My Money Secret

The law of attraction is the belief that whatever you think about in life you will attract. If you want to be rich... start thinking about what you want in detail; just visualize the career, the success, the checks and the house and you will attract those things in your life. At least that's I learned watching the video called The Secret .After I was introduced toThe Secret via Oprah, I suspected that LOA would be the key to my success. That's what I hope for.

So let me $hare The Problem; worrying about money is keeping me up at night. My husband became the bread winner for the family when I left my job about 2 years ago. The transition from being self sufficient to becoming financially dependent was challenging. Gambit, my husband, made it easier for me because he always considered all money...our money but we $till disagreed with each other's financial philosophies that lead to a few ... Besides Gambit made enough money to take care of our family, and working outside of the home became very difficult for me so setting pride aside we learned to deal............until my husband lost his client two weeks before Christmas. The once small disagreements had become mountains in a matter of minutes. With my health problems and his entrepreneurial skills we decided to focus our efforts on building up our business. Our plan... live off of my retirement money until we make it.

I learned early in life that it was important to play it safe but my life feels like one big risk; this results in an emotional rollercoaster of stress, fear, anger and shame. This came at a time when I finally decided what I wanted to be when I grew up. This time last year I gave in to my husband's persistent pleas and started a blog. I fell in love with blogging instantly and envisioned becoming a professional blogger. Having very little internet and writing experience made me a little technically and grammaticality challenged that only encouraged me to commit to working hard and connect to my love of learning.Gambit had plans to revamp his businesses that he's neglected. His old client consumed too much of his time so he is grateful to have the time to work for himself again

So what's our plan? Um...I'm not sure... I feel like we are making it up as we go along. Do you know the song lyrics, that's me right now. So hubby and me are learning how to thrive in uncharted waters I am desperately searching for anything that can bring faith, peace and joy; that's why the law of attraction looks so appealing but the pressure that I'm under to hurry up and make money makes learning LOA principles difficult. So I just follow the LOA the action series I found on blog Lessons From A Recovering Doormat. Until I learn how to make LOA work for me I will focus on the one thing I already know...Hope is powerful!

My hope for 3L is to inspire people to do their best and teach them through my life's lesson (successes and failures). It is humbling to publish a post about the hardships in my life when I want to take a well respected authority role but in reality I'm not an expert on positivity and business success. Yes I have struggle in every area of my Life but I have a Lust for learning and a Love for sharing what I know. Please don't focus on my faults, instead read and learn from my mistakes. I want 3L to become a second home for all of us...a place to let down our guards and facades and express what you repress so that obsess cause depress...ion...(couldn't figure out how work out the last word). Stress hurts my creativity so I thought that it was time to share the things that are troubling me before I become superficial.



I need your advice. Please help me come up with a blogging business: pointing out 3L's flaws and quick fixes, frugal living tips, how to create financial plan with your partner and ideas on monetizing a blog quickly. I do a lot of reading but find that I'm torn between abandoning the blog while I plan or making half hearted efforts to improve my efforts... So I decided that instead of trying to come up with all the answers myself I'll get by with a little help from my friends

Related Posts:
No Rest For The Weary3L Wellness Wednesday
Life is GreatSara's Sweet escape
Law of Attraction in Action Series- Lessons From A Recovering Doormat
Discover The Secret Power of Belief- Success Factors

Ten Steps to Becoming a Hard Worker

Few people have job security these days, so it is very important to get noticed by your employer as a dependable, hardworking, indispensable employee. However it can be difficult to remain ambitious, while maintaining a well-balanced and happy home life. So, whether you find your habits a little lazy, or you are a full blown workaholic, incorporating the tips below will improve not only your attitude, but also attract new and exciting opportunities that will assure your success.

Ten Steps to Becoming a Hard Worker

1) Learn from a mentor- Work ethic is best learned in childhood from adults that we love and respect. However, having a mentor is a great way to learn what it takes to succeed in you chosen or current profession. If you don't know someone personally, find one on the internet; Score is a useful website that helps connect you to well established people from pletny of different industries so that you can seek advice. They also have many local offices where you can meet with mentors face to face. If you are a parent make sure you teach your children well.

2) Become generous- Ask not what your company can do for you, but what you can do for your company. Let's be honest, a lot of people work to make a living. When you get a job it is likely that you are more concerned with how working for someone will benefit you. To become a hard worker, you have to balance a self-focused tendency with generosity. What can you do to help to improve customer service, staff morale, or increase the profit margin?

3) Find the significance- Maybe you don't have a dream job and your title is less than thrilling. If you don't understand how your job duties help the world around you, you may feel like hard work is a wasted effort; when you know the significance of your job to yourself and others, you will be motivated to push yourself to give your very best. If your job did not exist, what problems would your company or even your neighborhood have? How does your job improve your life?

4) Create short , medium
and long term career goals- If you are not passionate about your current job, then this step is vital. Working in a dead end job with no plans will sap the strength of any well intentioned worker. If you have the habits of a highly effective person but have no hope of ever seeing a personal reward for your actions, it is hard to maintain the momentum. Creating long term goals will help you to remember your ultimate goal and keep your passion fresh. Medium term goals help to connect your present to the future by creating a plan of action that will help you accomplish all the steps needed to accomplish your ultimate goals. Short term goals will help spur you on day to day and help you see your current success, making your job rewarding this present moment.

5) Reward your milestones- Every week make a "to do" list of your work duties/projects and prioritize each item; create a flexible daily schedule that reflects your priorities. When you accomplished significant milestones and goals, reward yourself with activities that you love and that you find relieve your stress (sporting events, concerts, buying new shoes, etc...)

6) Do what you love- A key component in the Laws of Attraction is gratitude. Appreciating what you already have attracts bigger and better opportunities to you. Never let gratitude become an excuse to be mediocre. Take time to think about the things you love to do and the talents you want to develop. Dream about the perfect job or entrepreneurial venture and make that a part of your goals. When you are ready to make the transition, you will see the skills and opportunities that your current job has provided. In the mean time, bring the things that you love to do into your job now by creating projects that will benefit your current employer, your coworkers and/or your clients.

7) Don't complain, create- Everything can be improved. Instead of going to a coworker or supervisor to vent your frustration, use your talents and expertise to create a solution. Create what you believe to be a fool proof plan before you introduce the concept to others. It might be a solution that you can implement alone or requires effort on everyone's part. The worst thing that could happen is that your superiors don't like your plan, but become aware of the problem. The best thing that can happen is that you create a new job for yourself that is a promotion, and fixes the issues that you dislike about your work place.

8) Ask for help- Becoming a hard worker does not turn you into an indestructible human being. Knowing your limits and your coworkers' strengths is priceless. When creating your daily schedule, make sure it's realistic. If you are over scheduled or the do list is not getting completed, ask for help from people who are talented and willing. Managers/supervisors need to learn the art of delegation and reward your staff by implementing solutions to their complaints.

9) Take good care of yourself- It is okay to work overtime, but when you leave work make sure you focus on your personal life. Take good care of your body by exercising, eating nutritious food and sleeping 8 hours every day. Use all of your vacation time to relax and regroup, even if you decide not to go out of town. Make sure time with friends and family is rich in quality and laughter. Always strive for balance by connecting to yourself and taking care of all of your needs: emotional, spiritual, adventurous, romantic, educational, etc...

10) Do away with distractions- Get creative and learn how to make work fun so that you don't feel tempted to find distractions. If you like listening to music at work, just make sure that it is not disturbing anyone. Also, make sure you're able to maintain focus on your tasks and that it doesn't go against company policy. If something causes you to be less productive, make a commitment to only partake in those habits during your allotted breaks. Instead, work hard to make your job duties interesting. If you know of nothing you can do to help you focus on and enjoy your job, then it is time to get serious about finding something else.

She Works Hard For the Money

If you are frustrated with your lack of effort at work, all is not lost. Be patient, and know that you have what it takes to succeed and become a model employee. These changes won't happen overnight but with persistence and confidence in yourself, your efforts will not go unnoticed.

Related Link:

Bored During Meetings- by LazyKing

Tips for Your Language Class

• Read ahead- Prepare for class by staying ahead of the lesson plan. Read and practice pronunciation for each corresponding lesson just before class.
• Find a study buddy- Form a study group or find a study partner to help you practice dialogue and to quiz each other.
  
• Figure out Your Motivation- Ask yourself why you want to learn a new language?Having a good motivation will help you to work hard.
  
• Learn One Concept At A Time- Make sure you learn each concept thoroughly before moving on to the next one.
  
• Supplement Your Textbook- If you had trouble with a concept go to the library and get a books, CD, or DVD to help with your studies.
  
• Expose yourself to the language as much as possible- Watch movies, read books go and visit places where there are native speakers.
  
• Look for opportunities to use what you've learned- If you out and you run into a native speaker start a conversation with them.
  
• Learn the correct pronunciation quickly-Make it a habit from early on to say it the right way so that you don't have to relearn words.
  
• Make your own flash cards- Write vocab,grammar rules and draw pictures instead of the English equivalent.
  
• Group like word together- Categorize vocabulary words and memorize a group a words from one category in the morning and practice it through the day.
  
• Learn the culture- Read up on the culture of native speakers homelands, follow news coverage, find and listen to music, get familiar with current fashions.
  
• Plan a trip to where your language is spoken- Use the language exclusively. Take dictionaries and phrase books to use when feel stuck.
  
• Speak to native speakers you know- Whether it's a neighbor or friend make a point to talk to them often.
  
• Have fun- Get creative when you study and find a way to make studying fun.

Blog Carnival

Are you familiar with blog carnivals? You said no right, well I tell you what I know. On Blog Carnival you can host your own carnival or submit an article to a carnival. Lets say you and write an article about a new artist that you're really proud of and you want more traffic on your blog. You find a carnival for artwork and you submit your post by typing in a link to your article, a link to your blog and a quick summary of your article. The person hosting the carnival decides which submissions they want to include and they publish a post of links.

Get an idea of how a carnival works visit LL&L Carnival. I have not yet mastered hosting so please bear with me. Each carnival will improve and as more people become familiar with LL&L Carnival. To Submit your blog article to the next edition use our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Staying Motivated

dancing with the moon. [explore!], originally uploaded by ann.pister.

Staying motivated can be difficult when you faced with overwhelming challenges. By equipping yourself with a plan of action you will be prepared to push forward when you face discouragement.

On LL&L I shared a few motivation trips that help with getting and staying motivated. In this article I want to share a little more about those tips so that you know how to use them effectively. The first tip is to erase the word try from your vocabulary. Using the word try gives you the option to fail. I use the word try as an excuse when I feel insecure about my abilities, when I don't want to act, or when I want of kill off hope so that I won't be disappointed later. Try means "I will do what is comfortable as long as I feel like it before I give up". When you remove the word "try" from your vocabulary, failure is no longer an option. Instead by saying that you will do "____", your integrity is on the line and because you've committed to doing whatever it takes to accomplish that goal.

When you remove "try" from your vocabulary it forces you to think before you speak. We are often guilty of saying "Yes" things we don't want to, or have time to do. Some people are great and asking others for what they want, a great skill to have. Another great skill is the ability to say "No" and to accept it with others say "No". I hate asking others for help but I sometimes feel uncomfortable saying no to people. When I go by my feelings I have a tendency to become overwhelmed because I tell people yes a lot but I don't ask for help when I need it; that is a set up for failure. When you commit to goals that you dislike, aren't in line with your values, or leave you feeling anxious it is very difficult to put you heart into it. You will put forth a weak effort if you even try at all.

Before you committing to a new goal, make sure that it is something that you really, really, really want. I'm sure you can think of a many things that you don't enjoy but that need to get done. Maybe you don't love mowing the lawn, doing the dishes, going to work, or pushing yourself during a workout. Those activities are steps towards achieving things you want or need: you mow the law because you want tohave nice place to call home, you take out the trash because you want to live in a clean and healthy environment, you do the dishes because you want to eat good food off of clean plates, you go to work because you want to provide a good life for your family, and you workout so that you want to look good and live a long and healthy life. Once a step becomes a habit you don't have to motivate yourself first, it beocmes reflexive, but when you are trying to develop new habits you need to spend time asking yourself, "What's my motivation?"

Here's a great exercise to get to the heart of why you want what you want. First write down your new goal in a notebook or a journal. For every goal you write down you will ask yourself why you really, really, really want it. When you write down that answer ask yourself why regarding the new response. Repeat the last step three times or until you have a very motivating reason for completing your goal. If you want an example of this exercise please check out my article titled, "The Five Whys". When you complete the exercise you should have a compelling reason; if not, reexamine that goal and ask yourself if you really want something else.

When you finish articulating your motivation it's time to move onto creating an environment for success. Looking at a successful sports team you see a lot of elements: supportive and faithful fans, energetic and creative cheerleaders, strong and talented player, a smart and dedicated team leader, a tough but inspirational coach and trainers, an intelligent and strategist as a GM and a rich and ambitious owner. Every once a while there is a player that outshines most in talent and ability but no one wins championships on their own. The harder the goal the more important it is to build a team of supporters, mentors and cheerleaders. From your team you will receive resources, expertise, and encouragement that you can not give yourself. If you are an independent person that's okay, you can be your own source of support, knowledge and encouragement, just know that it will take more time and effort to go it alone. But the bigger and brighter you support group, the bigger and brighter your dreams will be.

That brings me to my final point; create a vision. Creating goals is a great start but nothing can top dreams. Spend time daydreaming or meditating on what it will be like when you achieve you goals. Creating and focusing on your vision will inspire you and help you to connect with your creativity. You will be able to come up with creative solutions to problems that arise and add necessary steps that you may not have recognized before. A great way to help you design a clear picture of what you want is to create a vision board. Buy a cork board and cut out pictures and words from a magazine of what your life will look like when you obtain your goals. When you finish a vision board, hang it where you will see it every day.

Working towards your goals should not feel like drudgery but should be a fun and fulfilling experience. Implement these steps the next time you decide to add a new goal, or anytime you need new inspiration.

I was granted permission by ann.pister to use the photo above. Dancing with the moon. [explore!] can be found on Flickr.

The Five Whys

Apparently asking, "Why?" over and over is not just for annoying four-year-olds. The Five Whys is the Japanese philosophy of asking why five times to find the direct sources of your problems. Recognizing and accepting one's problems in the right spirit is imperative to beginning the process of healing. While some problems are evidently unimportant, others need to be faced in their totality. It often becomes a habit with people to push away problems that seem insurmountable, forgetting that they will reappear, maybe in a more destructive form.

Every problem involving human interactions stems from one or more root causes. Committing to clearly identifying and dealing with the core issues is the first step in problem solving. Repeatedly asking the question "Why?" peels away superficial layers of the "problem" and reveals the root causes. Although this technique is called the "Five Whys," you may ask the question fewer than or more than five times before you reach the root. The Five Whys was created for a team setting but can be used alone when dealing with personal problems.

The Five Whys works at getting to the heart of your desires as well. When setting new goals, I ask myself, "Why do I really want this?" It's a great way to make sure that what you want is not just a Band-Aid for a deeper problem. Using the Five Whys on a regular basis will give you a fresh perspective and help you gain a more optimistic view of your problems as well as lessen your need for material things by establishing your values and priorities. Paring the "Five Whys" with goal setting will give you a powerful motivator that will keep you encouraged to stay positive and to work hard during difficult times.

How To Complete The Five Whys

1. Write down one specific problem.
2. Ask why the problem happens and write the answer.
3. If that answer doesn't identify the root cause of the problem ask why again and write that answer down.
4. Return to step 3 until you/your team feels confident that the problem's root cause is identified.

Five Whys Examples

Problem Statement: On the way home from work and your car stops in the middle of the road.

1. Why did your car stop?
- Because it ran out of gas.
2. Why did it run out of gas?
- Because I forgot to stop at a gas station on my way to work.
3. Why did you forget to stop at a gas station this morning?
- Because I over slept and I was running late.
4. Why did you oversleep?
- Because I was up late watching TV.
5. Why were you up late watching TV?
- Work is stressful. I need to relax first or I won't be able to fall asleep.

Mastering The Five Whys

Bill Wilson of Bill-Wilson.net writes that a major disadvantage of The Five Whys is that if you make a mistake answering just one "why" question, your entire analysis gets thrown off. If you want to avoid this problem, try modifying the questioning process as follows. Once you've finished your initial line of questioning, go back to your answer for the first "why" and ask some other questions.

1. What proof do I have that this cause exists? (Is it concrete? Is it measurable?)
   
2. What proof do I have that this cause could lead to the stated effect? (Am I merely asserting causation?)
   
3. What proof do I have that this cause actually contributed to the problem I'm looking at? (Even given that it exists and could lead to this problem, how do I know it wasn't actually something else?)
   
4. Is anything else needed, along with this cause, for the stated effect to occur? (Is it self-sufficient? Is something needed to help it along?)
   
5. Can anything else, besides this cause, lead to the stated effect? (Are there alternative explanations that fit better? What other risks are there?)
   

Quotation
"If you don't ask the right questions, you don't get the right answers. A question asked in the right way often points to its own answer. Asking questions is the ABC of diagnosis. Only the inquiring mind solves problems." -- Edward Hodnet

Related Links:

Wikipedia

Determine The Root Cause: 5 Whys

Five Whys

The Bossy Blogger

little miss bossy, originally uploaded by duskyyouth.

A friend of the family hipped me to Blog Catalog and I’m so glad he did. It has help me in numerous ways: finding great blogs to read, helpful personal discussions, making online friends, learning what it takes to become a better blogger, etc… I really could go on and on with no complaints, make that only one complaint there are a few bossy bloggers that make a list of demands before they even think to type hello. If you have a blog of your own I’m sure you’re familiar with their comments, shouts or tweets: I just visited your blog and I hope you return the favor. Please leave a comment, click on a links, ki$$ my ads, favorite me on Technorati and Stumble a few of my post. If you have time tweet how much you liked the article and leave a comment on my shout box to let me know what you think… Does that sound familiar?

Look I’ve been guilty of it too. When I first starting blogging (a whole 9 months ago) a whole new world opened up to me. The internet was this strange and scary place full of identity thieves, viruses and sex predators. I did not feel safe roaming the web so I visited a few places that made me feel comfortable. I was use to working a full-time job, for my husband’s business and at home as a house wife so I did not make time to get comfortable with the computer. However, after years of my husband suggestions I finally I decided to try out blogging and I fell in love instantly. It was great to have a place to reconnect with my love of writing, to vent things that seemed inappropriate to talk about anywhere else and to experience what it’s like to have complete control over something.

I loved blogging about anything I wanted but I did go through a lonely period that made it difficult to write. It’s hard to pour your heart out on the screen for everyone to see when no one responds. It is also very hard to look at the worried eyes of my family try to convince them that I will make money by blogging I just don’t know when or how much. Yes I want to visit my page and see 100 new comments and check my Adsense account and see that I’m making $100/day (to start with of course I would love to make more). So yes I have harassed a few online friends, but lucky for me they were really nice about it (thank you LazyKing for your patience). So when I get a “to do list” from a stranger I’m happy to oblige but to a point. Now that I’ve been introduced to so many great blogs I don’t want to spend time reading about diamond insurance or what which model had the best car manual. I shouldn’t have to dig for content through a sea of advertising or fight off the army of pop ups; I don’t think any blog is worth it.

Hey I’m down to earth with many faults of my own; I can admit that I need a bigger vocabulary and that I just learned what SEO stands. Still I believe that all bloggers need to be aware of common courtesy. How would you feel if a stranger walked up to you and without shaking your hand and tells you that his grass needs to be cut and points out the shed where you keep your lawn mower? Is it okay if he promises to return the favor once you put a note in his mail box letting him know you are finished? Would you at least consider cutting their grass if they asked you nicely instead of assuming you would oblige?

What are things that bloggers do to annoy you? Feel free to share constructive criticism about LL&L too. Is there anything thing that annoys you or screams unprofessional? Do you like the site but would like me to make a few tweaks here and there?

Funky Fonts

What am I doing wrong? I can't figure out how to fix my font. For some reason whether I copy and paste from word, write in post directly on Blogger or publish directly from word and make a few edits in blogger I end up with funky fonts and different sized text. I considered that my new template was to blame but I remember having the same problems with the old template. Whether I take the time to beautify my post or use the default font, I find myself surprised by the appearance of each post; I seem to be the only one who suffers from this affliction. There are so many beautiful blogs that are clean and consistent but not mine.

Has anyone else had this problem before? Please help me find the problem and/or the solution! The only time I had this problem on Wordpress was if I copied and pasted my post from word but I learned that early on and found many other options to avoid that problem. I've almost given up on publishing a pretty post but decided that I'm "not going to take it". It's time to learn how to fix it with the help of my fabulous followers.

10 Steps for Promoting Your Blog

If you are a blogger promoting your blog comes second to publishing great content. Since I've decided to blog fulltime I've discovered that I have a lot to learn. So right now I'm reading a book How to Make Money with Your Blog: The Ultimate Reference Guide for Building, Optimizing, and Monetizing Your Blog (How to Make . . .). Its a meaty but easy to read book full of practical advice that would help any novice or blogging professional. These ten steps your will get your blog more exposure.

10 Steps for Promoting Your Blog

 

1. Submit your blog to these so you can follow the second step: Technorati, Feed Burner
   

   
    

2. Ping your blog content: Ping-o -Matic,Ping Technorati, and Ping FeedBurner
   

   
    

3. Submit to blog directories: DMOZ, SubmitExpress,BOTW,ahoo!Directory
   

   
    

4. Read and study great articles about blog promotion: Growing a Blog-Market, Promote, Drive Traffic, Find Readers and More
   

   
    

5. Read blog promotion tutorials: Blog Promotion Tutorials, Blog Promotion- 'Blog and Ping' what is it anyway?
   

   
    

6. Find and Read good tutorials on promoting rss feeds: The 7- Steps of RSS Marketing Plan, 55 Active RSS Directories
   

   
    

7. Get links from other blogs: comment on other blogs, offer link exchange , and participate in blog forums
   

   
    

8. Comment and link to the most popular blogs: Top 100 Blogs, Top 25 Most Poplar Blog in- April 2009, Most Popular Blogs
   

   
    

9. Consider services that allow you to pay for or get paid for blog reviews: Pay Per Post, Bloggeries
   

10.   Use social networking/bookmarking to promote your blog: Delicious, Twitter, MyBloglog, Digg,
Blog Carnival and StumbleUpon

 

A Few More Links:

 

My Blogging Business

Pinging and ping lists

...Being Linked to Other Bloggers

 

To be honest I am still going though many of the steps myself so if you have any tips you want to share feel free. Although I'm new to blogging and business it doesn't mean I can't blog like a professional. With theses helpful steps and links you too will promote your blog with substantial results.

 

Bad Credit Blues

Originally uploaded by watersgirl

Ain’t got no money, but they won’t leave me alone. Ieeehooowaaaa, thank you, thank you very much. My family is worried about me. I’m not working and have no plans or desire to get a job. When they bring it up, I tell them that my husband and I can make it without the extra income. How can I be reassuring after my car loan company calls them? For reasons I’ll share later, my husband and I decided that it is better for me to stay at home right now. At this point, we are both rethinking our plans, but things are complicated.

My first money memory is me counting all my birthday money, putting it in my yellow pencil box, and anticipating being able to add more to it. I loved to play Payday, a game where you get wages once a month and you have to manage your money and pay your bills; I never understood why my parents hated that game. To me it was exciting, pretending to earn my own money and learning how to be responsible with it. I used to dream about the day when I would receive my own bills in the mail and pay them on time.

I don't recall any formal money lessons from my parents, like why net worth is important or how to maintain a good credit score, but I did hear golden nuggets from time to time. My dad instilled the belief that frugality is power (the less you need, the more you’re in control), and he told me it was important to have your own business. My mom showed me how strategic shopping streches the dollar and how self discipline (telling yourself no) is a necessity. Both parents taught me that if you need more money, work more hours and increase your skills so that you can get raises and promotions. My grandmother used to tell me all the time to pay myself first. I was never sure what that meant, but I assumed it meant to take out some money and put it into my savings.

By the time I went to college, I’d saved $3,000 and was very proud of myself, but I had no plan and very little financial intelligence. My first semester I paid for half of my tuition and my dad paid the other half. That left me $1,500 in the bank, and it did not take long to spend the rest. I paid for college with credit cards and student loans. I thought I was better off than my friends who were getting into debt for clothes, hair and trips. The more I worked, the more frugal I became, but my debt still grew as the tuition was raised every year. I started off financially responsible at first, paying off my credit card balances after every purchase, only charging school related stuff, and paying bills as soon as I received them. But then I started making mistakes, like buying my friends books with the agreement that they would pay me back. After watching them buy new clothes despite their claims that they didn’t have the money to pay me back, I learned not to loan money I couldn't afford to give away.

For the first time, I enjoyed studying, completing homework, and doing research for my classes. I’d never received a 4.0 in high school, but I was happy now that I could go out whenever I wanted to and did not work. I did great academically. The problem was that when I started adding bills, that led to needing more hours at work. Every addition to my work schedule was a subtraction from my GPA. The less content I was, the more money I needed: I needed more privacy, then I needed an apartment, then I needed a car, then I needed car insurance, then I needed ...

Fast forward to now. I have a lot of debt (mainly school loans), no degree, and no job. I understand much more about money and building wealth, but money has more to do with your values and fears than it does with accounting skills. Knowing is a small part of the battle when you consider things like family dynamics, personal priorities, and health complications. This does not jutify bad decisions, but personal realities cannot be ignored. You should always look both ways before you cross the street, but if a serial killer is chasing you with a butcher knife, you might change your priorities to getting away and calling attention to yourself. Regardless, I still make tons of mistakes; I won't deny making dumb decisions, but most of my money decisions are made with a lot of consideration and discernment. Sometimes my best does not seem like much, but only I know the efforts I make to improve my station in life. I can't explain why it makes sense to start blogging for profit when I need money now. All I can say is living a life without passion and purpose is not really living. Yes, I still have the Bad Credit Blues, but I'm in the process of finding my thrill.