Are you a ‘glass half full’ type of person?
Maybe you are more like ‘glass half empty’?

Either way, optimism is something that many of us strive for, and
also struggle with at times. During hard times, or just bad days, it
can sometimes seem impossible to look on the bright side of life

Optimistic thinking doesn’t just happen - it is a choice regarding
how you see life. By thinking in positive ways, you can move
yourself to act in ways that manifest your dreams.

Take a look at the photo below. It made me smile as soon as I
saw it. Just remember, in hard times - try to stay optimistic, as
it can get you through the tough and out the other side to the
sunshine!!!


Here is a one in a million shot.

Until tomorrow, this is Lazar Jeremic from the Income Resource Club.

This week’s blog post is about the concept of self-improvement and bettering your lifestyle. A lot of people want a better life, but still end up stuck on the same old hamster wheel going in circles. This article by Maxwell Rubin might give you some ideas. In improving your life I mean, not going in circles!

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The advice often given to young couples starting off in life is “Not to buy what you cannot afford”. The same basic advice should be heeded by many. If you cannot afford it- then do not buy the item. But what of investing in your own future in terms of an investment in your personal education or training as well as investments in your own personal career. Is this not getting ahead in life? Is this not money well spent? Even if you have to borrow and go into debt is this not money well spent?

If at the end of the day , year or decade you will be much further ahead in position , salary as well as benefits in addition to “job” and “personal” satisfaction is this not money, time and effort well spent and allocated. ? Indeed it is and can well be.

In the case of your education a dollar borrowed now will result in better jobs- that you will most likely find more challenging and enjoyable , and have a lot more financial reward than a job on the status scale – say as a bus driver or a technician doing oil jobs at your local Wal-Mart. In the case of a vehicle or car loan it may be a godsend. If your vehicle is not reliable – then how can you show up on time, keep your job without an image and reputation of reliability? Not only do you want to keep your employment and income associated with the job but also the job references from your employment superiors for use with other employers for better positions and pay, or for promotion within your present organization. You may even run into a case of promotion within your present firm to another branch office or plant. Not having reliable transport may limit your promotion offerings and flexibility. In addition, if you take out a loan to purchase that vehicle, you may well have upscaled and upgraded your car or SUV, from the models that you most likely would have purchased. By doing so, and driving a higher grade auto model, you may well appear as a more established, senior, more experienced and established employee as well as individual. Fortunately or unfortunately in life most comes down to appearances and perceptions.

There may be a much better and / or better paying job but its way across town, or in an area not served by the bus transit system. Or it may be the case that there is bus service - but if devours a good two to three hours a day of travel time. Good bye to your personal social life. You may have all the money in the world – the wealth of Bill Gates Himself and yet no time or energy to enjoy it. So much for all that pay of that new wonderful job.

A real step foreword as they say. It is always a case of reward versus cost or cost versus benefit. It is a case by case analysis.

In addition you should think of additional or add on costs. Do not stretch yourself too thin – financially. A course at university may not be offered in your calendar year – you will have to complete your schooling fully at a later date than expected. A course may be full – ditto for time delay. Or you may even have to repeat a course or change plans along the way necessitating longer time duration of studies. Leave a buffer of funding both for yourself and as well with the agency that provided the loan – be at bank, savings and loan, credit union or even parents or relatives. Don’t break the bank so to speak at the first step. The same analysis of benefit versus costs prevails in the car / transport / job scenario situation. Many people will drive across town for a bargain to save a dollar and spend $ 10 on gas costs in the process. Incorporate the price of gas into your final net salary not as an aside.

Lastly and most importantly – always pay your bills. Never take on more than you can chew, or in this case afford. Before making that commitment for a loan or undertaking always evaluate carefully before signing on the bottom line. It’s not only a matter of convenience. Your credibility itself is on the line, in addition to your personal honor and integrity and reputation. Pay your bills on time – even earlier than required. This applies to all loans – whether they are for rent, mortgage, utility bills, bank loans, charge card payments or student loans. If you cannot pay in full, then at least pay a bit above the minimum payment. If you are really stuck then contact the lender. Explain the situation honestly. Make a commitment and follow through. Remember the whole point of the exercise was your self improvement – an investment in yourself. To not take the exercise seriously is to shortchange yourself and your future opportunities as well as income stream in the future. To borrow for yourself and personal gain make prudent sense.

About The Author

Maxwell Z. Rubin is a consultant on Property Tax Reduction. Check out his website at http://www.realtytaxconsultant.com/.

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I hope you have found this article helpful and maybe gained some insight on how to make things better in your life. After all, they keep saying that “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results”.

Steven Ng

WHEN YOU NEED TO FIGHT:

6 helpful hints for overcoming obstacles… Army Style

There was once a digger called Tommy, who when he first joined
the Army was forced to stand toe-to-toe with challenges he
would rather have avoided. When he had to stand at attention
for three hours during recruit school, his instructor stood one-inch
from his face and told him to HARDEN UP!

When he found himself in a cold, muddy foxhole for over a month,
his mate next to him told him to HARDEN UP!

And when he got shot in his right leg in Gallipoli, Tommy continued
fighting after telling himself to HARDEN UP!

Tommy went on to live to the extraordinary age of 93. While some
people may suggest that he was lucky, perhaps it had more to do
with his ability to work through adversaries. Can this army style
philosophy teach us how to confront challenges and overcome the
obstacles that impede our path to success? Here are 6 hints we
can all benefit from.

1. Recruit instructors don’t just scream and yell, they motivate
Find people who will motivate you and bring out your better qualities.
Seek advice from people who are not afraid to be honest with you,
regardless of how you feel at the time. They may offer another
perspective that will help you overcome obstacles.

2. Boost yourself over that wall

Books, CDs, tapes and seminars are knowledgeable and easily
accessible resources that recount the successes and failures
of other people. Learn from other people’s mistakes and take
note of their successes.

Siimon Reynolds, Director of Photon Group, believes that these
resources, especially books, will help you get ahead quicker.
He says, “Books are very important in getting ahead, otherwise
it is going to take you 50 years. Get advice from people at the
top, and read what they have written.” Resources such as these
will help fill in knowledge gaps and provide another insight into
possible problems you are facing.

3. Obstacle courses are one challenge after another
Challenge yourself on a regular basis and ensure that you do not
become too comfortable. Keep on pushing the perimeters of your
comfort zone in order to surpass your fears, experience growth
and achieve success.

As Jeremy Lim, Young Ambassador of the National Kidney Foundation
Children’s Medical Fund, says “…a smooth sea never made a skilled
mariner.” Jeremy, who suffers from ‘brittle bones’ disease believes
“…I can gain strength, courage and confidence if I look fear in the
face by doing the thing which I think I cannot.”

4. Make sure your uniform is immaculate
Take pride in your work and remain passionate about what you do.
Your positive thinking and belief that you are making a difference
will not only help you remain optimistic, but will also consolidate
your faith in your ability to overcome challenges.

5. Chow time…eat now, taste later
It is true: there is not enough time in one day. So don’t waste it!
Don’t spend your time thinking about how a challenge makes you
feel - you can do that later. Use your time wisely and think about
how you’re going to overcome the obstacles before you. This will
also free up time for other things. Property investor, John
Fitzgerald, values time as a means to consider what obstacles
may be preventing him from achieving his goals.

6. Look after the person next you
Respect your staff and they’ll respect you. For Suzi Dafnis, founder
of Pow Wow Events, managing staff has been her biggest challenge,
but she believes in helping them grow and learn. So should you!
They will not only be more productive but will help you overcome
obstacles.

In Summary
When approached correctly, obstacles can be an opportunity to
grow. By arming yourself with the right knowledge and surrounding
yourself with the right people, obstacles don’t have to be extremely
challenging. However, the more you challenge yourself, the easier
overcoming obstacles becomes. You’ll not only gain a sense of
pride in your accomplishments but it will also assist in adopting a
positive outlook towards future obstacles.

So when faced with obstacles, one should not hesitate but rather
approach it with a hard-hitting assault.

* All of the people mentioned in this Feature Article can be found
in the Income Resource Club Library.