Category Archives: Change

5 Money Saving Tips to Improve Your Money Management Skills

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As much as we strive to increase our salaries and find multiple streams of income (which are both great financial goals might I add), it is equally important to become better savers. I truly believe that every dollar counts so every dollar saved is essentially money that is earned. It is incredibly important to be good at money management and I always say that I do not care as much about the size of a person’s salary as much as I care about a person’s actual money habits. One can be very “rich” when looking at their annual salary but on the other hand actually be carrying large amounts of debt or simply never have anything stored away. This is where money management comes in and why it is a life skill that we should also all strive to get better at–no matter how much money you make or what you currently have now as there is always room for growth and change.

Buy Things Second Hand – My parents instilled in me at a young age the benefits of thrifting which for me meant shopping at consignment stores and second hand shops. Of course there are certain items that I think is best to buy brand new but there are plenty of things you can easily buy second hand at a fraction of the cost. There are also many websites nowadays where people are giving stuff away or selling things at a very low cost which means extra money to be kept in your wallet.

Compare Prices Before Purchasing – While many people buy things impulsively or choose to purchase something on the spot, I cannot stress enough the importance of shopping around first before you make a final decision because often times you will find a better deal just from comparing all your options.

Online Coupon Codes – I will admit that there are many good deals to be found on the internet and for convenience, why it is best to do a lot of shopping online. Before I make a purchase, I always google coupon codes and often times get lucky with finding a percentage off or a free shipping code. I have even been more tech savvy where I’ll look for coupon codes from Instagram influencers who publicly post a code on one of their posts which they tend to get credit for and I also get to save a few dollars.

Rakuten.com – I am obsessed with Rakuten! Who doesn’t like free money?! Formerly known as “Ebates,” this website offers plenty of online retailers who will give you a small percentage back from your total purchase (on average between 2-10% cash back). Once you create an account, you just search the online shop and it tells you how much cash back you can receive that day from making an online purchase. Each store varies and the rebate amounts change daily.

For every person you refer, you both will receive a $20-30 cash back reward so it is a win/win because your friends create an account to save and you’re also getting a little something in return. Last summer, I referred 10 friends/family members to join while it was a $30 cash reward promotion so I earned $300 on top of my online purchases. Again, who doesn’t like free money? If you are not familiar with Rakuten and want to start collecting free money today, be sure to use my referral link — (we each receive $30 back after you make your first purchase)!

Don’t Buy Something for the Sake of a Good Sale – Of course I advocate buying things on sale but how often have we purchased things on sale or in the clearance section when we really didn’t need these items? I am sure we have all been guilty of this and have just bought things for the sake of a really good deal. I have gotten much better at passing up on sales because even if it appears to be a good deal, it is a waste of money if I am buying something with little to no use. That is why it is much wiser to resist the urge to shop during sales so you don’t end up with useless items. I much rather pay a little more for something that I truly want and/or need than to just buy things to “save money.” Remember that the things that are on sale are often on sale for a reason.

Do “Nice Guys Finish Last?” – My Advice to Men

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There is the common expression that, “nice guys finish last.” Although there might be some truth to this, I don’t believe that this has to be the case for nice men. There is this common misconception that women prefer the so-called bad guys, players, etc. The underlying issue for women who choose these types of men usually stem from either their upbringing (ex: no father figure, poor male role models–aka “daddy issues”) or they on some subconscious level do not believe they are deserving of a good man, more specifically in this case–a nice guy.

My best advice to nice guys is to find a nice girl! There are plenty of nice women out there who are looking for their match and want to be with a nice man. It is up to men to weed out the women who do no respect, love, or treat them like gold. Nice guys will often tolerate bad female behavior and will tend to stick around until they become a doormat to the women who will never supply them with the love that they give so generously. That is why it is essential for a man to know his worth and cut his losses when he is faced with a woman who does not value him. Sadly, you cannot love someone into falling in love with you in return. Usually the opposite will happen where the woman will just be turned off entirely or she may stick around for the wrong reasons.

In addition, there is more to bring to the table in the dating world than just being nice. Women are attracted to nice men but not if these same men have nothing else going on for them other than this attribute. I can’t help but notice that there are many nice men out there who are devoted, committed, loving, and sweet as pie–especially to women; however these are the same men who don’t have a career, steady income, and are living in the basement with mom still. I am not saying ALL nice guys are like this but I do notice a high correlation between nice guys being much less ambitious with little to offer in terms of a lasting relationship with a promising and secure future. This is where men need to work on themselves so that when the right woman comes along, he has more going for him than just being a nice guy. Keep in mind that “working on self” should not be done strictly for increasing value in the dating world but for yourself–with or without a partner. The reason being that by bettering self, you not only will increase your self worth and confidence but you will also radiate an energy that others will naturally find attractive.

5 Ways You Could Be Investing in Yourself Today

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I truly believe that the greatest investments are the ones made towards investing in self–whether it be self development or improvement. As wonderful as we build our lives to be, let’s be honest, there is always room for growth and ways to make life even better than it is today. That’s the beauty of life, it is constantly in motion where we are experiencing, creating, learning, and becoming our best versions of self each and every day. This cannot be done unless we make the proactive choice to invest in our selves and thankfully, there are many ways in which we can be doing just that.

Continue to Educate Yourself – Your school days might be long over but that does not mean that learning has to stop forever. There are ways to continue to educate yourself in just about anything so I recommend picking up a self improvement book or taking a course to learn a completely new skill or perhaps improve upon a current skill set. It is never too late pick up a new personal hobby or profession and thanks to places like YouTube, you can also watch videos on just about anything nowadays to learn something new.

Create a Balanced Diet and Exercise Regime – Balance is the key to everything and will most certainly work in your favor when you take the time to invest in your health through both diet and exercise. If you don’t really enjoy working out in a traditional gym, there are still ways you can remain active by finding physical activities you love and staying committed to fitting them into your schedule. In terms of a healthy diet, the best way to really stay on track is to literally track what you eat which will train you to become more conscientious of not only what you are eating but how much you are eating. Remember that it is your personal responsibility to maintain optimal health by making the self investment through both eating well and staying fit.

Expand Your Financial Resources – I labeled this as “expanding your financial resources” because the way in which you go about this can look very different from individual to individual. For one, this could mean working for a big company and working from the bottom up in terms of obtaining a higher position for a company over time. For someone else, it could mean running one or multiple businesses. Another person might go about expanding financial resources by investing in real estate. There are unlimited ways of growing your personal economy in today’s world and this should absolutely be a top priority as a way of possessing financial freedom and security. In addition, by focusing on increasing your wealth, this provides you the opportunity to contribute money towards a retirement fund while also putting money aside for big purchases such as a house, nice car, and/or a dream vacation.

Set Goals and Execute Them – I emphasize goal setting quite often as we should constantly be setting goals for ourselves as a way to create new challenges and to hold ourselves accountable for placing higher expectations upon self. Even if you think you currently have it all, I challenge yourself to dig deeper and to reconsider ways you can still strive for more. Life is much more fulfilling when you are climbing towards achieving bigger goals as opposed to just staying in a state of stagnation.

Build the Right Social Circle – As much as I am for solitude and personal growth, that does not mean that you should ignore spending your time with others. It is important to invest in others who also invest in themselves and are like minded individuals with the same core values as yourself. It is also beneficial to surround yourself with people who are positive, successful, and who ultimately support you. There is no room for holding onto negative, miserable people and those who only bring you down which is why it is essential that you choose the right people to be a part of your social circle.

Look Great at ANY Age – You Must Do These Things If You Want to See Results

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Is age really just a number? I think in today’s day in age, people have the capability to look even younger than their physical age more than they ever did before. It amazes me when I meet someone who tells me their age and I truly thought that they were at least 10 (sometimes up to 20 years younger). Did this happen from “good genes” alone or by luck? Of course not! That is the most reassuring aspect of the aging process is that we actually are very much in control of the pace in which we age. By that, I mean with the right habits, we can actually extend our youth and look great for many years to come while also adding longevity and strengthening our health at the same time. In order for us to achieve these things, like anything in life–it starts with a focused and positive mindset along with some work. Nowadays, most people want results in the form of instant gratification without putting in the work but as we all know, it does not work like that. So what exactly does work then?

Make a Commitment to Self – First and foremost, you need to make a commitment to yourself that you will do what it takes to stay healthy and fit throughout the course of your lifetime. Not once in awhile or only when health problems occur but AT ALL TIMES!

Many people will make any excuse out of the book such as, “Oh I have good genes where I can eat what I want and not have to ever step foot in a gym.” My counter to that is, “good genes” is a facade. Why? You might look good on the outside now but you cannot rely on just your genetics alone to carry you through life. (On a side note, I cannot tell you how many people I have seen who looked great in their youth and then aged quite horrifically from a lack of steady self care). In addition, if you aren’t taking good care of yourself in the inside, you might find that you’ll have some hidden health problems down the line. So no, good genes does not give you a free pass to not care about your health and wellness in my book!

Another popular excuse is, “I’m old now so who cares at this point? Plus, it’s so much harder to stay fit and healthy when you get to my age.” For starters, this is such a weak and sad way to think! (Isn’t it?) Getting old does not mean that things have to go on a steady decline downhill and that health has to fall by wayside in its entirety. It should be the OPPOSITE! As we age, we need to take even MORE personal responsibility of our health! Yes, it might get slightly tougher as we age to stay fit but guess what, all that means is that we TOUGHEN up! We step up our routines and put in a little more extra work along the way.

Self Care Today and Everyday – I labeled this as “self care” because that can include a wide range of things that you can do personally to take care of yourself but as I mentioned–it really needs to be today and everyday. Specifically, I want to point out the importance of implementing a healthy diet AND having a creating a daily fitness routine. There is no denying that people who eat well and work out not only look phenomenal but tend to look ten plus years younger. (Coincidence? I think NOT!) These are the people who truly are committed to self and trust me, it shows!

Besides diet and exercise, we also cannot forget personal grooming such as taking care of our skin (let’s not forget that sun protection is essential), teeth, nails, hair, etc. These are all major components of self care and ones that should never be left neglected.

Put in the Effort and Stay Consistent – The level of effort and consistency is all determined by YOU! This is a good thing because that means that if you put in a good amount of effort and stay consistent over time, you are guaranteed to get results. Of course there are going to be off days or perhaps off periods in your life in which you get off track a bit but as long as you quickly jump back on a healthy track and stay on it, you’ll be good again! Remember that you’re worth it which is why staying healthy and fit is so incredibly worth it for extending your youth and longevity.

It’s Okay to Miss But Know When to DISMISS – How to Mentally Cope With a Breakup

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I understand that breakups are not always an easy reality to face and it does not matter whether you were the one who broke it off or the one who was let go as it can be a tough adjustment either way. If you were the one who was dumped, I recognize it can be especially sad, painful, and difficult to move on. It is natural to miss the person and want to know what they are up to but at the same time, you need to know when it is time to DISMISS the person (aka let them go completely) in order for you to move forward and open the door to a better future. This can only happen once you have emotionally detached yourself from your past and I am here to tell you that you absolutely can and all it takes is a mental shift in your mindset.

“I can’t believe my ex moved on so fast and I was replaced so easily.” – For starters, there is no need to take things this personally. When you feel good about yourself from within, this is the last thing that should ever cross your mind as you already know that you are of high value. In addition, be happy that your ex found happiness with someone else even if that means that person is not you. It might feel hurtful thinking of them with another person but if you truly care about this person, you should genuinely be rooting for their happiness. (On a slightly different note, you should also not be so fixated on what they are doing and what’s going on in their personal life, stay in your own lane and focus on your personal path to happiness).

“I wish my ex was willing to make things work.” – Listen, you need to think of it as a blessing that you were let go because it is not worth it to be with someone who does not see what you have to offer nor has the desire to be with you. STOP wasting your time! If it didn’t work the first time or however many times you tried, chances are that it never was going to work out again in the long run so stop holding onto a false hope that there is a chance of getting back together. If anything, you should be THANKFUL this person is not stringing you along and broke it off to save YOUR time because time is one of life’s most valuable assets.

“I’m never going to find someone like my ex.” – Are you kidding me? With so many people in this Universe, there’s absolutely no one to date? Yeah right, I don’t think that’s the case at all! Yes, I know that getting back into the dating world can be a process and it is not always easy to find someone to connect with romantically–however, that is not to say that you will never find someone to date again. I would suggest taking some time to enjoy being single first and allow for enough time for you to mentally detach yourself from your ex and then you can try to meet people again. Often times you’ll find that love will find you when you least expect it and when you are spiritually open and ready for it!

Final Note: At the end of the day, people come and go and that’s a part of life. Not everyone who we meet or date is meant to hold a place in our lives for the long haul and that’s totally okay! It is also okay to reminisce and reflect on the positive memories but at the same time, be prepared to fully dismiss this person and begin a new chapter in your life. I don’t know about you but personally, I think it is way more exciting to think about how the next chapter of life is going to unfold as opposed to getting stuck in an old chapter or reliving a chapter that doesn’t provide a positive outcome. Plus, best of all–you are the one creating it so let’s make this next chapter an AMAZING one! 😉

Life Is Too Short to Not LOVE Your Life – What to Do Today to Lead You On the Right Path

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Although life is far from perfection and everyone is going to experience ups and downs throughout the course of their lifetimes, that does not mean that life needs to be spent more in the negative than the positive. Seriously, life is too short to not LOVE your life so rather than settling on mediocrity or living day by day aimlessly, strive to LOVE your life! There are certainly ways to improve your life today and everyday to ensure that you are creating a path of intrinsic happiness and a life you absolutely love living. (Why like your life when you can love it?) 😉 ❤

Know What You Love and Want – Many people don’t think about what they want in life which can often make life lack a sense of direction or have a meaningful purpose. I believe we are all born with unique gifts and passions so it is important to channel into our strengths while also taking the time to pursue the things we enjoy most. By determining what brings joy also helps in providing clarity as to what is desired.

Focus on the Positive – It is incredibly bothersome when you hear people complain about what they don’t have or how their life is miserable when they could actually be investing their energy into being grateful for what they currently do have, setting goals to make life improvements, and possessing a positive mindset. Being positive really goes a long way in life by attracting abundance and creating the things you want most.

Embrace the Good and the Bad – Again, life isn’t perfect and it’s going to throw some curve balls along the way but it is possible to dodge them in its entirety or be prepared in handling them in the best way possible. By that I mean, it is important to understand that sometimes you really need to go through bad times or deal with misfortunes for the greater good which can include learning a valuable lesson or building inner strength. It is easy to embrace all the good things but it’s equally beneficial to embrace the bad because ultimately you are going to rise above it.

Implement the Changes Necessary – Hate your job? Change it! Not happy with your current relationship? Maybe it’s time to change that too! We should never be settling on anything simply for the sake of it. If there is something major (or even minor) bringing your life down in any way, build a game plan to CHANGE it! You have to recognize and be conscious of when it is time to change your life even if that means you need to start over or the change is out of your comfort zone because it is better than staying stagnant or unhappy.

Make It Happen – You are in the driver’s seat of your life and have the power to navigate it anywhere you want to go! So it’s up to you to navigate your life in the direction you want by taking action and actually executing everything that you want as opposed to just thinking or dreaming about it. Go out there and make it happen!

5 Ways to Improve Your Manifestation Skills

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I would have to say that the practice of manifestation is a life skill and having the ability to manifest the things that you desire most is not something you are necessarily taught in school which is why it is essential you teach yourself how to master manifestation. The good news is that anyone can develop the mindset to attract abundance and create everything you want in your lifetime. I want to make it clear that manifestation is NOT an instant gratification process. If you understand this simple principle then you are on the right path and will never be left feeling defeated or disappointed but instead, more motivated, invigorated, and determined. When one begins to lose hope, that is when the process tends to deteriorate. Weak minds are not meant to manifest great things as it takes a strong and positive mindset to do the internal work. So where do we begin?

Be Extremely Specific As to What You Want – People make very general statements as to what they want such as, “I want a big house, nice car, and lots of money.” These are all requests that are way too general. What exactly does a “big house” mean to you specifically? Such as: how many square feet, location, type of house, amount of land, interior style, etc. It is important to think on a more concrete level and to determine the exact details. Even if some of your requests seem very far fetched and out of reach right now, WHO CARES!?! Ask for it anyhow! As they say, “go big or go home” and shouldn’t we all opt to go BIG when it comes to our own life? Of course it is smart to be realistic but that does not mean that you need to limit yourself as to what you can get only right now–think about what you can obtain in your future.

Create Visuals – Although for some, this might be an optional step as you can visualize the outcome in your mind, I do think having a tangible visual (ex: vision board, visuals in a journal, etc.) is helpful because looking at a visual on a daily basis will allow for the visual to stay in the back of your subconscious mind. The subconscious mind is very powerful in that it will not really accept anything that does not match up with what you are trying to manifest. You can print visuals from the internet, find images in magazines, and if you’re artistic and fully capable of making them yourself–then go for it (again, why not? as it is about whatever method works best for you).

* If you do not have actual images of what you are looking to manifest, I consider writing down concrete statements on an index card to be just as effective. It is still tangible where you can read it everyday so this works on its own OR in combination with the visuals.

Believe It Is 100% Possible – It is 100% critical to develop the belief that the outcome is 100% possible. I don’t care if the people around you think it’s impossible or if currently there are factors to hinder you from what you want right now because NOTHING SHOULD STOP YOU! You control your mind which gives you the power to control your destiny! Don’t give people that power and don’t let there be any room for doubt to create a mental road block of preventing you from achieving what is most certainly POSSIBLE and getting in the way of your full POTENTIAL.

Take Action – One can’t just ask for anything from the Universe and then sit back and do absolutely nothing about it. Manifestation is NOT about wanting something and then expecting it to fall onto your lap. That is what I call, “Pie in the sky.” I think that is what deters many people from this whole idea of having the ability to manifest because they have this false belief that it is like a genie in a bottle where you ask for a wish and it just happens. That is why I want to clarify that this is not how it works because asking without doing is going to leave you with a whole lot of nothing but false hope and unfilled desires. Once you make it crystal clear your intent and what you want, you need to actually put in the work to make it happen. It might take an incredible amount of small actions to get to the end goal but any action is better than no action.

Trust the Process – You are where you are meant to be at this present moment in your life. Everyday you are getting a step closer to turning your dreams into realities. Rather than asking, “Am I there yet?” or “Is this ever going to happen?” which insinuate a lack of trust and uncertainty, you need to TRUST THE PROCESS and believe that, “Yes, it is happening” and “I am doing whatever it takes to get what I want” because again, action is required to propel the results. Learn to enjoy the journey rather than question the process because everything you want is in the works! 😉

Learn To Read the Signs – A Change in Behavioral Patterns Often Dictate the Truth

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When it comes to trying to understand others, people naturally tend to develop patterns that are consistent over time. For example, when you send a text to someone you are close to, you generally have a sense of when they are going to get back to you (rather instantly or perhaps in a few hours) and the way in which they correspond with you. Some people might write a series of short messages whereas someone might take the time to write one long message. The use of emojis is a pattern as well with some people using them frequently, not at all, or every so often. My point is, after getting to know someone, you start to pick up on subtle patterns and know what you can expect from this person.

I generally believe that patterns are a very good thing because they create emotional security and reliability where what you see is what you get. Patterns set up certain standards that you will form about the other person. Personally, I do not have the patience for people who are inconsistent with their communication style and who are rather unpredictable; however this is a pattern that I recognize can be a foundation within one’s personality. Meaning that if this is the way some people are, this is still a part of their pattern of being more spontaneous and unstructured–essentially this is who they are as people. In other words, don’t mistake spontaneity as not being a pattern, it definitely can be classified as one if this person is spontaneous on the regular.

I recommend paying attention to an individual’s behavioral patterns because this can often indicate many things about this person such as their character, personality traits, values, feelings towards you, etc. They are always very telling if you take the time to examine them. When there is a major change in one’s behavioral pattern, you need to keep your eyes open and collect these emotional cues as usually there are more than one (it can be either good or bad) in better understanding the truth. I don’t think there is much room for people to be blindsided by others because if one takes the time to simply notice a shift in behavior, it is actually quite clear the outcome. I’m not saying that it’s impossible to get blindsided, of course there are rare occasions where it can happen but what I am saying is that it can easily be prevented if you are sensing a change in one’s behavior. Sometimes the emotional cues can be very indistinct but they tend to always be there. Unfortunately, I think people’s perception can often blind people from the truth. Perception is NOT always the reality–I once read somewhere that reality is reality. I do agree with this statement. If someone is treating you differently than what you were once used to, take these signs at face value because this is the present reality. I don’t care how things once were, you have to be living in the present moment and not your past. You also cannot ignore the signs and think to yourself, “Oh this is temporary” or “It doesn’t really mean anything is different.” By thinking this way, you will be left blindsided which is why it is important to catch when someone’s patterns change as soon as they begin to happen.

Control Your Destiny By Making It Happen – One Day At a Time

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I took a photo of this sign this morning created by a high school graduate.

This morning I attended a high school graduation ceremony where I found a ton of handmade signs displayed throughout the campus. While many focused on congratulating the Class of 2021, I could not help but notice a sign that read, “Stop waiting for things to happen, go out and make them happen.” I took a moment to snap a photo of it so I could post it onto my blog because it’s definitely both a powerful and motivating message.

I value that it is a rather straightforward statement and one that anyone can apply to one’s own life. People need to learn to create opportunities and attract positive life experiences by actually going out there and making them happen. If you just sit around and expect opportunities to knock on your door, then the people who actually are going out there to grab them are always going to be the ones who obtain the opportunity before you do.

Every action step you take is always better than no action at all. It is amazing that a collection of actions can add up and really create an impact over time. Never get discouraged by the process and the time it takes to get to the end goal because it is worth it in the long run. Everyone is capable of achieving great things but it is always up to the individual to determine the quality and the quantity. We all can create a bright and beautiful destiny–all it takes is taking the action necessary to make it happen which can be done by taking it one day at a time.

“Don’t Settle For Less Just Because It’s Available”

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The title of this post is actually something I discovered at random on an Instagram caption yesterday and I googled it out of intrigue to see that this is an existing quote in which I wanted to share and reflect upon with my readers. How often have we heard the common expression, “Don’t settle for less than you deserve?” Although I do agree with this and believe we as individuals are the ones determining what we deserve versus what is unacceptable, I actually like this quote even better: “Don’t settle for less just because it’s available.”

The reason why I want to expound on this quote is because it tends to be human nature for people to settle on things simply based on its availability–jobs, relationships, etc. I understand on the one hand that we should accept any opportunities that come our way once they present themselves but what if we every so often turned down what’s available (aka convenient, easy, and perhaps comfortable) to see what else is out there along with striving for something even better? The reason being that availability is NOT ENOUGH! Let’s not settle for something just based on its availability and dig deeper as to what we really want and take the time needed to manifest it.

The key behind manifestation all begins with your mindset–above anything else. It is up to you to keep your mind strong, positive, and focused on what you want to achieve in your lifetime. We all have one life to live, so why can’t it be to our level of extraordinary? Be mindful that the things that are most worth your while are going to require time, patience, discipline, and much more–it is not merely a collection of positive thoughts in your head as there needs to be action to back it up but it certainly is the right start because thoughts do very well become things.

Never lose sight that life is full of an infinite amount of positive outcomes. I will write it again: Life is full of an infinite amount of positive outcomes. If you are aware that this is one of life’s many truths and believe this statement with conviction then you will always attract abundance into your life and not be in a position where settling on availability is your only option. Trust me, we live in a world where there are plenty of options (an infinity actually) 🙂 so keep your mind open to what’s out there–even if that means that it is not available just yet at the present moment because the best is yet to come.