Is it time for a change?

<b> Is it time for a change? We often do the same things day in and day out, year in and year out, and become comfortably numb to the way we live. A lot of the things we do we may not enjoy such as our job and the way we handle our money. We keep on going to our place of work and instead of enjoying it we just learn to endure the day. This also affects the way we handle our finances. When we are not happy in our daily work routine we will try to find something to buy or go on as many vacations we can to find joy. Money can buy fun but it cannot buy happiness. So how do you know when you need to make some changes? Here are a few things that may indicate to you to change your life. 1. If you get this sinking feeling Sunday evening around 6pm when you realize that you have to work in the morning. Don’t let going to work ruin your time off create a plan to find new work or start a business. 2. If you have a short fuse with your friends and family when the week starts. When we dislike our work we tend to be snappy with others, although you don’t want to be this way the wrath falls on the family and friends. Don’t get frustrated because of the pressure you feel from not enjoying what you are doing. Set up a time line to explore other opportunities. One thing that helps is be thankful you are able to work and have a place to work, but if you know your job is not your calling use the experience as a stepping stone to move on. 3. If your resume is a list of things you do not like to do, it’s time for a change. Just because someone is hiring and paying good does not mean it is a good fit for you. If you hate math but become a CPA because they pay well you are setting yourself up for a tough ride. 4. If you go out and buy stuff to give you a happy feeling and you are going farther into debt. We cannot buy joy and happiness, but we can buy fun. Money may be the husk of many things, but not the kernel. It brings you food, but not an appetite; medicine, but not health; acquaintances, but not friends; servants but not faithfulness; days of fun, but not peace happiness and joy. Henrik Ibsen I am not saying quit where you are at, but begin to plan where you want to be whether it is in your career life or your financial life. We get so busy doing the things in life we declare as “urgent” that we always live in crisis mode. When you are constantly in crisis mode without a plan it is hard to take time to make a plan for what is really important in life. Remember you don’t have to, you get to. Let me know if I can help! Tim West Go West Coaching

2013- The New Year

 2013 – The New Year

    I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas this year.  It is hard to believe that we are at the end of 2012.  There is a lot of wonder and anxiety going into 2013.  We have the fiscal cliff we are facing, struggling economy, the tragedy in Connecticut and basically a divided country.  I wished I could say that I could solve those problems overnight, but no one can and a quick fix usually sets us up for a future failure.  I believe the best way for us to see changes in life that we want is to work on our own life.   I cannot fix the national economy today, but I can make a lot of progress on my personal economy.    I read a blog by Kevin Miller yesterday that was good about pleasure necessity and significance.   I thought this would be a great time to invest more time in the significant things in my life.   We start out this year on fire to change our lives and then we fail to plan , and we wind up in the 92% that do not accomplish their resolutions.  Are resolutions simple? No. Are they easy? No. Is it hard work? Yes.  Is it worth it?  It is to me when I meet a goal.  Well you may ask how can I do it? Attempt to change, and stick to it is the best start.   Feel free to download a goal worksheet from my website (toward bottom of page) and go through it and make plans in the seven different areas that make up your life. Make the goals attainable, but challenging.  You may be like me; you can make the goals and forget to check the sheet monthly to see if you are hitting the marks to attain your goal.  It’s hardly a waste of time when you check your goals because you are changing your life.  Remember to set goals that are possible, such as, if you make 50k a year but you want to make more don’t make the goal 250000!  Remember by the inch it’s a cinch by the yard it’s hard.  Take baby steps to get there.  Speaking of baby steps I am hosting a Dave Ramsey’s financial peace university starting Jan 13^th.  Click here for more information.  If you just hope that your life changes and take no action you will be facing 2014 saying nothing is different from last year. If you quit trying to reach your goals you will fail also and be discourged.    Be Blessed this 2013 and when you change yourself remember you are changing the world!!

Let me know if I can help!

Tim West

Go West Coaching

Single Parents and Money

Single Parents and Money Well this is putting two challenging things together, single parenting and money. Being a parent has its challenges, but it can be one of the most joyous experiences you can have. There are many challenges you can have as a parent so I will try to help you with the money challenge. Here is a big revelation, men and women view money differently! I know it’s a shock but we do. Single parents have a lot going on and have a tough assignment. My parents were divorced when I was eight years old; although I did not realize it at the time, I can now see some of the things my mom had to face. Mothers try to nurture and create that loving safe home environment and train up a child in the way they should go. If you throw in bread winner and provider to their duties that makes for one busy day and can lead to a lot of frustration, fear and confusion. Women, as a whole, tend to get fearful when they don’t have the money they feel they need to take care of their household. Whatever is affecting mom is picked up by the rest of the family. Also when you get busy and begin to think you are not doing as good in some areas you may want to compensate for it with money. You may buy them something they want or take them on a vacation you cannot afford. Once you spend that money on those things the bills come around and it puts you in a bind then you panic. It is also easy for dads to overspend because dads feel, as the provider and bread winner, we can convince ourselves that if we provide this or that we can use it to substitute for mom. Now, single dad has money problems because he has spent too much trying to replace mom with cash. I have noticed one thing about kids, they love mom or dad and they forget about the toys and big vacations before they forget the time spent with them daily. Quantity time is quality time! When the kids get older they remember the struggles moms or dads had and appreciate them for the sacrifice. I did!! Don’t buy into the worlds systems of you need to get you child this or that to be a good parent. Being a good parent is saying no when you cannot afford something. Don’t spend the grocery money on a social class or a video game. Sometimes the things you need to do don’t give you the warm fuzzy feelings inside like doing what you think your kids would enjoy and make you feel like a good parent. The best way to solve a problem is to have a plan. Create a budget monthly and use it. When I say use it I mean follow it and set your spending amounts and stick to them. Sometimes you have to adjust the amounts so do it and stick to them. There is nothing wrong with buying your kids something they want or taking them on vacation, just plan for it. Don’t spend the money until you have it saved. Don’t spend it out of guilt. When you save the money for vacation and spend it on vacation don’t feel guilty, enjoy it. Disney has a plan for your grocery money, and it is not food! Have your cash saved and follow your spending plan not theirs. Set down every month spend every dollar on paper, and hey it’s okay to spend some of your money on a vacation or a build a bear! Enjoy your children, and don’t feel guilty because you cannot do everything they want. Children are like us, their wants are unlimited, and a budget gets that in order for your family. You can create a plan to enjoy your children and your money. Knowing what to do with your money before you get it helps you enjoy the time you have with your children more. Let me know if I can help. Tim West Go West Coaching 6/2/2012