7 Power Habits that Build Financial Independence

Written by Steve Brunkhorst


Financial independence is havingrepparttar freedom to support yourself through your own efforts. Here are seven fundamental habits that will help you achieve and maintain financial independence.

1. Express Gratitude

Financial independence begins with gratitude. Set aside a daily period to offer a sincere thank you for every blessing in your life. Include people, places, possessions, talents, and memories. Offer gratitude for your future dreams as though they were already in your possession.

Gratitude will allow you to attractrepparttar 142649 blessings you want. When they arrive, protect them fromrepparttar 142650 thieves that could rob you of your financial independence.

2. Liberate Your Future

Debts ofrepparttar 142651 past are thieves ofrepparttar 142652 future. If you want financial independence, live a simple life style that does not create unnecessary personal debt. Living with class does not require being extravagant. If you are conservative most ofrepparttar 142653 time, you can be extravagant atrepparttar 142654 right times.

Do not allow credit card companies to hold your future hostage. Take control. Seek professional help to get rid of credit card debt that robs you of high monthly interest payments. Borrowing is a tool that should produce a return on your investment, not cost your future security.

3. Commit to Wellness

Your health is also an asset that you need to protect. Wellness allows you to manage and enjoy financial independence. Get regular physical checkups and maintain a sensible physician-approved exercise program. These can help to minimize illnesses and maximizerepparttar 142655 rewards of a productive life.

Maintaining wellness requires an ongoing commitment. Another area of commitment that is equally important to financial independence is one of personal financial discipline.

4. Develop a Saving Discipline

A financially independent future requires saving, and saving requires discipline. As credit card debt diminishes, savings can begin to increase. An emergency savings fund of six to twelve months living expenses is a wise idea. However, you will want major long-term savings plans for such goals as education and retirement.

Do not expectrepparttar 142656 government to take care of your financial future. If you want to remain financially independent, take ultimate responsibility for every chapter of your financial life. That responsibility begins with wise investing and respect for money.

One Teacher Can Make a Difference

Written by Bernice Becker


Our third grade class was listening to our teacher, Miss Pratt. She told us she was disappointed that we were not makingrepparttar progress she had expected with multiplication tables one through nine. She explained that we really understoodrepparttar 142636 meaning of multiplication but that we had not spent enough time memorizingrepparttar 142637 tables. The rote method was necessary in this case. I regretted that I had not put forthrepparttar 142638 amount of effort required. I had spent too much time playing with my friends instead of drilling myself. I had let down my teacher, who to me wasrepparttar 142639 kindest, sweetest, and prettiest one I had ever known. This was my first experience with one who smiled much more than she scowled, laughed often, and never threatened any of us, yet she was able to “read”repparttar 142640 children, controlrepparttar 142641 class, and teach effectively. Miss Pratt put a lot of herself into her work. Every day nearrepparttar 142642 close of school, she would read to us, or even better, tell us stories about when she was a little girl. Most importantly, she made us feel that she cared about us and that we were important. Because of a serious car accident when I was three and a half years old, I had a scar below my nostril that wasrepparttar 142643 result of a torn upper lip. Everything else had healed up without any after effects physically, but my emotions remained scarred. (Years later plastic surgery was performed that improved that condition.) Meanwhile, having been called Chief Running Nose and Scarface by many insensitive children, my confidence and self-esteem had suffered. Although my parents and relatives referred to me as pretty, I did not see myself that way. Focusing on my scar, I could not appreciate any redeeming features. (As I grew older, I thanked God that I was alive with relatively little damage, and still do.) Atrepparttar 142644 end of one school day, I remained in my classroom, waiting forrepparttar 142645 arrival of my mother, who was coming to take me to an appointment close torepparttar 142646 school. Miss Pratt sat at her desk with a fellow teacher and chatted.

Cont'd on page 2 ==>
 
ImproveHomeLife.com © 2005
Terms of Use