365 Ways to Live Happy (13 page)
Wealth begins as a state of mind. You must want it and be willing to work toward having it. Even if you don't have any discretionary income to put to work earning money, at least invest some time in a class to begin to learn about how you can build wealth. Some of the wealthiest people in American history were once poor, hard-working immigrants with little to show for their daily endeavors. Many even faced discrimination. But they had big dreams and didn't let their situation stop them from building great wealth. A wealth seminar could be just what you need to get started working on your own stash of cash.
Perhaps you enjoy beadwork and make earrings, belt buckles, and pins while watching television at night. Or, you may have a passion for sports collectibles and pour over your binder of cachets in your leisure time. Whatever your interest, passion, or hobby, consider how you could turn it into a stream of income. Could you make something artsy-craftsy to sell at local art and wine festivals, on eBay, or in galleries featuring the work of local artisans? Think of at least three ways to generate income from your knowledge, passion, and expertise. Yes, there may be a learning curve until you are actually doing it, but you're going to love the extra money flowing in.
If you are looking for that silver lining in the dark cloud of America's recent economic downturn, try studying what happened to your budget, income, and investments in order to see what you might do differently from now on. The great psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud once remarked that our illusions allow us to enjoy pleasure but when they collide with reality and are dashed to pieces, we have to accept it. Some of the industrial giants who built America suffered financial failures. However, from those failures, they gleaned information to build future financial empires. Dale Carnegie, for example, said that two of the surest steppingstones to success were discouragement and failure. Use them to your advantage and a happy and prosperous financial future could be yours.
What do you do during your commute other than drive? Talk on your cell? Think about your troubles? Curse at the long line of cars ahead or the guy who just cut you off? Do something productive when you are forced to sit in traffic. Buy some audio books about finance. Or choose audio titles in other areas of your business. Maybe there's an industry topic that you want to know more about or a new language you'd like to learn for a new market you want to tap. You have to be on that road twice a day, so instead of letting all that time go to waste, use the time in ways that can return dividends in your career or business. You may find yourself looking forward to that commute.
Plan a family vacation around a trip to the U.S. Mint in Washington, DC. The mint oversees the custody and protection of $100 billion of U.S. gold and silver assets. Why not use the occasion as a field trip to learn about the history of the mint, how it produces currency and coinage for commerce, why a mint mistake can get coin collectors salivating, what is a proof set of collectible coins, and how someone can start a coin collection for fun and to learn history. That trip, quite possibly, could be the highlight of your family vacation.
When you inherit property, for example, there's inherent temptation to spend money rather than invest it. However, if you don't need that money and can invest it in mutual funds, annuities, real estate income trust (REITS), or other assets, consult a trusted advisor or investment professional for advice on how to put your money to work earning more money for you. Expenditures on luxury items can give you a thrill, but the happiness isn't lasting. Anytime you have discretionary income that isn't earmarked for your personal or family needs, a better approach to spending it on expensive toys is to buy assets that, over time, will put money into your pocket.
There's something reassuring about having money in your purse or pants pocket. Think of that dollar as insurance against developing a poverty mentality. Abolish the sense of deficiency in your life and try to stay focused on the abundance that you want to manifest. You are certainly not broke as long as you have that dollar. Let the dollar lead you into brainstorming ways of creating more dollars. Positive and hopeful thinking and dreaming can get you started. Goals will pull you a little farther along, and creative ingenuity and concrete effort can remove blockages and shift the flow of money into your life. And being able to manifest the money you need replaces your fear and worry with joy and expectation.
Hung up about money? Get a little crazy. Pull out a piece of paper, some magazines, a pair of scissors, glue, and some colored pens. Go through the magazines, cutting out images of money or words like “millionaire” or “money magnet.” Choose visual images of dreams you would like to manifest as you become more prosperous. In the center of your poster, draw a giant dollar sign or stacks of currency or your personal symbol of wealth. Use the colored pens to draw several spokes away from your symbol of wealth. At the end of each spoke draw a circle. In each circle, write a different way to bring in some money, right now or in the near future. Dream it, draw it, do it.
If you've never produced a personal profit and loss chart, don't sweat it. It's easy to create and useful for preparing your income tax filings. Really, it's about pulling together two columns of numbers:income and expenses. List all your income sources, such as wages, investment dividends, lottery winnings, social security benefits, income tax refunds, or others, and their respective amounts in one column. A second column lists all your expenses with those amounts also allocated. That means money spent for orthodontic braces, medical insurance premiums, and regular medications go under a “Medical” heading. Also include headings such as Auto, Charity, Child Care, Education, Household (mortgage, moving expenses, for example), and others. Knowing the amount of money coming in exceeds the amount being spent for your needs means you most likely will have money left over. Maybe a lot! Now doesn't that make you happy?