Out of Order and Backwards

Happy Thursday and welcome back to Ready for Better. Thanks for being here!

"I Owe, I Owe, So Off to Work I Go!"

Anyone relate to this quote?? I've put together some of my roadtrip pictures to help illustrate our Out of Order and Backwards way that most of us are using to handle our finances... I have lived this way for many years, so please know I am speaking first hand!


























Ahh, Oregon, Beautiful Trees and Driving...

Oh the doowdeR's - How majestic!

The odaroloC and hatU border, one of my favorite stops :)

Facing South down the coast... Wait a min, shouldn't the Ocean be on my right??

Okay, Okay, these photos have been mirrored and are all out of order!

Like the pictures above, we sometimes like the overall colors of our financial situation. It is nice and even pretty because it is ours and we created it, even in it's backward-ness.

When we choose to buy-now and pay-later, or purchase on credit, we have flipped backwards the natural order.

Have you ever heard this? "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender." Proverbs 22:7 - Really think about that SLAVE word.

When we head off to work in the morning, what are we usually doing... Earning an income to pay for our basic needs of course, but those are only part of that reason. What about consumer debt in the form of credit card bills, student loans, car loans, or maybe a HELOC (Like I once used to buy a 4-wheeler!!)? These all represent moments where we were backwards in our purchasing process.

Working because we owe a lender their monthly payment for something we bought weeks, months or years ago is exhausting. There is no way to get ahead in this system.

The thunderstorm of commercials and marketing we have dumped on us every day, convince us we are smart to choose the backward system of credit. Zero percent interest, 90 days same as cash, and double airline miles are all efforts to seduce you by companies who know how to really make money. Who is getting the best deal when we choose to buy now and pay later?? They do of course, they understand the "Borrower is Slave to the Lender"...

If we first work, then save, then purchase an item, we have returned to the natural order. At that point we are slave to no one and can choose to live our days as we would most like to. Planning forward with savings and then truly owning the stuff in our life, opens up the doors to financial peace and a wealthy future.

Are you Ready for a Better life than debt has brought you so far? Does this message stir any emotion? If so, that is good, because it means that there is hope for you to find freedom and release the chains of consumer debt.

You are special. You work too hard to not be getting ahead. You are worth it! It requires sacrifice to climb out of debt, and when we sacrifice, we are blessed with fantastic results!

"Debt gives you the ability to look like you're winning, when you're not." - Dave Ramsey

Sincerely,

Aaron Nichols

True North Financial Fitness Coaching

785-218-6134

aaron@truenorthffc.com

http://www.truenorthffc.com/

Free 30 Minute Financial Analysis - No Obligation - Completely Confidential

Your Vision

Good Morning, I hope your week has been Fantastic!! Here is the latest Blog update and one that I will expand and build on in future posts. This subject has impacted all areas of my life, including finances. Let's talk about Vision...

I have been a "rider" for most of my life. As a kid I had a bicycle like most. Then four-wheelers and motorcycles were a big part of my recreation as a teen and adult. I've also enjoyed many miles of adult bicycling as well. I've never been the smoothest rider, the craziest, or the most confident. I enjoyed it and thought I was okay, but actually had tons of room to improve!

A few years ago, I was reading a web article on bicycling and found a sentence that changed the way I looked at the world from that point forward.

Okay, so the sentence (that I read) that changed everything about the way I ride and live, goes something like this... "The bike goes where you look!"


























Simple Right?? I immediately tested the theory and found out it is So True! The bike does go where you look. Put your eye on a spot in the road, focus there, and the bike ends up tracking exactly on top of that spot. No extra thinking or steering is required.

Let's go further... If the Bike is us, and the Road is life, and Time is the engine pushing us forward... Do we understand that We are going where We are Looking??

Most of the time, if a curve is ahead, and we see a patch of gravel, or a huge pothole, (A Big Problem!) then our eyes stick on it, and we drive right to it!! The whole time thinking, "I hope I don't hit that, I hope I don't hit that!"

As it relates to our finances, are we looking to the place in the road we want to be? Or do we focus on the patches of gravel (bills piling up) and potholes (a mountain of debt). Worse yet, are we turned around and looking behind us at our previous money mistakes and opportunities we've past? Where do you think we're headed in that situation?

We must begin to change our focus and where our vision is pointed. If we put our eyes on a new future, look beyond the debt, see ourselves as wisely controlling our finances, then us and our bike will begin to point that way. Can you see yourself in a Life After Debt? Can you see the money you would be able to spend, save and give if you had no credit card bills, student loans, medical bills, car payments or even a house payment? I like that vision, and live that vision. I know you can accomplish that too!





















The exhilleration and feeling of flight you are able to enjoy when Debt-Free is worth the effort to get there. Use your mind and your vision to imagine that life for you and your family. You do deserve to rid yourself of the potholes that debt cause in your life. The road does not have to be as bumpy in your future financial world.

If you are Ready for a Better Road, together we can make a plan to fill those holes of consumer-debt. If you're Ready for a Better Bike we'll install cushy shock-absorbers called emergency funds to soften the ride. Then I'll bring out the atlas, to show you the places you can reach, if you take the investing route to get there. You'll have one saddle-bag stuffed full of cash for your future fun purposes and purchases. The other one will be over-flowing so you can stop along the way to help fellow travelers with your abundance.

Thanks for reading today's post. I hope you'll ask yourself, "What is My Vision?" and I hope it is a good one :)

"One thing I do is forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead" Philippians 3:13

Sincerely,

Aaron Nichols

True North Financial Fitness Coaching

785-218-6134

aaron@truenorthffc.com

http://www.truenorthffc.com/

Free 30 Minute Consultation - No Obligation - Completely Confidential

* Special Thanks to Sterling for a sweet Saturday Ride, and to sweet Liz for taking the pics!

The Fall

Welcome back to Ready For Better, I'm glad to have you here!

The air is cooler. Daytime is shrinking. A change is happening. The leaves are showing a slight breeze from the North today. Their hues hint at what is coming. Nature is aware of the future, and is preparing now.

How does our personal financial life relate to this time of the year? Can we see and admire the ways of our environment? Let's walk through the Eastern Kansas landscape just a bit...





















Saving money for our future is something that most of us are aware we should be doing. A farmer needs to feed his cattle when there is no green grass in February... his Hay-Savings Account, The Big Round Bale, will pay off on a cold and snowy day.


























Some trees sensed the trend early, and cut away all their leaves. They know how to be patient. Full of all the energy they gained since spring, there's plenty in reserve to wait until it's return.

When we've stored our money, the way they store their energy, we are able to withstand a harsh winter's blast like an emergency car repair, unforeseen medical event or even the loss of a job.





















The life of these leaves is nearing it's end. They were twitterpated buds in the spring. They basked in the summer's sun. They nourished the plant who gave them life and enjoyed the community of their friends and family around them. Now, when it's almost over, they show new color in their final hurrah!

When we're in the fall season of our lives, let's plan to color-up the world around us with a financially vibrant retirement! It is possible for us to live out our dreams and enjoy those years while giving generously as well. Planning starts today. Our current lifestyle has great impacts on the lifestyle we'll have in the future. Is our vision as forward-thinking as these plants??


























Even in these short days, we see the blooms and bursts of colorful flowers. Fall is not all about the end. While we're saving, while we're planning for the upcoming, let's also remember to smile and be thrilled with our own true colors. Budgeting and controlling our money has nothing to do with keeping us dull and brown and blah. We can and should be enjoying the richness and fullness of life along the way!



















When we back up and take in the big picture view, we see the bounty of life and appreciate it. Hopefully we'll appreciate our own bounty, our own potential to create a future for ourselves that is colorful and wisely planned for.

Truly enjoying today to the fullest is easiest when we have little fear of tomorrow. Saving for emergencies, big purchases and our future is a great way to do that. Having a spending plan for now that includes savings, allows us to have a vividly living and giving plan later.

When You're Ready for a Better Later, Call Me Now. Your future-self will thank you!


Sincerely,







Aaron Nichols

True North Financial Fitness Coaching
785-218-6134
aaron@truenorthffc.com
http://www.truenorthffc.com/

FREE 30 Minute Consultation - No obligation - Completely Confidential

Dog Tales

Welcome to the first Ready for Better blog post. I am glad to have you here!
If you've read my previous blog http://www.ashellandastone.blogspot.com/ this one will be very similiar in style. Let's open up financial discussion and thoughts on life and money. I'll bring insight, comedy and plenty of pictures... Now, on to Dog Tales!

Good Morning from the Rails-To-Trails Walk/Bike Path just north of Princeton, KS! This is a great place to spend time in the morning with my Two excited girls, Bella (left) & Roxy (right). You may have remembered Roxy from the roadtrip, as she's been a blog-star before. Now she has a new sweet sister, Bella. This girl is really fitting in well around here and she has inspired the first story for Ready for Better....

These fall Kansas mornings are beautiful and as the bright golds, dusty browns and deep greens start to interplay, we know that summer is now behind us.

The morning walk is an exciting time for both dogs and me. Here we are starting to learn about the personality of these two girls, and really about how some of us choose live our lives. This also will relate to how we look at our finances. As you can see, the path is nicely pebbled and clear, although there is lots of nature around.

Roxy is a confident and intentional girl. As soon as we reach the path, immediately she crashes through the brush and weeds along the trail, pads down into the shade and moves fluidly among the woods and bushes. One can only imagine the jackpot of doggy surprises down there. Tons of smells, obstacles and visual stimuli. Logs to bound over, branches to slide under, things to stop to sniff and sometimes critters to chase! She's living her dreams without worry, just like Debt-Freedom!

However her opposite, Bella, is up on the pea gravel with me. She's having fun and is excited as well. Many times, she finds herself alone.


























Interestingly, her comfort in the main trail seems strained. It's like she knows there is more out there, but is afraid to try.

Sometimes she pokes her nose off the edge of the trail, tries to push into the weeds and usually backs off. There is always a stubborn sapling, or stiff stick right in her way. Most of the time it's just a dead grass blade that stops her in her tracks. There are no mowed openings down into the woods...




















What does this teach us about ourselves? How often do we consider a change or to try something new, only to have the "why nots" immediately smacking us in the face.

In the world of personal finance, we find that most of us Americans are sticking to the main path. Let's play it safe and stay on what has been laid down as the "Normal" way to go. Consumer-debt and the highly-effective marketing of credit is the man-made pea gravel path. And unfortunately, this "Normal" way, is pay-check to pay-check, really meaning broke. God created so much more life for us to enjoy than this.

Although it may be tough at first to break away, our friend Roxy knows the joys that make it worth the effort. Getting on a budget, building power over purchase, and breaking habits of always needing a car loan to buy a car, these are the uncomfortable twigs that shouldn't have the power to stop us from reaching our dreams that we deserve.

So when we're debt-free, when we've taken on challenges, and maybe had to feel a little sticker bush scratch to get there, we understand the truth. There is a much richer path already waiting for us in the shade of the trees. A creek-bed travels parallel to the Rail-Trail. Down there we have water for refreshment, and it is loosely vegetated with plenty of running room. Will we be brave enough to find this out first hand?

Good news for us and for Bella. Little by little we see progress. We get bolder and stronger. We get tired of the same 'ol same 'ol. This morning I saw her stepping further into the grass and even beyond the first clumps of brush, she was following Rox... It won't be long and she'll be going whole-hog straight into doggy-heaven-on-earth!

I personally know and feel the freedom that the journey out of debt can bring. Life after debt is possible and absolutely rewarding. There is a better way than Normal... When you're Ready for Better, give me a call, I'll be thrilled to show you the way!


Sincerely,

Aaron Nichols

True North Financial Fitness Coaching

785-218-6134

aaron@truenorthffc.com

http://www.truenorthffc.com/