Small Change: It Adds Up!

Hi all!  I hope you're having a good week.  Jim came home again yesterday with some extra money.  He's made a practice for years now of looking for small change wherever he goes.  A penny here, a quarter there.  And now that he's in the vending business, he finds even more.  Coin jams, money left in the coin return or on top of the machines--it's all his as long as he checks in to make sure no customer has put in a request for a return at the office.  He puts all found money in a vacation fund--at times it tops $1000 or more in a year.  All from loose change!  It all adds up, folks.

The same goes for small changes in other areas of our lives.  You may think that losing a pound a week is nothing; you want to lose weight faster so you try drastic measures, only to gain some or all of it back.  Slow weight loss is the best.  It may be only a pound per week, but that adds up to a whopping 52 pounds per year!  Or, you may be smothering in your cluttered house. Every time you walk through the door, you feel overwhelmed with the mess.  Make a commitment to clean out one drawer; just one drawer.  See how that lightens the weight on your shoulders.  It feels so good!  I know because I did that very thing over Memorial Day weekend.  The office is a mess, so I started with one drawer and it boosted my mood so much!  Try it and see what happens.  I tell ya, you'll feel great.  Then build on that momentum and before long you'll have your whole house looking awesome.  

Make the process of change fun.  Make looking for small change of any kind, whether monetary or otherwise, an adventure.  If you're trying to lose weight, put together an energetic cardio playlist or ask an upbeat friend to work out with you.  If you're cleaning out your house, crank up the music and sing and dance your way through the mountains of papers, junk mail, food, boxes, toys, clothes, magazines, and books that litter your living space.  

Whatever the changes are that you want to make, remember to take baby steps.  Don't expect the change to happen overnight.  It takes time and commitment.  Small, sustainable change can mean a big pay off over time.

What small changes have you made in your life that paid off mightily in the end?  Please share your story here in the comments, or email me at amy@acnlifecoach.com.  Thanks!

The Choice Is Yours

Today's blog post stems from the recent demands made by fast-food workers for higher wages.  

I believe we all have a choice in what we do for a living.  And yes, people should be paid fairly, and given wage hikes based on the quality of their work.  I also tend to agree with one worker who said that when the cost of food, rent, and other necessities go up, employees should get a cost of living raise.  But I also urge people in this position to take a long, hard look at where they find themselves.  They are working in fast-food.  This is where kids often get their first jobs.  Yes, it can be hectic and stressful.  But it is unskilled.  

Do you feel as if you're stuck in a job that you don't like, where you're not treated fairly, or where you just don't feel inspired anymore?  Here are some tips to try that may turn things around.

Improve Your Current Situation:  If you want to improve your job situation but don't feel as if you can leave your current job, do what you can to improve it.  Perk up work by making friends with co-workers, organizing an employee softball team or lunchtime walking meetings, and planning holiday parties.  You could also put a  plant or inspiring painting in your office to cheer it up a bit.  In addition, watch, listen, and learn.  Learn all you can from others in the business.  Be serious about your job.  Work your butt off.  Be the model employee.  Be the go-to employee when things need to be done.  Don't treat it as grunt work, but rather as a learning experience.  Keep your eyes and ears open for any opportunity to learn and advance your career.  

Balance Work and Home Life:  If you're already drowning in work, you may think finding time to spend with family and on hobbies impossible, but think about it.  When you're not at work, what are you doing?  I venture to guess that it has something to do with surfing the Internet, texting, laundry, grabbing fast-food on your way home.  Okay, you need to do laundry and you need to eat.  But, you know that the Internet and texting can be reduced big time.  Although the Internet can provide helpful information at the click of mouse, it can also be a huge time waster.  Cut down your leisure Internet surfing to an hour a day, and there you go--free time!  You can exercise, read,  meditate, cook a healthy meal for dinner, go shopping with a friend, do volunteer work, and something most of us get way too little of--sleep.  Whatever you feel you are presently missing out on, you can most likely fit into your day if you cut down drastically on your Internet and social media time.   Not into social media but still don't seem to have time to relax?  Take note of how you spend your time.  Maybe you watch 2 hours of television each evening, or spend the 30 minutes prior to a teacher's conference waiting around to go to the school.  In that time, you could take a walk,  shoot some baskets with friends, read a chapter or two of your favorite book,  check in on a neighbor, or work on restoring a piece of antique furniture.  Taking time for the things you enjoy can help you feel more content with your life.  

Go to School:  If you aren't getting anywhere in your present field, consider going to school.  This could include going to a local technical school to learn a trade.  Become a welder, pharmacy technician, certified nurse's assistant , or truck driver and the like.  These and other technically skilled jobs require 2 years or less of training, and financial aid is often available for those who qualify.  If you have a certification or degree already but want a change, consider altering or switching careers.  This takes planning, preparation, and discussion with family members who would be affected.  Find out if your employer will help pay for work-related courses.  If you're looking for a total change, look into financial aid.  Many schools, colleges and universities offer financial aid to students to help students with expenses.  You may also qualify for education grants and scholarships through area businesses and organizations.  Don't quit your day job before you have something solid to move on to.  This may mean you'll have to deal with a hectic schedule for awhile, but if it helps you to realize your dreams, it's worth it.  

Remember, you are in control of what you do.  If you aren't happy in your current situation you need to dig deep to find a solution.  Yes, it's great to have the financial and emotional backing of family and friends, but you don't have to have that to make a life change.  What you need is resolve, patience, determination, passion, imagination...and a little spunk!

I'd like to know how you got yourself out of a rut.  What strategies did you try?  What worked, what didn't?  Respond in the comment section below, or email me at amy@acnlifecoach.com.  Your messages are always welcome.  Take care.