Consumption has grown faster than income. The average American household has more than $10,000 in credit card debt. We assume that debt is part of our lifestyle. With the state of the today’s economy, debt is the last thing you want to pick up. Consider the increasing divorce epidemic sweeping across our nation, which contributes to the economic crisis. Gambling problems are derived from people’s perception of a win it all to fix it all. Then to only realize winning in the lottery or any form of gambling is a waste of time and money and is a contributing factor to the problems in our economy. If I were asked to say one thing to the American public, it would it be, ???Take Control of Your Life!???

2009 is the year of taking back the controls of your life. If there are areas of your life that you recognize where you have little or no control and would like to get back into the captain chair, sign up for my ???Taking Control of My Life Campaign??? on December 1, 2008. This endeavor will provide the tools to getting out of debt, increasing your income, improving your marriage or singleness, and boosting your self-esteem by educating you as to why you are incredible. My ???Get out of Debt??? program is a weekly informative approach to giving practical advice and monitoring your progress.

Join me and hundreds of others from around the country as we take back our lives by securing a handle on our finances, marriage, parenting, self-esteem, etc. Watch for more information her on my blog. Joining is free, but getting out of debt will cost your ignorance. Which would you rather keep?

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Seemingly, all of our problems started long before the Bush Administration took office. The problems began when the government, banks, and other lending institutions softened the financial guidelines for the sake of the dollar. Bankruptcies have allowed companies and individuals to shift the responsibility onto consumers. Who do you think eats the cost of money mismanagement? America has a history of finding the easiest solution to solving its financial crises: increasing taxes. If the backbone of the American economy is the small business, then why pass legislation that does not benefit small businesses? Small businesses need more than just tax advantages; they need the same kind of stimulus packages that large companies have received in order to get their companies and the economy moving in the right direction.

I do not claim to be a genius on money issues; but I do have common sense when it comes to business. If I cannot repair the American economic system, I can at least start repairing and improving my own financial situation. There are ways you can improve your income by starting with your outgo. This may not fix the whole matter, but you will at least have more money to pay off more bills. If you manage what goes out and limit unnecessary expenses, you can keep more money for your charitable giving, bills, and investments. If you smoke, stop smoking; if you drink liquor, stop drinking; if you are wasting money on pornography, stop watching it. You may find yourself saving at least $500-$700 monthly.

You can start repairing the nation’s economic crisis by repairing your own financial situation. If you would like to hear more on how you can save more money by cutting back unnecessary expenditures, comment below.

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How you feel about yourself should be 10 percent exterior, and 90 percent interior. A person’s house can look immaculate on the outside, but unfortunately, people do not live outside of their homes. Feeling good about yourself begins with how you feel internally about you. If you place all your stock on your exterior, your self-esteem is actually unhealthy.

What if you gained 50 pounds or more or crashed into an on-coming vehicle while driving your car, and your face became severely scarred; or your health quickly deteriorated, leaving you physically incapacitated? Since how you feel about yourself is based mostly on your physical appearance, if any of these three things occurred, it would drive your self-esteem in the basement.

I am not suggesting that the exterior does not matter; but what I am alluding to is that you have a natural propensity to give more credence to a part of yourself that does not equate to your inner most recesses. Who determines if you are unattractive, weak, or worthless? It certainly cannot be other people; because they don’t live in your skin. You determined that how you feel is the way you are. This is the furthest from the truth. Your feelings (emotions) are the imagination (pictures) of your thoughts. Change what you think, and your feelings will shift as well. Do not simply think of yourself as incredible, believe that you are incredible; and thus, you will live an incredible life.

An Excerpt from Marianne Williamson, “Our Greatest Fear”

• Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
• Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
• It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
• We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

Over ninety-five percent of the wealthy in the world admitted in having to abandon their educational background in order to make it in the real world of business. Classroom textbooks and degrees are over rated because the ones with the drive to dream and succeed will always employ the ones that thrive to succeed in the classroom.

Is one person better than the other because one person makes less money than the other does? No! Jesus never magnified poverty or criticized the legitimate getting of wealth. God made all things, including food, clothing, and precious metals. God has declared that all things He has made are good (Gen. 1:31).

God knows that we need certain things in order to live (Matt. 6:32). Material wealth gives a dangerous, false sense of security, and that feeling ends in tragedy. The birds and lilies do not fret and worry; yet they have God???s wealth in ways that man cannot duplicate. All of nature depends on God, and God never fails. Only mortal man depends on money, and money always fails. Keep in mind what Paul declared about money, ???that the love of money is the root to all evil.??? However, money itself has no evil or good qualities. That, my friend, is simply passed on by the possessor of it.

Twenty percent of people identify themselves as chronic procrastinators. Sixty-seven percent are too blind to see and admit to their own inadequacies. Therefore, for them, procrastination is a lifestyle ??? albeit a maladaptive one ??? and they have a propensity toward never practicing punctuality.

Procrastination can even be a form of rebellion. Procrastinators actively look for distractions, particularly ones that don’t take a lot of commitment on their part. Sometimes, because of their fear of failure, they procrastinate on a project so that their incompetence is masked by delays, stoppages, and setbacks. With them, it is always tomorrow, next time, when conditions are better, phone calls, everybody, too much on my plate, etc.

Chronic procrastinators are usually chronic liars as well. They are not necessarily bad people; they are simply people with a character flaw (to put it mildly). Nonetheless, there is a high cost for being a procrastinator, and/or having one on your team or staff. Procrastinators can cost companies thousands; and depending on their position, they can cost a company into the millions of dollars.

Imagine the price paid in your own life for doing something later rather than now. For example, have you ever gone to a department store, and the shoes you wanted were on sale for 75% off the ticket price, but you procrastinated and decided to buy them the next day? When you went back, the same shoes were back to the original price, $299.00. You lost approximately $224 dollars by holding off on what you really wanted. Everything in this world does sum up to dollars and cents. However, you understand the value of a dollar more than anything else in life does.

The answers to these questions are simple. People generally want to do well and would like to live their dreams of owning a business or finishing college; unfortunately, most of us are reluctant to face reality. It is not an exaggeration to say that your life would be much easier if you didn???t try to hide from the truth. You prefer to wait until other aspects of your life improve, so you are better equipped emotionally to handle a crisis.

This thinking helps make you king or queen of the procrastinators. You don???t want to start any project or do anything that might lead to a problem or an inconvenience. Living with the fear of challenge must be horrendous; knowing that you are more than capable, but are held back by an invisible image.

Imagine what could be accomplished; how much more you could provide for your children; and how different your life would be if you connect to the dire consequences of not taking action immediately. When faced with a challenge, ask yourself, ???What is the potential for disaster if I don???t address this problem now? If I continue spending more than I make, how long before I am so far in debt that I???ll have to declare bankruptcy???? How much more successful will you be? How much relief will you feel to be completely debt free?

The longer you sit around hoping that your financial situation will change, is as long as you will be sitting doing nothing. Complaining about not having enough money is not an indication that your money situation is going to change. Your thinking is immature, and you have convinced yourself that if you just ignore something long enough it will be okay. God gave you more sense than that. Tackle your fears, start something in order to destroy procrastination, and face your challenges. Your rewards will be great and the results will strengthen your character.

• Out of one hundred people starting their career, by the time they reach 65 years of age, 29 out of this group are dead.
• Sixty-eight percent have an annual median income of $6,900.
• Three out of every 100 people starting their career are what would be consider financially successful; having an annual income of over $41,500.

Can you imagine how many people think on the same level without realizing it? Don’t become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.

The three percent that is considered financially successful is just like the group of 100 people when it comes to debt. Ninety-eight percent of this group is financially strapped and living from month to month. They have mastered the concept of “running out of money before the end of the month.” I have taught people how to run out of month before they run out of money.

You are the catalyst for improving your planning and budgeting process, not someone else. Leaving it up to fate or someone else is a sure way to preserve the status quo. I happen to be a life and business coach to so many people; which actually thrills my heart. I love watching the lights come on when my prot??g??s start to understand how to increase their business and life production - especially when they are more interested in becoming a blessing to others. However, I noticed that I cannot help people who are not interested in bettering themselves, or those who feel that their situation is hopeless.

Now is the time to invest in you by wisely attending an event that can reap great rewards. My upcoming Dream Makers 99 Conclave, entitled “The Millionaire Wealth Building Strategies” is just the necessary motivation you need to believe that you can own and operate your own business. This event will help you to increase your productivity in your existing business and give others the necessary tools and ideas to get your business off and running.

My aim is not to sound like I am giving a sales pitch; but I feel the need to impress upon you the need to avoid becoming a financial statistic. It is not too late to think and plan your future; but it is too late to go back to your past. Let me teach you heavenly solutions to down-to-earth financial problems.

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. ???There are five things you need to know,??? he told the pencil, ???before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be. ???

• One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone’s hand.
• Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you’ll need it to become a better pencil.
• Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.
• Four: The most important part of you will always be what’s inside.
• And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.

The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart. Now replacing the place of the pencil with you: always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.

• One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God’s hand. Moreover, allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.
• Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems, but you’ll need it to become a stronger person.
• Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.
• Four: The most important part of you will always be what’s on the inside.
• And Five: On every surface you walk through, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to do your duties.

By understanding and remembering, let us proceed with our lives on this earth having a meaningful purpose in our hearts.

I do not believe that my dreams have or can be hindered by the diabolical perceptions of people who may not want to see me do well. I have forced myself to avoid the naysayer, to remain focused and become consistent in the pursuit of my dreams. I am an advocate for ???I Can??? and believer in ???I Will.??? I believe that not only can I live my dreams, but also I will live my dreams.

Small thinkers face their past while big thinkers face their future. Stop thinking on the level of ninety percent of the American population who are confined to thinking in a box. Step out there and get a first hand look at what it feels like to be out of a box. Dig deep down inside and search for the treasures that you have hidden.

If you work for someone, avoid seeing yourself just as an employee who only does what you are told. Use some initiative and work smarter. Be creative. Perform what is not expected from your employer; because that will cause your boss to see how you are not confined to a job description. Your character and your work ethic should cause you to stand out, not fit in.

If people really had goals and employed their passion and persistence, they would face challenges head on. Make the decision that you will no longer allow the waves of life to take you where you do not want to go. Manufacture your own waves by moving decisively in the direction of your goals and dreams.

You do not have to travel far to see the positive and negative effect that wealth or poverty has had on this country and its citizens. The United States of America is a capitalistic society that thrives on the principle of exchange. To question if this is right or not is absurd.

It never cease to amaze me how some people ??? Christians and Non-Christians can totally stand against wealthy or successful business owners. While they themselves are the very ones seeking promotions or an increase in salary.

If you have been successfully living on your current salary, why would you want more money? Is not any form of materialism or desire for financial increase greed? According to these critics, it is. The truth of the matter is that everyone wants some form of prosperity; whether in material things, money, or the size of their home. Sometimes, it is the lack of what you have that causes you to have mixed emotions toward those who do have.

If you knew how to get more, you would have more. Like most Americans, people are debt ridden and stuck in a job that they do not like. Moreover, if they could find another position paying more money, they too would put in their two-week notice.

It has been said that one sentence of wisdom can change a person???s life more than volumes of books. Imagine what hundreds of letters of wisdom could do. As you read my correspondence of wisdom, you will begin to master concepts in personal achievement; and at the same time, increase your odds of achieving success. Acknowledge your desire to increase your income, upgrade your lifestyle, and you could be on your way to doing so.