7. The person who won't be 'yes man' who agrees with you

No one who loves you is going to give you green light and tell you to let er rip if it's clearly going to be bad for you. It's sad that often you surround yourself with people who tell you what you want to hear. The one who loves you will tell you to get help for a drinking or drugging problem, to stop extramarital affair, and to be a good and decent person.

8. Someone who tells you to knock back, smell roses, and enjoy life part of time.

If you are a person who is a real performer and doer, there are likely to be people around you who enjoy fruits of your labor and want you to do even more. Sometimes you may even see yourself as only valuable when you are giving, doing, and performing. Listen to person who tells you that life is short and you need breaks and some R&R. That is person who is looking out for you and your health.

9. The one who smiles at you and means it.

The person who loves you looks at you with eyes that smile and mean it. Too many people give you that slick smile, that quick pat on back, and then forget that you even exist. The eyes are windows of our soul and you can read into a person's smile if it is saying, 'You are a fine person and I want to be with you as long as possible'. Don't fall for any phony smile that attracts you off in another direction, only to leave you stranded and alone.

10. Someone who sees you as beautiful, inside and out.

You know you aren't perfect. There are only too many examples of you looking around and thinking that you have flaws and aren't like people on television. The person who loves you sees you through eyes of acceptance with no conditions. As you gain a few pounds and your hair gets thin, person who sees you as attractive, inviting, and appealing is person who loves you all way, no strings or demands.

Nowadays, it's really important to know who loves you. Everything in our society is throw away, and many people have carried that over into most important relationships in their lives. Think hard and look carefully. People who love you , like comfortable clothes, are easy on heart, mind, and soul.

The second lesson is how a loss of respect due to financial woes affects one’s attitude toward others. Sherry can always tell when I’m not happy with myself. That’s when I’m unkind to her. I’m same way with customers. In fact, there’s no telling how much business I ran off while I was drowning financially and emotionally. I could easily have lost both my family and my business.

The third lesson I will pass along is that “…there is more satisfaction in rational saving, than in irrational spending.” (P.T. Barnum). As per financial advice I received for turning our circumstances around, Sherry and I began a consistent, well-planned investment, retirement program. That, combined with fact that barbershop is now paid for, is very satisfying. It’s much more satisfying than new, showy things that we don’t need or can’t afford. I’m no longer interested in a big hat. I want cattle!

Lesson number four is to learn from others. Experience (the school of hard knocks) is a great teacher, but not best. That’s because much of its value is lost in time it takes to learn lessons. Time-tested principles are best teachers, and they can be discovered in writings, seminars, counseling and advice from those who have been there.

Yet, it still takes time to learn these things. And, as John Wayne said, “We’re burnin’ daylight.”

BARBER-OSOPHY: Control your money or it will control you.

Copyright 2004, Sumerlin Enterprises.

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