October 2, 2015 Chautauqua

Beth's Ponderings
 
   “I can’t afford __(fill in the blank__”

   How many times do you say that in a day? In a week?  In a month?

   Do you say that about small items, or just big-ticket ones?  Frivolous wants, or actual needs such as food and shelter?

   I recently read that we shouldn’t say we can’t afford something.  Instead, we should say we “choose not to have” something.

   I’m sure you can think of at least one instance where you didn’t have the money for something you really needed or wanted, and yet you moved heaven and earth to get it.  You may have borrowed the money, worked a extra job, or even traded something else to get it.

   The truth is that if we really truly wanted whatever it was, and valued it enough, we would find a way to obtain it.

   That’s the key - value it enough.

   It’s not enough to just want something or desire it.  It has to also match up with our internal values.  It has to be something that is vitally important to us.

   This is true of everything in our lives, not just the items we purchase.  

   If you value education, you will find a way to obtain it even if you don't go to university or trade school.

  If you value employment, you will find a way to get a job even if it means taking a salary cut, taking a different career path, or working as a volunteer or intern to acquire some experience in your chosen field.

   If you value family and friends, you will arrange your schedule to accommodate them and make decisions that will foster those relationships.

   If you truly value yourself, you will choose to take the necessary steps to take care of your wellbeing such as scheduling downtime, doing things that you enjoy doing, and making healthy habits part of your daily life.

   The interesting thing that happens when you choose to follow your values, and not what the crowd (aka “they”) says, is that affording what you want becomes effortless.  

   It only becomes hard work when you don’t really want it.

Beth

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