Learn To Be Creative

If you ever had dreams that were shot down repeatedly you may feel like it just doesn't work for you. That may be the case but let me explain something that will change the way you think. Lets say after years of failure you think well maybe I just can't do it. The solution get creative!

Sometimes the methods that work for other people just are not the way that will work for you. Maybe it is not working because people have been doing it too much, or they have been leaving out important pieces of information so that you will keep failing. 

This is when you have to come up with your own way of doing something. If it is something you are trying to learn then think of a different way to try to learn it. It may help you to read it, see it, or actually do it. Everyone learns and achieves things differently so you may have to switch it up for yourself. 

If more people would learn to think more creatively instead of listening to everyone else, they may find some great success. There is usually one way to do things, but there are many tools you can use to make it happen. An example of this would be that if you want to be a doctor you have to go to school. The difference is that you may not go to the same medical school that your doctor did, you may not learn the same way they did, and you may find that the teacher everyone likes just isn't for you. 

In many circumstances you have to do things a certain way but you can modify them to your advantage. Just remember that being creative can change your life for the better, and you may learn things about yourself you never knew before. 

Life Is Tough

One thing that I am learning more every day is that life is so hard. There is so much to think about on a daily basis and there is only 24 hours to get it all done. It is really easy to feel overwhelmed knowing that you have stuff to get done today so that you can do the things you need to do tomorrow.

I have found that it is easy to get frustrated with life in general. The harder you try to make things work it seems as though you make even more mistakes. Things in your life just seem to never finish developing and it is a constant battle in your mind.

I believe that the reason we feel beat down is that we let our minds get in the way and even I have had trouble with this. When things don't work for me I feel like packing up and quitting to, but this is no way to live life. I have to practice what I have been telling people for years, but I want everyone to know that they are not alone when they feel like throwing in the towel.

Sometimes you just need someone to lean on and for them to tell you that they have been feeling the same way. I know that you feel like no one else is having the same problems, but they are in some way experiencing the same things you are. Situations may be different but the emotions are always going to be the same..... happy, sad, angry depressed etc.

Find the few true friends you have or talk to your family and tell them that you need them for support. They will be there for you and help you get through tough times. Always remember that you do have The Lord to lean on when no one else seems to care about you. You will find comfort if you will just learn to have a little faith.

The World Doesn't Begin And End With You: Be Humble

I was walking around a few stores this weekend and I continue to notice how rude people seem to be. I have posed on this before and I feel it bears repeating. Too many people act as though the world owes them a living and when they don't get the things they want, they become angry and hateful. 

Let me be clear, it is nice to get your way, but no one in this world owes you a thing. Get over yourself. Yes we should all treat each other with respect and we should get respect in return, but you are not the only person that God created to walk this earth. Too many people feel like they are more important than they are. You should think highly of yourself but in such a way that you are still humble. 

You can be proud of who you are and the things you have accomplished without putting everyone down in the process. You will find that people will be more willing to help you if you are a thoughtful and respectful person. I have no reason to feel the need to help someone that thinks that I owe them. I don't feel any emotional drive to see them come through or make anything of themselves. 

I am a caring person and if seeing people act that ways makes me not care what they do, then chances are the rest of the world won't care either. I am not the most important person in the world and neither are you. It really doesn't matter whether you are the President or some other public official, the world does not have to bow down at your feet. 

Just remember that if you want more in life stop expecting people to just had you things. Work for what you want and people will help you. Nothing in life is free so stop expecting things to just be handed to you on a silver platter. Be respectful to the people that are working with the public because they have to be there long after you have gone home. They don't owe you anything more than the service they get paid for, which by the way, is not enough for what they do (I know from my own experience).

Do Things Out Of Love

In my life I have found myself doing things for others and like everyone, I usually had a feeling I would receive something in return. Usually you do but when you do in with that kind of attitude if you don't you become angry and say that you are not going to help that person anymore.

While people should return the favor you should just do things out of love and not expect them to do things for you. It can be difficult but try to do things just because you want to help and not because you want something for yourself.

I have made that mistake too many times in my life. In the past several years I have realized that I enjoy helping people and I don't have to receive something for my efforts. Sometimes a simple thank you or seeing someone smile makes me feel like I have already been payed.

I have been payed to do things and while the money was nice, I enjoyed just simply doing something for someone that really needed help. I have worked with people of all ages that just wanted someone to talk to or to help them through a difficult time. These are the things that should make life worth living. Knowing that you were there to help someone in possibly there lowest point and that you helped pull them out.

People need someone to lean on for support and you can be that person if you will just put yourself in that persons shoes. I'm sure when times were hard for you, you wanted someone that was willing to help you no matter how you repaid them. So just remember don't always do something to receive something in return. Do things because you care and want to help and you will find that everyday you have a reason to wake up in the morning.

Finish What You Start

Many people start things with good intentions of finishing them. Then at some point along the way you notice that they fall off track and the deed winds up unfinished. We have all done this at some point where we make a resolution to exercise more or to have more money this year or anything you can imagine. 

The sad part is that many of these things we set out to do will never be completed. Our entire lives are full of things that were started with enthusiasm and then we just stop. The thing I hope to do in my life and that I hope everyone will do is to finish what you start. 

If you ever want the success in life you have always dreamed of then you will have to finish the jobs that you have started. If you know that you are not going to finish something, then there is no reason to even start it. If your goal is to exercise more then you should do whatever it takes to make it happen. Everything you do you need to see what the end result is in your mind. Without knowing where you are going you will never get there. 

There are some things that you can do right now to ensure that you become better at finishing what you start. The small things are what matters the most. Little things like finishing a book that you started reading are what sets the habits you will continue to carry. If you can't even finish something as small as reading a book to the end, how are you ever going to finish school or work in the same job until you retire. 

We tend to get bored with things and we feel it is time to move on, but training yourself with small things will train you to want to finish everything you start. You will notice that starting small will build a work ethic in you that will drive you to complete every task you begin. Finishing the job will make you feel more complete and will help make tomorrow better for you. 

Exercise Is Great Medicine For a Bad Day

There are many factors that have an impact on your happiness every day. Stress at work, children getting in trouble, and when your next bills are do could make or break your day in a hurry. One thing that many people don't realize is how much better you will feel and how much happier you will be if you try to exercise a few times a week. 

Most people associate lifting weights with big strong men and jogging with overweight people, but what they don't realize is how it can help even the average person enjoy their life much more. Taking a light jog, walk, or lifting some weights can actually help you feel better about yourself. Exercise eliminates anxiety and stress and these are the main ingredients for a miserable day or week at work. 

When exercising the body is pumping fresh oxygenated blood to the muscles and it causes the muscles to flush all the tension and toxins out. It also causes the body to release chemicals in the brain that promote peace and relaxation. 

Many of us just don't realize how much it can help your health far beyond just being able to fit in those jeans you bought last year. It is almost the best type of therapy you could ever take the time to do for yourself. If you want to not only look better, but also feel better and be less stressed you should consider walking, jogging, or getting in some resistance training a few times a week. Your body and brain will really appreciate it and you will have more energy at work and for spending time with your family.  

Admit When You Are Wrong

It always feels good to be right, and we all wish we could be right all the time, but there are going to be many times in life that we will be wrong. Most of us find a great deal of shame and embarrassment when we find ourselves in the wrong and we will do anything to try to hide it.

Honestly the best thing you can ever learn to do is to admit when you have done wrong. When you try to cover things up or hide them you are actually doing more wrong than just what you did in the first place. It is human nature to not want to admit error, but we are all with fault and there is nothing we can do to change it.

Pride is what is getting in the way. The best thing you can do for yourself is to man up (or woman up) and admit that you have done wrong. You are not only lying to other people, but you are lying to yourself if you don't believe so. The Bible says we are all sinners and that we will all make mistakes, and we should openly admit our faults to God.

You don't have to tell the world the wrong you have done, but God knows what you have done and if you won't admit it to him you are foolish. Be honest with yourself and the Lord when you make mistakes and ask  for guidance in the right direction. If you can't admit you make mistakes, you can't confess your sins, and then you will never have a true walk with God.

Admit you are not perfect and you will be happier and closer to God and the world around you.

Trusting God's Plan

Has anyone ever told you that God has a plan for you? Have you ever done what you thought you were supposed to and felt like a failure because for some reason it didn't work out? When something goes wrong it is easy for someone to tell you that God just has other plans, but when you are the one that is getting discouraged it feels a lot different. 

I have had so many moments in my life when I felt like I was going in the direction that God wanted, and the all of a sudden, it seems like all I did was waste my time. There is nothing you can do to avoid these feeling and circumstances because it is going to happen to everyone multiple times in a lifetime. 

Sometimes it is so hard to accept that God has plans that may differ from yours, and it can be really difficult to think of it the way it actually is. God does have a plan for our lives, but those plans may not directly reflect what we want. He has his own time schedule and if it is not time, you will not have what you want until he is ready to give it to you. Following the guidance of someone you can't see can seem so tough, but remember that with every trial, God is right there beside you. 

Many times he is just simply seeing if you are willing to follow him and do what he asks of you. It is not that he is trying to send you through loops, but that he wants to know that you trust him, even though he already knows whether you will or not. 

Don't get discouraged. I know it can feel like things never work out for you, but if you do trust Him you will be more than okay. Don't let your mind tell you that he doesn't answer prayers or that you are just a lost cause, but trust and continue walking. You can do anything that you want to with help from the Lord, but it is going to be in his time, not yours. 

  

Money Isn't Everything, You Should Also Be Happy

If you have ever worked a job you hate the you can relate to just about everyone in the world including myself. It is not uncommon to work a job just because you have to, and push come to shove, it is better to have a bad job than no job. 

I want to share something with you that I have been thinking about for a while now. Through the years I have been in a lot of less pleasurable circumstances, and through these experiences I have learned one thing that it is hard to teach younger generations. 

FOREVER IS A LONG TIME TO WORK A JOB YOU HATE!

I know you are not going to live forever, but just think that if you are even able to retire, you will be working for a minimum of thirty to fifty years. I don't know about you but I think that is a pretty good amount of time. If you work somewhere that you are miserable, what impact do you think that will have on your health and well being?

I can tell you what it did for me. I have done everything I possibly can to make the most of my life, and to make a path for happiness and success in my future. The only thing that I feel that people have the wrong idea about is money. 

No you cannot live without money unfortunately, but the amount of money you make should not always reflect the employment you accept. Don't take a job you hate just because it pays more unless it is what is necessary to provide for your family. You may not have as many material things, but you will be a much healthier and happier person. 

Make sure that you have enough money to buy what you and your family needs, but don't kill yourself to make more money just because. You life is too short to live miserable, and you work way to long to wake up dreading every day, so do your best and don't always think more money is better. Yo can't always have your cake and eat it too, so think of what is most important and what will give you what you need to live. 

Don't Let Social Status Separate The Family

We are all struggling to make ourselves a spot in the world, and it always seems as though we are pushing for further social status every day. The world seems to be divided into groups or "cliques" (clicks) that range from rich, popular, and nerds to name a few. It is common to walk through a High School campus and see kids standing around with the people that they fit in with.

Now I'm not saying its a good or a bad thing, Everyone has a niche that they fit into or that they feel comfortable with and it is always going to be like that as long as the world is in existence. One thing that I have been seeing in the last several years is "cliques" in the family.

You all know what I am talking about. You go to your family get together and you have the family members that are wealthy, and then you find the ones that are at the bottom of the totem pole. Each and every family experiences this to some degree whether they would like to admit it or not.

This may be the way of the world but it should not be the way of the family. You are only born into one family in which you do not get to choose. You should never discriminate in your family because they are the only people in your life that will always be a part of you. In a marriage, it could end in divorce for some reason, or a friendship could be lost due to jealousy, but a family is bound by blood no matter what you do.

Think about how much more productive we would all be if we supported our entire family and never made anyone related to us feel like they don't belong. I mean after all, if you don't fit in with your family the who do you have? We were meant to love one another and always be there for a family member in need.

Don't create "cliques" in the family. Try to treat your family like they should be treated regardless of their social status or whatever is separating you from them. Eventually family may be all you have because the world is getting more wicked by the minute.

Sometimes It's Time To Move Along

Sometimes it is easy to know where you want to be in life, but it can be difficult to know when to move on. Many people face situations everyday that they must decide whether to stay where they are or move in a different direction. 

I said in an earlier post that you should always strive to move forward in life, but when we think of leaving someone or something behind we change our mind. Did you know that many times we stay in places that we should have left a long time ago?

When I was younger I used to go hang out with my friends as all teenagers do. I knew eventually that I would not be hanging around them, but for the time being I thought I was having a good time. The older I got the more I understood that I wasn't going anywhere in life staying with that same crowd of friends. It was time to make a decision on whether to stay or go. 

As you might have guessed I decided to go and even though I felt like I lost the best friends I ever had, I have to say that I found out most of them were not really friends at all. When you make a change in your life and start pushing to become better your real friends will understand. The ones that get mad that you want more in life were not worth ever being called friends in the first place. 

Your real friends will understand and tell you that they support you on your decision whether they are a part of your life after the change or not. Over the years I have lost contact with friends and I was mature enough to know that they did what was best for them, even though they left me behind. When the time comes you will have to make a choice, and as hard as the choice is make sure that it is what is best for you. 

When you feel it is time to move away from a group of friends and make something more of you life, don't wait another moment and start working toward what is best for you and your future family. I have no regrets for leaving my friends behind to pursue greater things, and neither should you. Remember who you are and where you come from and if you have real friends they will want you to move on with what is best for you and respect and support your decision. 

Be Grateful When Others Help You

When someone does something for you, do always remember to thank them? If you don't you should because we all need to learn to be more appreciative of what others do for us. I know that when I worked in retail that people expect you to just do everything because "that is what they pay you for".

I have heard that more times than I can count, and I have to say that most places do not pay enough for everything you do. You can pretty much tell when someone is going above and beyond what their job duties call for. I know I used to do things for customers and when I would finish they would just walk off and never seem grateful.

I'm not saying that I worked for a thank you, but it did make me feel much better when someone let me know that you they are grateful for my services. We all need to have that gratification that a paycheck just doesn't fill. I would not trade money for appreciation alone, but i feel that being thanked is not only courteous  but also makes someone feel more complete.

Next time you go to the grocery store or anywhere be thankful for the people working there. The people that clean the bathrooms, scan your groceries, and carry them out to your car don't make enough for what they do. Be grateful that even though they don't make much that they still do their best to take care of you. When appropriate thank them and let them know that you appreciate them because without them you will not have the pleasant shopping experience that you often do.

When you thank people for doing things for you they will be more likely to go above and beyond to help you in the future. Not to mention it is just plain disrespectful not to thank someone for providing a service to you.

Raising The Future Of Society

In the next few years society will go through a change as it does all the time. As children grow into adults they take on the roles that the older generations are leaving behind. This is why I believe that we really need to make sure we have taught great values to our children.

If we want hard working respectful adults in the future, it is an absolute must that we teach them to be that way when they are young. I see it more every day that there are disrespectful young men and women coming into the work force. These young adults have no respect for themselves or the people around them, and often have no work ethic in the least. 

I am not saying that all kids are bad, but I am saying that I have been seeing fewer values being shared among young people. This is because many parents these days try to be their child's friend instead of being th parent. Children will have more than enough friends in their lifetime, and what they need right now is a role model to look up to.

You should always treat your children with respect and be a "friend" to them, but your role is not the role of friendship. It is a different bond and one that parents should take very seriously. Do you want your children to spend time jail or not be able to hold a job? No we all want the best for our children, so do what is best for them and teach them to be the young men and women that our future needs. 

Our worlds greatest generation is almost all gone. The people that served in WWII are either very old and are no longer with us. If we ever want to get those types of people back it is up to the parents of today to teach Godly morals and values to our young people.

Change The Way You Budget Your Money

I already shared a way to save money by only buying what you need, and not spending money on things that are unimportant. That is a great way to have more money in the future, but I will share another way you can boost your budget.

Many people budget their money out into what they have to pay for each month or what they want to get. For example someone may make $1200 a month which would equal out to around $300 a week. They would have $500 going to rent, $400 going to groceries, and maybe the rest going to utilities. Whatever they have left over is probably blown in one way or another.

Living on a strict budget can get you in a lot of trouble because if for any reason your wages or hours are cut back, you are out of money. I have seen many people come in with money issues, and they all say the same thing. "I had exactly the amount of money I needed and when my hours were cut, I got behind on all my bills".

The best way to take care of your money is know exactly how much money you need for certain tasks. Pay your bills up front, and always make sure to put a little bit of money back. This is going to allow you to save money in case you do have a hour or wage cut at work. You can still buy some things that you want each month, but make sure that every month you have something to take with you in the future.

Another good idea is to set up a few emergency funds, such as a three month emergency fund, or a six month fund. In a rocky economy such as the one we have in 2014, you never know what could happen to your job. Some of the careers that were thought to always be in demand are seeing job opportunities dropping like flies. Don't lie to yourself and say that you could never lose your job, because I have had many friends and family members that were laid off from their jobs in the last two years.

Be smart and don't budget your money down to the penny every month. Use what you need and always take a little with you to the next month in case of emergency.

Fear Of The Future Can Make You Stronger Today

In my life I have felt every emotion possible. I have felt happy at times, extremely angry, and even depressed as I am sure everyone has at some point or another. One of the emotions that I had a difficult time with when I was younger was fear. We all have fears and I often tell people to be fearless, but in my mind that doesn't mean you should never have any fear.

Fear can be driven by the unknown or knowing exactly what is going to come. Some people fear the dark, others fear being alone and no one can ever say they have never been afraid. The thing that has always brought fear in my life is the future. Where will I be in twenty years? Forty years?

I like being in control of what happens to me, but when it comes to the future I feel as though my control is limited until I am living in that day. I feel like it is pointless to worry about tomorrow because today is the day I am living and tomorrow will have it's own problems. I said that in an earlier post and I stand by that, but it is difficult to live by and today I want to tell you how having a fear can make your life better.

As I already said the thing that I usually fear most is where I will be in the next twenty years. Instead of letting that fear cause me to miss out on the things I can enjoy today, I can focus on how today will change my future. The fear I have of my uncertain future is what is driving me to work harder and become a better person today. Instead of it holding me back I am allowing this fear to launch me in the right direction.

Fear is not a bad thing, it is what you do with it that makes the difference. Just like any other emotion, you should channel it to your own advantage. When people become angry they can use it to push harder next time or they can let it hold them hostage. Any emotion you experience can make you a stronger person. So next time you feel afraid or uncertain, use it as your driving force to make the best of yourself. If it is the future that you fear most, let it drive you to become the best version of yourself today so that your future is bright!