I have met many people struggling with money and debt simply because they are living beyond their means. There are also many people in difficult circumstances because they allowed others to take responsibility of their finances. The good news is that it is never too late to alter your situation. The following are some tips on how you can change your finances and your life.

* Some people have the perception that understanding money is hard. I often hear people say that they are not good with figures. A lot of them found maths difficult at school, so they automatically think that they will be bad at finances or
managing money. Surprisingly, it is easy to understand money. Can you add one and one and get two? Can you subtract one from four and get three? Then you are great with money! Money only requires you to add up, subtract, divide and multiply. All of which can be done on a calculator. You do not need to do a complicated algebra formula in order to understand money and work out a budget. Anyone can learn about money, you just have to find the motivation and believe that you can understand it.

* You need to feel good about yourself on the inside so that you can start having more money in your life. This is especially true if you have gone through some difficult life experiences such as a relationship breakup, challenging childhood and any other event which has made you feel sad or depressed.

* Change your mind set to believe you deserve to have plenty of money.

* Work on your self-esteem so that you feel good about yourself. Remind yourself on a daily basis that you are powerful and can make a difference in this world.

* It is also important to spend less money than what you earn. You will need to set up a budget and stick to it. The name budget makes most people feel as though they are restricted on how much money they can spend. You can call a budget a money maker or any other name that makes you feel as though you are ‘making money’. Budgets allow you to save money, invest and make more money in the long run.

* Leave your credit cards at home if you know you are the type of person who cannot control your spending. I have even heard of people freezing their card in a block of ice so that they really have to think about it before using it. This may be too drastic for you but if you are prone to retail therapy, then you need to find a method that works for you.

* Credit cards need to be paid off in full on the minimum payment due date, instead of only paying the minimum amount. If you only pay the minimum amount you end up increasing your debt. Only use your credit card if you know you have the money sitting in your account or it is coming soon, to pay off your card.

* Expensive items should be purchased from the money you saved, instead of using your credit card. I see many people using their credit card or taking a personal loan to go on holidays. They then return home and are left with a significant debt. How good does that holiday make you feel afterwards? A suggestion is to actually save up the money for your holiday. That way when you return home, you can relax instead of being stressed while trying to pay off your debts.

* Do not focus on any debt you may have, as it will only lead to a vicious cycle of more debt. Consolidate all your debt and pay it off by setting up an automatic repayment system. Set it and forget it.

* Do focus your energy on sticking to your budget or money maker and saving money to invest or doing something you enjoy.

* When investing you need to educate yourself and ask questions of people who have done it successfully. There is no point in listening to the negative comments of someone who has done nothing or who has failed. Surround yourself with like-minded people.

* More importantly, trust your gut instinct about people and investments. Use what you have learnt about money and investing to work out if your fear is real or just fear of the unknown.

* You need to affirm every day that “I am good at managing money and I have plenty of money. I deserve to have money in my life."

* Swap any bad thoughts about money with your positive phrases.

* Understand that money is neutral; it can be used for good or bad. Imagine being able to set up an orphanage in a third world country.

If you are having difficulty with your finances, you can change your attitude today and live a life free of stress and worry. You are the best person to manage your money and always trust your gut instinct when talking to others. Hope this has helped those of you who may have been concerned about your finances.

Have a wonderful week.

Life today has become easier in the sense that we have more technological devices than ever before to make life comfortable. An example would be the new applications, the cell or mobile phone. More and more new gadgets are invented on a daily basis. Despite the advances or maybe because of it, life has undoubtedly become more stressful. Everyone’s mind seems to be churning with all the information they receive on a daily basis. Our mobile phones, radios, televisions, notebooks provide us all with up to date stories of what is happening around the world. We then have to deal with work pressures, financial commitments and family life. No wonder many people are walking around feeling stressed.

Stress affects each person differently but one thing is the same, constant high mental pressure is not healthy. Difficult times such as moving house, loss of employment, death and divorce are especially emotionally difficult times. While going through my own divorce I looked for a natural way to deal with the stress I was feeling during that period. A friend suggested meditation so I bought a meditation CD and have never looked back. Meditation is a natural way to slow down and relax. In the old days, meditation was viewed as something that hippies or alternative types did. However now days,it is being increasingly acknowledged in the medical field as an effective means by which to reduce stress. A few key points to remember when meditating are:

· The media image of sitting in a cross legged position with your eyes closed is only one way to meditate.

· Meditation can also be done lying down or even while walking.

· Let go of any preconceived ideas and open yourself up to try something new.

· Trying to stop your thoughts is impossible. It is similar to trying to put out the sun with a hose. You are not going to stop your flow of thoughts.

· Meditate in a place where you can sit or lie, close your eyes and not be interrupted.

· If you have a job where you are seated at a desk all day, walking might be a more suitable way for you to meditate. Obviously you will need your eyes open for this !

· Breathe in deeply through your nose and release your breath through your nose.

· Just breathe and focus on your breath.

· If you hear a noise, acknowledge it and let it go.

· If you have a thought, acknowledge it and let it go.

· Just observe everything and let it go.

· There is no right or wrong way to meditate.

· It is about stopping and giving yourself some time out from your thoughts.

· A quick 5 minute meditation is better than a 20 minute session where you are stressed trying to ‘meditate’.

· There are many meditation classes available to help you get started.

· I have personally found that a relaxation CD is a great way to sleep if you have insomnia.

So good luck and try meditation if you find yourself stressed. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

On another topic, many people have grown up in households where they never express their love or gratitude to their family members or friends. They love each other but never actually say it. Life is short and we all need to tell our friends and family members what we think of them. If saying it is too uncomfortable then we can write them a letter expressing how wonderful we think they are. Letters last forever and people can read them again and again. I am surrounded by amazing people who have gone through a lot in their lives and they have emerged stronger and wiser. Sometimes a letter expressing how much you love them and how you see their achievements in life is a great way to express your love. Tomorrow may be too late so take the time today and write a love letter to your friend or family member expressing how amazing you think they are.

Have a great week everyone and may your week be full of blessings.

The other day I was watching the news and a story came up about a women’s survey. The survey found that a high percentage of women were not happy with their bodies. That most women surveyed had been on at least one diet. I am
very passionate about encouraging women to be content with their own body image. My book is a step by step guide on how women can learn to lose weight and be happy with their bodies. I will briefly discuss this issue here but the book deals with it in detail.

It upsets me to see so many women not being at peace with their body image. They are not happy and their day to day lives are affected because they believe that there is something wrong with their bodies. A friend of mine went to her daughter’s 21st Birthday Party and instead of enjoying the night, she felt ‘fat’ and unattractive. She felt over weight and kept comparing herself to another woman who was ‘slimmer’ the whole night. I felt sad for her because she should have enjoyed herself rather than worry about her body. She also did not notice that there were women of various shapes in the room.

So why do women feel this way? The answer is complex but basically the media, society and women themselves play a role. Day time shows are sprinkled with advertisements about how to lose weight with powders, diets and exercise equipment. Movies, and television shows have beautiful skinny women who parade across the screen. Magazines display gorgeous young women who stare at you from glossy pages. The media is bombarding women with unrealistic images of young, and skinny females.

We all need to realise that what we are being shown is not real. The models in magazines are air brushed. The women we see in movies and television shows represent a certain percentage of the population. These actresses have probably had plastic surgery as well. In short women need to wake up and realise that they are perfect just the way they are. They need to stop comparing themselves to others as everyone is different, yet perfect in their own way.

Unfortunately family and friends also make comments about our bodies and this can affect the way we feel about ourselves. I have met many women who express how ‘fat’ comments from others make them feel awful about their own bodies. Should we allow others to affect us so much? People need to build resilience and believe in their own uniqueness and perfection. Accept yourself and realise that there is no one in this world like you. The media is ‘make believe’ and the people in it are not part of the real world. The models and actresses are part of a clever marketing campaign. Be grateful for your healthy body and learn to love yourself. More importantly stand up for yourself and ignore those that like to make comments about your body. Remember you are perfect just the way you are.

In the last few months, I have met a few friends who have found themselves between jobs. Unfortunately in this economic climate a lot of people are faced with this issue. To some degree, I can empathise with them as I faced a similar predicament towards the end of last year. At the time, my Department advised me that they were undergoing a restructure and that I would not have a position in the new organisation. I was devastated, as I am a single parent who relies on my income to support my family.

Never being one to sit back and wait for things to happen, I immediately started applying for other jobs. I narrowed down
the type of position I wanted and then began sending out my CV. Within a few months I was fortunate enough to land a new job. Looking back I realise that there were a few factors that helped me gain employment.

· The first was actively looking and applying for positions.

· Setting goals and a time frame of when I wanted to secure a job.

· Having faith and believing that a suitable position would eventuate.

· There were a number of times when I did feel a bit ‘unsure’, but a few friends encouraged me and bolstered my confidence.

· Ignoring and simply walking away from negative conversations.

· Last but not least, sending out my wishes to the Universe.

There will be times in life when stressful situations such as the loss of employment may occur. However these circumstances may be a blessing in disguise. My new role is the most challenging one so far in my career and I am learning something new every day. Financially, I am able to continue to support my family, and indulge in my other passions, namely writing and property investment. I also have more time to spend with my family.

To everyone who is out there now and looking for a role, have faith that the right job is coming your way. People who want work will find it. The key is to believe in yourself and keep trying until you find the perfect one.

The difference between someone who succeeds and someone who fails is that the one who failed, gave up. Have a great week everyone!