up a few steps or not having any energy at all. How are you supposed to follow your goals if your body is not right? Ladies, if you're over 35, you must get a mammogram once a year. We all need to get a yearly physical and a pap smear every 6 months. We should educate ourselves on food by reading labels, making substitutions where necessary and really looking at our portions. Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day and limit your soda intake.

If you make small changes to your diet, it will work wonders. I'm not talking some fad diet or fast weight loss. Being healthy is a lifestyle that you have to commit to long term. It's okay to indulge every now and then. But for the most part, you have to fuel your body with the right things in order for it to work right at any size. Do your research online. Look up recipes and learn how to eat well with healthy food that tastes great. It's all about eating healthy foods you like, eating three meals a day with two snacks a day, and moderating your portions.

Eating well is not the only way to get your body healthy. Living an active lifestyle is essential as well. You don't have to join a gym to exercise. You can walk around your block. You can find a flight of stairs that you go up and down a few times on. You can dance in your living room, using the gaming system like the Wii or xBox. I love to exercise using the fitness on demand channels that my cable provider offers. My fave is the walking channel. You walk in place in your living room and the instructor changes it up, asking you to lift your arms, step back and then front, or bending your leg...all of this is done without you stopping. Before you know it, you have walked a mile. It's amazing. Always check with your doctor first before starting any exercise regimen to get his/her blessing on what exercise is good for your body.

Spirit: Your spirit goes hand in hand with your mind. Your spirit affirms what the mind is thinking and pushes you to go after your goals. So you have to get your spirit right or the mind won't be right and then it affects the body. Affirmations are a great way to nurture your spirit. I wrote a few weeks ago about the importance of daily affirmations, surrounding yourself with positive people and doing things that make you happy. These are all things you can do to make your spirit the best it can be...nurture it and give it a boost when needed.

So while it is a new year, YOU as you are is pretty amazing anyway because as I always say, there's only 1 you in this world. However, there is always room for improvement and as we evolve, our goals and needs change. There's nothing wrong with being an improved you. Strive to be that person you want to meet, whether it's as a friend, colleague or romantic partner. As Oprah once said and I blogged about previously, you are responsible for the energy you bring into a room. Whatever energy you put out in the world is what you'll get back. With that said, if you know your worth and have high standards for yourself, you will not want to have people in your life who are not worthy of you.

2012: The Year of YOU....not a new you, but an improved you. You can do it! Let's get it!

The Frugal Files: New Year, New Skin, New Ways!!

Hey there Frugalicious folks!!

Welcome to 2012!! This is a great time of the year because it's a time for complete transformations and rejuvenation. Everyone is excited about a new year starting because it symbolizes a new beginning; a new start for relationships, goals and healing. It's a feel good time that many of us use as a jump start to accomplish things we had not in the past and it gives us the extra confidence to actually get it done.

What I have found in all my years, is the newness sometimes wears off like the shine on something you received for Christmas. Right around March and April, when the season changes, we begin to forget all the goals we were so gung ho about in the beginning. By summer we're back to old ways and relaxing in the sun without a goal in sight. So what can we do to make our goals stick this time? I had to ask myself that question, because we're all guilty.

I've always heard if you do something for 30 days, it becomes a habit. Why is it that bad habits are always hard to break and good ones are hard to begin? It's baffling that we always want things that are not good for us and we see the good things as a deprivation. You know what we need? A paradigm shift. We have to look at our lives as the abundant lives they were created to be. In order for us to live it, we have to live it daily.

So what does that mean? It means if you want wealth, you can't carry around debt. Purpose to set a payoff plan on a regular basis that you can follow. Pay your debt, like you pay your other bills like you would pay your parents bills. You wouldn't want to leave your parents in a bad situation would you? Then think of them the next time you sit down to write your checks. If you learn to sacrifice upfront, you can live well the rest of the ride. You just have to make that first step.

Decide what you really want today financially:
- Pay off debt including credit cards, car and house loans, etc.
- Start or increase an Emergency Fund
- Start or increase a Living Expenses Fund
- Sign up for your 401k/403b (for non-profits)
- Purchase a home
- Open a mutual fund or IRA
- Set up a 529 Plan to save for your children's college fund

Map out a plan to accomplish your goals. Are you willing to make sacrifices? If so, then:
- Decide to cook instead of dine out
- Only entertain at home with what you already have
- Earmark all bonuses and extra money to pay down debt
- Clip coupons and check for sales on needed items
- Participate in clothing and food swaps where give and take is both free
- Tell your children "NO" and then get them on the Budget Train with you

I've read articles arguing to be realistic with goals, otherwise you won't achieve them. I'll challenge that though. How has it helped you to "be realistic" and allow yourself a break? If you're still where you were a year ago, then that reality definitely needs a check. I'm calling for extremes. Purpose to have a certain number of days where you won't spend money. Make it a game and see how many days you can go without spending, then brag about it to family and friends. I certainly do.

You will eventually make it a habit to only spend when you need to. Once you've had a taste of paying less, you'll be addicted to paying less than retail every time. Don't you want more for yourself and your family? Don't you want to get out of your self-inflicted rut? It's time to "be hard" on yourself. I don't mean beat yourself up, I mean toughen yourself up. Have what you really want in the long term, instead of just what you want right now. Set weekly goals and review them on a quarterly basis. Check where you stand and what you want next. When you make this a lifestyle, your momentum won't be lost by mid year; you'll be prepared to evaluate the goals of the first six months and be happy to set your latter six into motion.

Let's make 2012 the best year yet!! One where we truly make our dreams come true and our bank accounts swell!! Eliminate debt and resurrect wealth!!

Frugalicious Diva

The Frugal Files: Settling Down and Changing Focus

Hey there!! Frugalicious Diva here for another week to challenge your thoughts and actions about your life on the frugal and fiscal levels!!

Last week, we discussed Project Reach In. This challenge allowed you to spread the holiday cheer while sparing your pocketbooks (or wallets for the men). Over the coarse of that time until now, we've experienced Thanksgiving that was probably abundantly full of cooking and spending time with loved ones. In addition, we've also encountered the frenzy of Black Friday, the support of Small Business Saturday and the confines of Cyber Monday. Whew...aren't you tired?

Well, while the sales ads fade, why don't you take a break too? Settle yourself and give your pockets a well-needed rest. You have a little over 30 days left of 2011. Sit down and think about how you can really make those last days count in your life overall. I've said this before and I'll say it again, "You don't have to wait until January to make new goals or resolutions." You can start any time, so start today.

I started similar challenge, because you know me, Challenge Queen, but used the last 40 days to do 40 things to better me. You can do the same. Let's try these on for size:

• Write your broad goals for the next 6 months, 5 years, and 10 years
• Write your specific goals under each category
• Write your individual action steps to get to each goal

This will help you focus on the future for you and your family. You can target areas like career, health, money, spirituality, creativity, self-esteem, leisure, etc. This allows you to stretch your thinking about what you can accomplish, as well as gets you in a proactive seat to get it done.

• Look for a mentor in your chosen field
• Get first hand experience from someone who has been where you want to go
• Use their expertise to write a better story for yourself

This is very important because having someone else to help you is a true leader's secret weapon. There are plenty of successful people before you, so why reinvent the wheel. Follow their lead and achieve your own success.

• Open a special savings account and use it has your "Bad Habit Account"
• Want to break a habit, then save the money you would have spent
• If you spend money on the habit, match it in your account

I really like this idea because it tackles our instant gratification mindset. It helps us to create new, more positive habits with our lives and our money. I'm not saying to not enjoy life, after all, we are Frugalicious, but we want to have good, healthy habits and that includes a healthy wallet.

• Write a list of 10 things you have always wanted to do, no matter how "crazy"
• Set out to do each one and once one is done, replace it with something else
• Include your family and friends to help you write the list or join you in this quest

This helps you not only stretch your thinking, because in the process you will be learning. It also helps to stretch your thinking about yourself and the life you live or want to live. It is an excellent self-esteem builder to do things you thought were impossible or unattainable. It also gives you more life knowledge and a larger frame of reference. It opens up the creativity in us and allows true joy to come in.

So for the next 30 or so days, reflect on the personal instead of the pocket. You will most likely still spend money, especially since it's Christmas time, but at the same time you will be teaching yourself and those around you valuable lessons. It's not just about the money. You have a real life to live. Make it count beyond overspending or collecting trinkets. Dig deep to see what's already in you.

Until next time...peace!!

Frugalicious Diva

The Frugal Files: In the Short-Term

Hey there folks!!

The Frugalicious Diva is back for another week!! Can you believe 2011 is almost coming to an end? It seems the year went by so quickly, but I thought before the year ended they we might a jumpstart on our goals for 2012. So, this week we are going to begin to think about our short-term goals. Short-term goals are good to update periodically. For the sake of this conversation, it can be whatever you want to accomplish within the next three months.

In order to make this a fun exercise, we’re going to play a little game. I’m always looking for a new challenge; something that will challenge the mind and spark our creative interests. This is how it goes: I’ll give you a category and you write down what goals you have in the short term.

In order to help you get started, I will give you examples of goals, an action step or plan and an affirmation to keep you motivated.

Saving:

            Goal: Save $500 in either an Emergency Fund or a Living Expense Fund

Action Step: Set up an Automatic Savings draft from your checking account to the bank account that houses this Fund.

Affirmation: “I am grateful that income is CONSTANTLY increasing.”

An Emergency Fund is money you put away for emergencies ONLY; situations like car or home needs. Many financial experts suggest you keep a minimum of $1000 in this fund. We’re just getting started, so $500 is better than $0.

A Living Expense Fund is the money you put away for rainy period; for instance if you lost your employment for some reason. The amount you save here should be a minimum of six months worth of you EXPENSES. So add up your rent/mortgage, utilities, groceries and any other regular expenses you have for one month and multiply that figure by six. That’s how much you should have in that fund. It is only used if you have a loss of income, so you can still stay afloat.

Debt Busting:

            Goal: Pay off one debt (preferably the easiest one to pay in three months)

Action Step: For the next three months, give up one habit that will yield you enough money to pay off your debt (i.e. skip the beverage, dining out or monthly shopping trip) Put what you would have spent on your debt to pay it off.

Affirmation: “I am grateful I can pay bills and I do so with love and happiness.”

Declutter:

            Goal: Clear out the junk in my basement

Action Step: Make a list of items of which to dispose and put it on Freecycle for them to take away and clear this space.

Affirmation: “I am making room for only abundance in my life and my home.”

Give:

            Goal: Give a monthly blessing to someone else.

Action Step: Donate to your favorite charity or give someone something you know they could use and will appreciate. You can share what you already have.

Affirmation: “I give knowing that I will receive.” or “I am sharing my prosperity with others because I know that it is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Frugalicious:

I added this category because often times when we set goals for ourselves, it’s usually to do something we need to be doing. Well, being the Frugalicious Diva, I say we NEED to be living our life to the fullest. It’s not just about work, it’s us enjoying ourselves too. With that said, choose something fun or interesting that you can accomplish in 3 months.

            Goal: Take a Belly Dancing class

Action Step: Look in your city’s art/music district or newspaper and look for an affordable class to learn something new and exciting.

Affirmation: “I am awakening my mind to the prospect of prosperity in every area of my life.”

See, it’s easy to set your goals!! Now, it’s time to implement them; one step at a time. Say your affirmations, believe them and watch how your life changes positively. You can reach any goal you set out to achieve. Wishing you the best!!

Frugalicious Diva

Follow Me on Twitter @FrugaliciousDva