By Thomas Sheffield
2019 is flying by fast. The month of May is almost over. Do you remember your New Years resolution? Did you keep your commitment to lose weight, save money, stop smoking, drinking, swearing, cheating and/or gossiping? Did you keep your promise to read more, pray more and to be a better steward of your blessings? I don’t know about you, but all these resolutions or promises I made to myself have seemed to fall by the wayside and I do not feel any better off than I did just 6 months ago. However, all is not lost. We still have time and a shot to make this year, the best year ever! Here are 5 things we can do to finish this year strong and be better by 2020.
First, write your commitments down. Put them somewhere visible so you will be reminded daily of the goal.
Second, if you don’t have one, get a life insurance policy. I know we don’t really want to think about it but it is a grown- up thing to do. A policy through your employer is not good enough. We need to think ahead and build a legacy for our family not a burden.
Third, save your money. There are approximately 35 weeks left in this year. If you manage to save $10 per week for the rest of the year, you will have $350 to start 2020 off right. If you are able to save $20 per week, you will have $700 by the end of the year. Nearly 40% of Americans don’t have $400 saved to cover emergency expenses. Emergencies include car repairs, home repairs and even medical emergencies. Many times we spend $20 on pizza or a car wash each week. But think about it, you will have more money to start 2020 than you had in the middle of the year and you will be in better shape to handle an emergency. That’s a win.
The fourth thing to do is to read. Read books, magazines and newspapers, like this one, rather than wasting your time on Facebook or social media on ratchet things. We give too much of our time and energy trying to keep up with stuff that does not matter. We pay too much attention to the shiny thing over here while the real work is going on over there. We are being robbed blind by the enemy because we worry about the wrong things and never grow. Meanwhile, we fall further and further behind and our families continue to suffer.
How much time have you wasted this year? Invest your time and money in a good cause. There are many different agencies and community groups that need your help. Join a club or group like the NAACP or the Sierra Club. These groups work to protect our rights and our environment. Finally, register and then VOTE!!! Local elections are coming later this year. As the summer heats up, we need to let our voices be heard.
Feel free to contact me thomsustainableconsulting@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter @tcsheff
