Wings of Change – Change Your Life Articles

Everyone wants freedom. You want freedom, I want freedom. But very few of us actually have freedom and very few of us can actually define freedom. What I am talking about here is personal freedom, your ability to make the choices you want and which benefit you. The problem is you don’t have personal freedom and there are four good reasons why you don’t.

In fact it all boils down to only one big reason. Here are the four reasons why you don’t have personal freedom:

1. You do not choose how healthy you are. You are allowing the doctors, the nutrition experts, the common fads to make your choices for you. How often do you choose what foods to eat, what supplements to take, what exercises to do. It’s difficult isn’t it? There are so many opinions and differing diets and fitness theories that in the end most people resort back to another form of allowing others to choose, doing what everyone else does. But what are your choices? What do you want?
2. Do you go to religious meetings? Why? Because you woke up one day and decided to go? Not likely. You go because you have been given a set of beliefs which you accept. Did you ever think where those came from? Have you ever thought why you do certain things in certain ways? Like get education, get a job and have a pension plan. Have you ever thought if thee was another way, another path, and path which would actually be beneficial and lead you to your dreams? Perhaps there is. He who seeks will find!
3. What have you done this week which was your choice and your time? Not much, eh! Apart from working for an employer to earn your money, how much time have you spent doing stuff for others? Have you taken time for yourself lately? I am not saying you should neglect others and especially loved ones, but it is important to get a balance and to reserve time for you and your desires.
4. And what about that money you work so hard to get? Are you in control of that? Are you making your own choices when it comes to spending that money, or are you subject to the advertisements and fancy store displays and what your friends say you must have? Or how much food do you throw away simply because you run for the sales and specials and end up with much too much? Do you choose how to spend your money on the things you want? I don’t recommend spending less as much as spending wisely.

So are you free? Who is making your choices? Why are you doing the things you do? Why do you believe the things you believe? Why do you buy the things you buy? Why do you eat and exercise the way you do? We all have a built in sensory system to help us make better choices. It is called intuition. Learn to listen to the gut feeling and you will begin to make better choices and move into your own personal freedom.

Now more than ever, it’s important to secure your financial future. If the chips are ever down, you’ll at least have a plan to turn to for help.

It’s true that you should put your whole heart in your main source of income. When you work hard enough with a drive to succeed, nothing will keep you away from that success. However, unexpected circumstances come into play every so often, so you may need to divert to Plan B temporarily.

Here are some ideas for building a rock-solid Plan B:

1. Develop Multiple Streams of Income. When your main stream of income is sufficient to sustain your family, you may be tempted to rely on that income alone. However, it’s always a good idea to insulate and supplement that income. You may think you don’t absolutely need the money, but you can always save for future unexpected expenses.
2. Add to Your Savings. You’ll need to realize that even small contributions will add up to something big before you know it. Shop around for a high yield savings account. Tell yourself that you’ll add a fixed amount to the fund each month. Have an automatic withdrawal every month even if you can only afford $10 or $25 at a time. Over the long run this really adds up!
3. 3. Develop Your Skills. Always be on the look out for opportunities to improve your current skill set, or to develop completely new skills. This will give you back up career opportunities. If you pigeon hole yourself into one set career, you’ll be scrambling if something unexpected happens. While it’ll still be a bummer if Plan A falls through, it’ll feel so much better when you can launch into Plan B without panicking.
4. Make Contacts and Establish Good Relationships. You’ve probably heard the saying: “Don’t burn your bridges.” You truly never know when you might want to walk a certain path, so don’t close any doors hastily. Also, remain open and make contacts wherever you can. You might just be hanging out at the gym after work, but you never know what kind of friendship you can drum up, and how that person may be able to help you out in the future.
5. Write Out Your Plans. It’s vital to maintain a certain amount of organization in your plans. When establishing your life’s Plan A and Plan B, it’ll really help to write everything down. Have separate lists for your short term and long term financial goals. Cross off goals as you meet them. This way you’ve got a written reminder of your progress. If Plan B comes into play, you’ll have written instructions and you won’t have to worry.

• Look for other opportunities for side jobs in your field
• Turn a hobby into a money maker
• Consider wise investments to grow money faster

Making Wise Choices

When it comes down to deciding what you should do with your money, remember to always invest in some sure bets. You don’t want to gamble with your money expecting greater gains. Your best bet is to find a middle ground. Decide on a certain amount of money that automatically goes into a savings account and can’t be touched.

When you have a nest egg for unexpected life events, it gives you time to execute your Plan B. If you’re lucky enough to have extra cash coming in, you can then decide to be riskier with your financial decisions. As long as you know you have enough money coming in, it may be worth your time and investment.