I hate paying bills…

It’s like a disease that never goes away…

photo-1562240020-ce31ccb0fa7d (2)Friday’s are the best day of the week in my opinion.

I feel more free knowing the weekend is finally here and its time to do whatever I choose without rushing the day.

It’s also pay day…Yeah!!!

Now we can all pay those Pesty bills that’s like a bee always buzzing around our ears.

The majority of us live paycheck to paycheck.

We are blessed when we can afford to pay those bills.

Why has this become most peoples reality?

I believe because salaries have not gone up significantly since the 70’s in order to keep up with inflation. Housing expenses has gone through the roof, as well as other factors.

Why do I hate paying bills?

It’s like having another job…I do it, but I don’t have to like it.

Also to be quite frank,  it’s the process. It can be very stressful if it’s hard to make ends meet.

I remember seeing my mother as a child being inundated with mail. I didn’t understand it, but now its quite clear 99% were Bills.

My mother use to say in her time, paying Bill’s when she sat down to do so was like borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. In my home it was a juggling act while mom was trying to raise nine kids.

All her life, I remember her being surrounded by paperwork. Every day the mail came in, it piled up until she was able to get to it.

So it left a negative impact on my mind that I carry to this day.

Maybe that’s why I resent it. It consumed alot of her time.

Paying  bills is so intertwined in all our lives that we can’t help but hate it if there is not enough income coming in to satisfy the creditors.

We are all swimming in a sea of debt…

You might say to yourself, I have no credit card debt but there’s always something that has to be paid.

Some of us are drowning in debt and have no emergency savings.

Think about it..

You may have to pay rent, a mortgage, car loan,  car insurance, student debt etc..

There is no escape unless you are rich. However even the rich have to pay bills but I guess there peace of mind comes from the fact they can afford it.

According to USA today most Americans are struggling to pay their bills every month. That’s including people who make $100,00 plus a year. Career Builder put’s the number at 78% of U.S.

I personally would rather spend my time doing other things than paying Bill’s.

It’s a sad state of affairs…even worst is our saving potential for emergency purposes. 

Money can be a downer if you don’t have enough of it..but its not everything.

Paying Bill’s can be a nightmare for some people, but remember, its a means to an end.

If you can afford to stay away from any kind of debt, do so for your peace of mind.

The less Bill’s that you have to pay, the less stress.

Make your weekends count. Forget the mess and enjoy the rest of your weekend.

 

 

 

Don’t forget to write

If you’ve never put pen to paper before, here is some reasons to start writing…

WRITING IS NOT JUST FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WRITERS, BLOGGERS OR AUTHORS…

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Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

It’s for anyone who has something to say…

Writing down your thoughts on paper with a pen as you express your deep feelings is a great way to relax.

  • It improves your mood if you had a bad day.
  • Your stress level will decrease as you pour out your concerns on the page.
  • What a wonderful way to meditate without the usual methods.
  • Helps with depression and anxiety.
  • It will allow you to focus and see life more clearly.
  • This is your quiet time which allows you to be calm.
  • When you are angry…write it’s a great way to find some relief.
  • It encourages us to be more creative.
  • Writing is also influential on how we think.

Every situation you find yourself in gives you an opportunity to write. It’s therapeutic and can lead to a more positive outlook on life.

Nancy Olson, a Forbes life writer confirmed writing by hand is a powerful tool for learning. It also increases neural activity in certain sections of the brain.

When I had to study in college, the only way I would remember anything was to write it down.

For some reason my brain connected more to the information when I actually took the time to write rather than just using memorization.

Amazingly after all these years, this is my go to skill if I need to learn anything.

Try it! It actually works because you are not only using your brain, you are using your writing to remember the information.

I have been writing by hand for many years and I can definitely attest to the fact that it’s very rewarding.

Do you remember when people actually wrote letters to one another?

It may be you were to young to remember or it didn’t happen in your time.

It was a time of innocence meaning we did not have the technology that’s available today.

People who wanted to communicate in a meaningful way to friends, family or lovers, wrote and mailed letters.

We wrote, wrote and wrote some more and was very excited when we received a letter back in the mail.

Our hearts were on display in pen and ink and it felt good. We enjoyed the art of writing.

Of course if you received a bad letter, well you know what I mean…

Remember the movie Miracle on 34th street, the people wrote letters to Santa to get their point across to the Judge.

WHY DO WE WRITE?

So my point is this, writing is another way to express yourself. It is for anyone who wants to find another way to destress.

Don’t forget to write…

It’s not just for writers…Yes anyone who chooses can write.

Before getting out of bed to start my day, I find myself reaching for my journal to write about anything that concerns me

These past two years has been very trying and I am so thankful that writing has given me a way to say exactly what’s on my mind without being judged.

The ability to go deeper below the surface of my mind has given me time to examine my life while making positive changes.

It has been the most rewarding experience and helps me to relax before starting my day.

Our mind can become cluttered with thoughts we find very difficult to express with others.

But when you really allow yourself to let go by writing down your thoughts, its very liberating.

Hence the name, don’t forget to write because so many of us live our lives stuck in busyness.

We forget to take time to really get slow down and get to know who we are inside and out.

Taking time to open up to other possibilities and even finding answers to your most pressed questions could be found by allowing your mind to expand in another direction.

Writing might not be your thing, but its definitely a form of relaxation for those who would take the chance to explore it.

Even for the novice who is new to journaling, it will begin to change your life in more ways than one..

Writing is like meditation when you allow yourself to get lost in your thoughts, you would be surprised at what you learn.

By taking some time each day to write down your feelings, it will be very beneficial as you search within your soul for your life’s most pressing challenges.

IT’S VALENTINE’S DAY…WRITE A LOVE LETTER TO SOMEONE YOU LOVE. WATCH THEIR REACTION…

 

 

 

Scrooged

jez-timms-177420I’m no Scrooge, but lately I feel like the main character of that movie. I certainly was not a fan of his eccentric behavior. He was unkind, grumpy and nothing  excited him about Christmas. 

Christmas Past

Sometimes I wish Christmas felt as magical and spiritual like it was when I was a child. My parents would celebrate the birth of Jesus by having us attend midnight mass. Then we would come home and enjoy all kinds of goodies while preparing for Christmas day. Spending the day with our family and opening up our presents was very special.

Christmas Present

Today, I spend my time working ten to twelve-hour days wishing the season was over. Holidays like Christmas has become a tradition and as such is related to more stress than pleasure. People are so busy rushing around to buy that perfect gift for family and friends that they forget about the real meaning of Christmas. What if giving gifts was not part of this Holiday? Wouldn’t it be nice to celebrate the birth of our Lord spending quality time with family and friends?

The Public

I have had the opportunity to deal with the public for several years during various holiday shopping sprees. Working for a very large retailer, I formed many relationships with my customers and got their views on shopping for the holidays especially at Christmas. Besides listening to stories of fights in the parking lots, lost wallets or missing packages and more we can chalk it all up to unnecessary aggravation.

Christmas future

Where did we go wrong? Shopping has become more of a chore at Christmas. I have met some incredible people who have been duped into this shopping extravaganza. They are so relieved once their list is completed.  Rushing through the season of what should be a time for joy and celebration, has left most of us tired and broke. Maybe Christmas future should be based on a revolution of change.

Think about creative ways you can reduce stress by opting out of giving presents to people who really don’t need more than they already have…

Finding new ways to celebrate the season will bring more joy into you life. Get out of the guilt trap and remember if you must share gifts, make it magical for the children.

What do you think?

 

 

Time Out in Everyday Life

Taking a break in between life stresses

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Taking time out of your busy day is beneficial to your physical and spiritual well-being. If you make it habitual, you will be able to think more clearly and creatively. Life will be more enjoyable if you tap into that alone time.

My time out is early in the morning, reflecting and reading the word of God. If I miss that time connecting and praying, I feel stressed out throughout the day.  For example, I woke up a few days ago, and instead of reaching for my bible, I took the television remote in hand and flipped through the channels. Intrigued by the medias political assessment of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, I was trapped, trying to listen to different viewpoints of our Presidential candidates.

When I realized I hadn’t taken the time to pray, to be honest I was so caught up with the program, I tried to squeeze my reading into a commercial. Guilt started to take a hold of me and I said to myself, “God is more than a commercial and deserves quality time.”

Now before you judge me, this is not my usual behavior. However I recognized what I was doing, turned off the television and proceeded with my time out to meditate. I felt relieved and was ready to start my day. My time alone gives me peace of mind and is one of the best parts of my day.

This is one of my ways of having time out and setting my day. I also go to the movies alone, spend time with friends, spa, sit by a lake observing nature, and long walks. How about the rest of us? What can you implement in your life to take time out? I am talking about everyday life, not the time we are given for vacation.

We are all so busy with work and family, that we scurry throughout the day, failing to recognize we all need to stop, think, relax and just breathe. Even for a moment, learn to be still, clear your thoughts, take time out from the busyness of life. I can honestly say I enjoy my time out. It puts me in a better frame of mind, mentally and spiritually while giving me the ability to write more creatively.

Success in life is about being the best you can be inspite of your journey.

Do you have any creative ideas for time out?

 

Deadlines and Pressures

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Overwhelmed by life’s challenges

Situations which seeks to confront

Crisis that show up when we least expect it

Overloaded with pressures placed upon us

Deadlines, deadlines, and more deadlines

Detrimental to our physical and mental health

Stress can kill, if you allow it to control your life

 

Critical choices needed for a spirit of change

Let go of what doesn’t serve you

Choose a life worth living

Breathe, release, relax

 

Focus on what really matters

Shout, stretch, exercise

Develop effective strategies for coping

Loosen the tension that grips and binds

Turn stress into a positive force for growth and change

Believe God will get you through the difficult times

 

Nugget of truth: The book of psalms in the bible has helped me through many challenges. Prayer avails much and releases the tension we sometimes store within our minds.