My Active Prepared Life: I'm Back

"Today and for a lifetime discouragement will follow you and keep you company if you allow it to do so.  "

Discouragement and negativity are no strangers to any of us.  It is offered on a daily and regular basis it is up to each and every one of us to accept or reject it.  Don't quit because it seems to hard.  Don't give up because someone said it's impossible.  Don't retreat because you're scared.  If you fail you should fail trying.  

Life/General:
Focus on the positive, reject the negative.
Focus on my goals.
No more potty mouth. Yep, I say bad words.

Health/Fitness:
Drink water all week.
Work out 5 days this week.

Finance:
No more spending.

It's going to be a great week with many accomplishments.  It does not matter who told you that your dream is impossible.  Do not dwell in negativity and discouragement.  Be happy even if trouble is around the corner...it sure beats being down.

The Active Prepared Life

I am a firm believer in the process of continual improvement but it can be a little confusing when it's time to take action.  Where do you start?  How long should you give yourself?  When do you know that you've reached your goal?  The questions are limitless and so are  the answers depending on who you ask.  However, I have found a system that I find very intriguing and promising.  It is called The Active Prepared Life and I read all about it at Moments of Style by Patricia Bright.  Her blog is amazing and so are her YouTube videos (found here).  So here is a rundown of this journey I will be embarking on. 

What is The Active Prepared Life?

Basically there are two factors in achievement, one being 'Preparation' and the other having an 'Active' approach.  It's simple. To achieve success you must be as prepared and as active as possible.

Be Active

Say for instance you have a job, like myself, and you would really like a promotion.  Well sitting at your desk waiting for it just isn't going to cut it.  You have to work for that promotion.  Mediocre effort will only get you mediocre results.

Be Prepared

Well would you set out on a journey without a map.  We're trying to achieve goals here not set them then see where life takes us.  The 'Prepared' element is a plan for how you are going to be active.  You need this plan so that you won't become confused. 

It's simple take action but make a plan (prepared) before you do.  I plan to use this model over the next couple of months/years and I plan to take you all along with me.  Each week I will post a different set of goals in categories (e.g. Life/General, Career, Finance, etc.).  At the end of the week (included in my 'This Week in Retrospect post) I will post a entry documenting how my week went using this model.    I hope you enjoy.

June 24, 2013
The Active Prepared Life 1:  Goals for This Week 

Thanks you for reading. Oh and check out Patricia's blog, Moments of Style.

Book Review: The Total Money Makeover

Disclaimer:  All books and/or items that I review were bought with my own money unless stated otherwise.  I am not being paid to endorse any product or service that I review.  These reviews are based off of my experience and my experience only unless otherwise stated.  So now that I have that out of the way let's get into this book.

This guy is so cool.

(My Personal Background)
After months of worrying about my financial stability, I finally decided to take action and it all began with Google.  Yep, my long-time friend with whom I've discovered many unique and interesting tidbits while exploring the outer regions of boredom.  I typed in 'financial well-being' and of course good old Suze (Suze Orman for those who just came out from under their rocks) and this other fellow Dave Ramsey popped up.  Well I've heard of his radio show (never listened, yikes!) and he seemed to know enough so I sauntered over to his website daveramsey.com where I spent the rest of my day learning all sorts of useful information including the fact the he wrote a book...The Total Money Makeover.  Well it doesn't take much to convince me so I bought the book on Amazon (for download on Kindle).

(Actual Review & Gushing)
 Let me start out with THIS BOOK IS AWESOME!  Not only does it let you know how to gain your financial footing but it gives you a plan to do it.  There are steps, but not the normal crappy teeny baby steps that leave you feeling like you could have had a V8 instead...nope these steps (after completing of course) leave you feeling like you getting out of debt is simple and he explains that it is, but it is also uncomfortable.  You're going to have to give up old money habits and adopt new ones and by now we all know change is uncomfortable.  Nevertheless I love this book.  It includes success stories, helpful quotes, and financial advice that you can really use.  Dave Ramsey has been through what he's teaching and knows what he is talking about.  He didn't just learn a bunch of principles then spit them out at us expecting that we understand.  He went from bankruptcy to where he is now, he lived what he is teaching.  I would recommend this book to everyone.  It is awesome and I realize that I am a little late reading this book but it was worth it.  The information that he gives is absolutely still relevant and everyone should have a copy.  The Total Money Makeover is what you need if your financial situation is looking pretty bad (let's cut the crap you're in some deep mess) and you desire to reach financial security.  I plan to read his other books, listen to his radio show, and if my boss doesn't mind I'd like to spend 3-4 hours of my workday on his website (I'm joking). Thank you Mr. Ramsey.

Financial stability, not just the ability to buy nice things, is my ultimate goal and I feel as though this book is as good a place as any to start.  I will begin my makeover now and I hope that this book can inspire others like me to do the same.  Thanks for reading!

Lesson Learned: Don't Lend Money to Friends

These do not exist.

Oh, young silly me!  How naive of me to believe that everyone that makes a promise is pressured by some noble obligation to keep that promise made. If only they were, then maybe I wouldn't be out of nearly $1000 all at once.  In case you're wondering, this rant is about lending money and why I believe it is a horrible thing to do.  Okay, let me rephrase myself...lending anyone money with the expectation of actually receiving any of that money back is a bad idea.  Much better.

Why lending money (with the expectation of repayment) is a bad idea?

1.  Well the indication that you want to be repaid makes me honestly believe that you may have needed that money.  So if you need that money why would you give it away?  You worked hard for that, use it for what you need.  

2.  It creates tension.  No one likes owing anyone.  I have never seen a situation where the situation hasn't been tense or caused some dispute.  Oh, and don't even think of involving a contract. It now makes the other person feel as though you think they're not trustworthy.  Contracts are for banks not friends.

3.  You're not helping them (more towards repeat borrowers).  Why do they need to borrow money?  Well, I'd like to think it's because they don't have any at the time (or ever).  Why don't they have money?  Maybe, their job doesn't pay well or maybe their lack of money is due to horrible financial planning, in either case the real problem isn't fixed simply because you alleviated their financial worries for the moment.

In any case lending money is just a bad practice, now this isn't to say that you can't give away money. You can do that but only if you have it to spare.  Anything (as far as money is concerned) outside of charity is a no-go.  True friends are hard to come by, don't let financial issues come between friendship.