5 Reasons why some may NEVER reach financial freedom

1. Unfaithfulness:

It's a pattern for a great percentage of this society to live from "paycheck to paycheck". Many will say "I don't make enough money", but the reality is many DO make enough money to live, however because their wants take priority over their needs, getting ahead will never be an option. Sometimes we have to sacrifice to get ahead in life. This may mean at some point and time living to meet bare necessities so that you can save and invest in other ventures that will enhance your future and financial stability. SO many people are SO unfaithful to their finances. One of the KEY factors in breaking this is to remember to be faithful with the little money that you do have. One who is faithful with little will be faithful and trusted with plenty. Being faithful over little means that needs supersede wants. Look around your household and examine some aspects there. Is it a NECESSITY for you to pay $200 a month for 800 channels or is it a want? Is it a NECESSITY for you to drive a luxury vehicle with an expense car and maintenance bill or is it a want? It's okay to treat yourself to things that you like occasionally as balance is key. However, be mindful of the reoccurring bulk expenses that you spend. To everything there is a season. The season will come for you to indulge in vacations, expensive clothes, luxury vehicles and gadgets. But if you living paycheck to paycheck. week to week, deposit to deposit, that season is not NOW. Tis the season to downsize and find ways to stretch and save your money. Create a budget and/or plan as to how you can wisely exhaust your funds. 

Being faithful with your money also means changing how you treat your debt. It is never okay to owe. EVER. Especially when you are in a position, in some way to minimize that debt and you choose not to.  Many carry the thought of  "I'm already in so much debt it will take me forever to pay it off, so I'm not even going to try. #FAIL. That's almost like stealing. While I do understand that debt has a tendency to pile up and become overwhelming, I also understand that there are options. Even if they are not the options that we want, there are options. Many debtors will work with you if they see you trying. Some may decrease your interest rate or settle with you for a small lump sum of money. Tackle your debt. No matter how long or tedious the process may take, understand that as long as you owe, you will NEVER advance financially. You're always gonna be in the red.  Pay SOMETHING towards your debt. Minimize your expenses. Give your needs priorities over your wants.  


2. Attitude:

Your attitude controls your life. What you allow yourself to think is what you will allow yourself to say and do. Keep in mind that words are seeds, and what you plat WILL grow. SO many people take the wrong attitude about their finances. Some will become prideful, looking down on everyone who may not be on the same level financially as they  may be.  Some will become content and never put thought or action into progressing their current situation. That's a really dangerous state. Some will become extremely negative and carry the mindset that "It's never enough". When dealing with money, you must first change the way that you THINK. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Never proclaim to be "broke" or "poor". Never proclaim that "things will never change" or that "it's never enough". Number one, it could always be better, BUT it could always be worse, too. In addition, even if you are without, SPEAK life into that situation. Release affirmations that manifest where you are going to be opposed to where you are.  


3. Ignorance:

To be ignorant is not to be stupid as many commonly confuse the two. To be ignorant is the state of being uninformed. The lack of knowledge. It is when we CHOOSE to remain ignorant to certain things that we fall into stupidity. When it comes to our finances, we allow ourselves to remain ignorant in certain circumstances yet wonder why our finances never multiply. Many go out for home, auto, and personal loans and totally neglect to do the research on the interest rates. Instead of finding the BEST resource many go for the CONVENIENT resource. Some people choose to invest their money in certain business opportunities, stocks, etc. Awesome. But before you go investing your money, don't just look at the FINAL picture ($$$), look at the FULL picture. Do your research on these businesses, business opportunities, stocks, etc. Look at their financial patterns. Do your research on the individuals that own  and work within the companies. Never choose to  remain oblivious to ANY venture that you choose to invest your money. In addition, never choose to remain oblivious to opportunities that can increase or save your money. Explore opportunities to use coupons or to invest in energy efficient appliances. Explore opportunities with your bank regarding CDs. If you choose to obtain a hoe, auto, or personal loan consider a credit union opposed to a bank institution. Stay informed on the status of your credit score and credit report. Stay informed on how what companies are taking money out of your bank account or what fees you may obtain if any. CHOOSE to have full control of your finances by CHOOSING to be informed. 


4. Selfishness

Not to be mistaken with greed. Greed is an intense desire to want more and more of something. Selfishness is caring and focusing on the well-being, advantage, and pleasure of one's self with no regard to others and/or how it effects others. Regardless how much or how little you have to give, the art of giving generates so much more than the action of receiving. We must understand that our lives are not our own. We are not put on this Earth simple to serve ourselves. Giving makes the world go round'. Not just the act of giving in deed, but the desire to give in our hearts. For example, We see many millionaires and celebrities giving lump sums to various charities. While there is absolutely no problem with the deed, the actual intention of the heart is corrupt for some of them. Many give to be seen or to say that they "did something". Others may give because it is expected either from their social status, church, family, etc. This is not the art of giving. When you give, whether it's time, money, service..It should be a sincere desire embedded into your heart. The universe works like this: You will get out what you put in. If you put the spirit of giving into the universe then the spirit of giving will come back to you. It's like putting spare change into your hand and making a fist: That change can't come out, and on the flip side, no more change will enter. Selfishness. Now, giving does NOT mean tending to everyone else's bills/desires/expenses before your own. In addition, it does NOT mean handicapping anyone by giving them money of yours to spend when they are completely unwise with their own money. It simply means that when you are able, give and give cheerfully. It simply means that sacrificing should be a consistent thought. I don't HAVE to treat myself every single time I desire something. Every now and then I need to sacrifice my own desires and treat you to some of your desires. It is essential to NEVER mistake your financial status as permanent. Understand, that the amount of money you have is circumstantial. Things change. The flow of business changes. Stocks change. The economy changes. Taxes change. The cost of living changes. You will not always be where you are nor have you always been in your current state. In addition, no one is able to reach financial success alone. EVER. Be careful of putting selfish actions into the Universe. In your time of need, it will surely come back to you.


5. Greed:

 The LOVE of money is the root of all evil. I will leave you with that.

Thanks for listening to my heart on this matter. Let's get a strong grip on this "money thing" together. Ready, Set, #GO!

~Aleshia

SAFE ZONE: Knowing Who to Trust

I am CERTAIN that a GREAT percentage of the human beings occupying this Earth have either been hurt, betrayed, lied-to, and/or back stabbed by someone you trust..or at least someone you thought you could trust. Sometimes it's those that we least expect, because we think we know them, and because we've know them for so long.. And other times we just become really comfortable very quickly and we're okay with that because it feels "right". Does trust have time barriers? Absolutely not. I have grown to trust and maintain trust in individuals that I've known for months opposed to years. No one likes the feeling of getting "burned" or being hurt by people that we "trust".  So when it comes to trusting people and the matters of the heart, remember this golden rule:

NEVER trust people...Trust the GOD in people. 

Once you spend enough time with people and watch their traits, you will begin to see their fruit. Words say a lot of things, Actions say many things but fruit? Fruit says it all! Let's identify some bad fruit that should cause you to re-think the "trust" factor:

1. DO THEY GOSSIP OFTEN ABOUT OTHERS TO YOU? 

If they will do it with you, then they will do it to you. Period. Also, if they can say it to you, but  not in the face of the person that they speak of, it then makes them a coward. Everything that I say about you I should be able to say it to you.  If you are surrounded by someone who tells every one's business, secrets, rights /wrongs and ALLLWWAYYYSSS has something negative to say about someone or something...FLEE

2. DO THEY KEEP THEIR WORD? 

If there is ever a time that you have no money and/or items of materialistic value, the ONLY thing that you will have is your word. Your word is your bond and it is ohhh so valuable. Keeping your word speaks volumes. If it is said, then it should be done. There are those circumstances where life happens and where things come up, that's where communication comes in. Ultimately, if you are surrounded by someone who consistently makes broken promises and say things with little to no action to back them..FLEE. 

3. HOW DO THEY ACT/RESPOND WHEN THEY ARE HURT AND ANGRY? 

We are all guilty of saying and/or doing some things that we later regret out of anger. Such is life, and such is being human which is why we constantly seek ways to better ourselves and our hearts right? Anyway, these responses and actions are not the ones I am speaking of. I am speaking of those actions that are full of SPITE that leave physical and /or emotional DAMAGE. Those actions that are repetitive. Those words that are meant to cut to the depths of the heart. Those actions that have no remorse.  Whether these people do it to you or someone else, be mindful of how they act when they are angry. If they suddenly turn into this cold hearted, spiteful, vengeful person with no second thought or remorse....FLEE

4. ARE THEY RESPECTFUL OF OTHER'S THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS EVEN WHEN THEY DIFFER?

Everyone has an opinion. As we should. And the reality of it is that they all differ. My motto is that you don't have to feel and think the way that I feel and think, but you should respect my opinion as I should respect yours. Granted, there are some opinions that come from a totally ignorant and/or shallow place at times, and it makes it very complex to "respect" these opinions, however, under no circumstances should the person be disrespected. I know I am opinionated about everything. And I also know that there are some opinions that I think "that is the dumbest thing that I have ever heard in my life"...but I fervently try not to disrespect a person and their opinion regardless of what my thoughts are about it. To each his own. At the end of the day I don't have a heaven or hell to put anyone in, and I am totally fine with agreeing to disagree. On the flip side, there are some people that we WANT to see eye to eye with due to the nature and closeness of the relationship. Reality is that we won't see eye to eye all the time, BUT we should still listen and be open to hear what and why they feel and think as such. If you are surrounded by people who disrespect others because their opinions contrast or who disregard your thoughts and feelings on things because it does not align with what they deem as correct....FLEE 

5. IS IT HARD FOR THEM TO APOLOGIZE and/or ADMIT THEIR FAULTS?

No one is always right all the time.  Sometimes, you are at fault. Even if you were actually right, sometimes the approach or choice of words may not be right, thus you are in the wrong. We are not perfect, and we are bound to make mistakes at some point and time. Such is life. It is not okay, however, to disregard those mistakes, especially when others feel wronged or offended. You may not always mean to step on some one's toes, but that doesn't mean that you don't do it. Surround yourself by individuals who are open to rectify their faults whether it be through words or actions. If you are surrounded by someone who never deems themselves at fault or never apologizes (in their own way) even when they KNOW that they KNOW that they freakin knoowwww that they are at fault....FLEE

6. HOW DO THEY TREAT PEOPLE? 

Golden rule: do unto to others as you would want done to you. This ranges from customer service to being a customer...how you communicate with friends, family, elders and enemies. How you respond to the homeless person on the street who asks you for a hot meal or spare change.. or to that waitress who accidentally puts the wrong order in for your food. There is a right and wrong way to treat people. It all boils down to respect. If you are surrounded by someone who is very harsh towards people and heavy in attitude....FLEE 

7. ARE THEY HONEST?

Honesty is not just telling the truth about certain situations per se.. It's a walk of honestly overall. It's turning in the $100 bill that the man in front of you dropped out of his wallet. It's standing up for a situation even when you know you will take the heat for it. It's telling the truth even when it's embarrassing or just not saying anything at all. Bottom line, no one likes a liar and no one should trust a liar A liar in actions or a liar in words. dangerous.  If you catch the individuals surrounding you in multiple lies and/or dishonest acts....FLEE

8. ARE THEY SELFISH OR SELFLESS? 

If you are surrounded by individuals who only think, do and consider themselves....FLEE 

9. DO THEY HONOR GOD? 

To honor God is to regard with great respect. If you don't honor God, then what's there to convict you when the opportunity presents itself for you to negate my trust? Look at it like this, if you are married, that doesn't mean that you won't be attracted to many other individuals that come your way. There may be many times that some ATTRACTIVE people may come your way and some will even attempt to try you. But what is there that keeps you from cheating even when you're attracted? even when you're horny? Even when you're tempted? Our honor for God. When you honor someone or something it does great damage to your heart to even THINK about negating their trust. Conviction is what keeps us. The Holy Spirit convicts us and gives us the strength to choose the way OUT of temptation and dishonest situations. Surround yourself by individuals who seek to love and honor God as the primary goal of their being. Surround yourselves by individuals who seek to die to their fleshy, selfish desires to have the pure, loving heart of God. Knowing God, loving God, and honoring God makes all the difference. ALL the difference. If you are surrounded by individuals who disregard God and the heart of God....FLEE 

10. WHAT DO YOUR INSTINCTS SAY? 

My mentor has this saying that has become one of my golden rules in life. FOLLOW YOUR INSTINCTS. Your instincts are usually that voice, that conscious, or as she says the IAMINUS (The I AM IN US) . Listen to that voice, the Holy Spirit, that is there to guide you along the way. Sometimes you may not see any bad fruit from people that you are surrounded by, but if your GUT feeling, your instincts, the I AM in you even for a moment tells you that something is not right....FLEE. 

If there is one word that describes GOD, it is LOVE.  We know that according to 1 Corinthians 13 that Love is patient and kind. It does not envy, boast, and it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. We also know that according to Galatians 5:22 that the fruit of His Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Identify these things in the people that you choose to trust. Most importantly, identify them in yourself. Ask yourself? Am I trust worthy? Do I bear the fruits of the spirit? The attributes of love? Am I in a position to hear and/or understand The I AM in me?

 I hope that we can all find something in this blog that will either enhance us as trustworthy people, and/or increase our discernment on who we choose to trust. Thanks for listening to my heart on this matter.

~Aleshia 

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