Be Alert to Pitfalls of Money Matters

Managing personal finance is a serious matter and there are things to avoid in order to achieve financial freedom in the long term. Here is what you should watch out for:

·         No budget: The purpose of a budget is to allocate funds to meet various monthly expenditures and to ensure that you are spending less than what you have earned to create a surplus fund.  The excess amount can then be saved for emergency purposes, retirement or investment.  

·         No emergency fund: Emergency fund covering normal monthly expenses, lasting for three to six months, is set aside to meet uncertainties in life especially during unemployment. In such a period when there is no income, you can use the fund to live a normal life for a few months.

·         No insurance protection: Accidents do happen. It is necessary to obtain insurance coverage to reimburse medical expenses and be compensated when you are disabled as a result of an accident.   It is also necessary to secure a stream of income in case of critical illnesses. Take insurance cover to claim for hospitalization and loss of income when you are unable to work due to serious illnesses.  

·         No financial plans for the future:  Plan early for your children’s higher education and your retirement. The earlier you start, the smaller will be the amount every month you need to put aside to accumulate for such purposes.  

·         No control in spending: Spend at your whims and fancies will lead to overspending and incurring debt. If it goes unchecked, interest on interest will be added to the accumulated outstanding amount. You can be bankrupt if the debt is beyond your means to pay. You are especially vulnerable to spend more than necessary when you have credit cards.

·         No self-investment: It is important to do self-study, take up courses or attend classes to acquire new skills to secure your job and enhance your earning power. A valued employee is someone who possesses multi-skills.

·        No knowledge about money and related matters: It is unwise to leave your money in financial institutions because the interest collected is not enough to keep pace with inflation. You need to be knowledgeable about various investment channels to diversify and grow your wealth.

Stay away from the pitfalls of personal finance and be successful in money matters 

Effective Filing to Avoid Paper Clutter

How do you maintain a tidy workstation? The best thing is to avoid documents piling up on your desk Here are the easy ways to get rid of paper on your desk and maintain proper filing for the documents


1. Action Now: As soon as a piece of document has landed on your table, take immediate action. There are four things you can do:


• Discard: Send to the trash bin immediately if it serves no purposes
• Take action right away: If it takes a few minutes to get it done, go ahead and do it.
• File: If it is for future reference or action, send the document to its permanent home such as a tickler file.
• A folder for outstanding work: When you cannot act on it now put the document in a folder and leave it on your table so that you can keep it in view and attend to it later.

2. All about files: The aim of filing is to give each and every document a proper home so that a document can be easily and quickly located when you need it later. A thick file is better and easier to locate documents because related documents are kept together instead of filing related documents separately in smaller files. Use files of the same size, especially for A4 paper, which are convenient for storage

3. The system: When you are dealing with many different companies. Keep files separately in different cabinets for every company. In each company, file according to the subject and label them such as cash payment vouchers, check payment vouchers, and bank statements. It is also necessary to date the file like 2011, January to June 2011, and February 2011.

4. A tickler file to remember all you need to do in the future: You don’t have to remember things to do because all the information is in just one file. This file has two sections. One part consists of 31 folders for each day in a month. Another part with 12 folders for every month in a year. At the end of a month, say February, you transfer the documents for March and file according to their dates into their respective slots in the 31 folders. When you arrive at work, say on March 1, just look for documents for this particular date and you know what you are supposed to do. A tickler file is very suitable for recurring items on a regular basis like monthly or yearly. As soon as an item is done with, transfer the document to the March folder and ready to be used again next year. You don’t have to remember things to do but make it a habit to look at it every working day first thing in the morning



It is a good working habit to clear the paper on your desk every day. There will be more documents coming in daily. Manage or be swarmed by paper.

7 Evils to Avoid

Have you committed one of the following wrongdoings?

1. Greed: To have a huge gain in a short time is the weakest spot in human beings. It is revealed and reported in newspapers but history repeats itself. Stay away from gambling and get-rich-quick schemes.

2. Cheats: Don’t trick or deceive when people trust you. Sooner or later your dishonesty will be discovered. Avoid academic cheating; be true to yourself and others. If you are caught your career will be ruined. In another area, avoid infidelity and adultery in a close relationship to maintain the unity and harmony of a family unit.

3. Desires: The desire to have more material things disrupts your peace of mind. More importantly, it destabilizes your financial freedom. Usually, you will incur unmanageable debt to satisfy your wants and end up bankrupt. It is also essential to curb your sexual appetite; do not take advantage of others to satisfy your lust.

4. Lies: When you tell a lie you need to tell more lies to support the first lie. Can you remember all your lies? When the truth is out you have no place to hide. Tell the truth and you don’t have to remember anything. Honesty is the best policy.

5. Pretence: Don’t wear a mask to hide your true self. Each and every one of us is the sum of our strengths and weaknesses. There is no need to hide your weak spot. Be sincere and truthful and people will respect and admire you when you are  candid

6. Bully: Don’t use force just because the other person is weak physically. Use your strength to protect those who need to be protected and fight against other bullies.

7. Revenge: Forgive and forget; the thought of getting even disturbs your peace of mind and you cannot act rationally. Be kind and you will be at peace with yourself.

Be free and happy; Enjoy peace of mind and face the world confidently without hiding anything or holding back anything by avoiding the 7 evils.

Effective Ways to Avoid Credit Card Debt

Source:http://itsamoneything.com/money/funny-quotes-money-sayings-humor/#.VYzRqxuqqko

The most important thing about credit cards is your mindset. When you have a credit card, what is in your mind? Are you going to entertain yourself and your friends with the card or to buy things you want on credit? Stop thinking about the word credit and treat your credit card like cash. Take advantage of your credit card for the following purposes only:

The objective of holding a credit card

·         Convenience: Avoid carrying a lot of cash

·         Get reward points: To redeem for things you like

·         Savings: Get cash rebates and pay less

·         Simplify your life: Let credit card issuers settle your monthly bills

·         Smart buying: Purchase big-ticket items in installments without incurring interest

·         Online transactions: You need a credit card to transact online.

The wise ways to avoid credit card debt

The keyword is discipline: You have to pay your credit card bill every month fully and promptly. This is to avoid charges on late payment and incur high-interest charges by paying just the minimum amount. Interest is compounded and snowballed on the outstanding amount. It can easily go beyond your means to pay and you can end up bankrupt.

Treat your credit card like cash: It means you set aside the same amount every time you charge something to your card. At the end of each month, the amount you set aside is earmarked for credit card payment.

Self-control: Control your urge to want more things in life. Stop reading advertisements that are luring you just to buy, buy and buy.

Say no to credit: Getting into credit card debt is easy, but getting out of it is difficult. Avoiding credit and getting cash advances from your credit card is the best thing you can do for yourself.

It is a very simple idea: no credit, no debt, and no money problems.

7 Article Writing Pitfalls to Watch Out

You need to approach article writing differently when you are doing it for the Net. Readers are impatient and they want to know what they are looking for quickly. These are the things you should look out for:

1. Just long paragraphs: On the Net, nobody wants to read many lengthy paragraphs to hunt for your main ideas. Highlight the most important issues by using bullet points. Readers don’t read, but scan. Your  ideas in bold will serve their purposes

2. Content not supporting the title: Ask yourself whether the content is matching the title of the article. Do the ideas presented answer what the title is looking for?

3. Lengthy introduction: In your introduction tell the readers in a short paragraph what you are going to talk about and bring them right into the body of your article.

4. Titles without impact: Does your title carry the maximum emotional marketing value? Does your title impact the readers intellectually, empathetically and spiritually? Always check your article titles at Headline Analyzer. The title of this article has an EMV of 42.86% with an empathetic appeal. 

5. Wordiness: Wordiness results in unnecessary repetition of the same idea in different words like:

• The sky is blue in color
• Small in size
• Totally rejected
• Bare essential

     

           Write to express yourself clearly, accurately in short sentences and paragraphs.

6. No relevant images: A suitable image will complement your article and strengthen your idea to call for action from your readers. Readers will be impressed by a captivating picture and more likely to read your article.

7. Grammar and spelling errors: Write an article in two sessions. The first session is just to put ideas into your article. The next session is to check that your writing is flawless in every way. It is a good idea to ask another person to edit your articles because you can’t identify all the errors and not even the spelling checker.

What are the other things to avoid in article writing? Share with us.

Easy and Effective Working Habits

After working in the office for many years, I have identified some good working habits. Here is the list:

1.      Do it now: The fastest and the most effective way to get things done is to do it now. You may forget to do if you decide to do it later or you may have more pressing issues to attend to and there is no time to work on it. Moreover, when you do it promptly others  are impressed by your efficiency

2.      Write it down: It is an indispensable habit to remember things to do. It is especially true for telephone messages. Calls usually come in at the wrong time while you are in the midst of doing something. The best thing that you can do is to write down the message. You can take action right away if it takes only a few minutes

3.      Be mindful: The ability to focus and pay attention to what you do is essential to produce quality work. One sure way is to be mentally prepared to work without distractions and  not to allow outstanding problems  to disturb your peace of mind

4.      Start early: My peak performance is in the morning. I usually go to work early and I can get things done in one go without being disturbed. By the time others have arrived I have already done the most important thing for the day. It’s a great way to start a new day early.

5.      To-do list: In the evening I get ready a to-do list for the following day before I go to bed. Psychologically, I sleep with peace of mind because I know what to expect as I have already planned and organized to get things done smoothly in a brand new day.

6.      Handling documents: The number one habit listed here applies -.act immediately and handle only once. As soon as a piece of document has landed on your table, take immediate action. There are four things you can do:

a.       Discard it immediately if it serves no purposes

b.      Act on it right away: If it takes a few minutes to get it done, just do it.

c.       File: If it is for reference only, send the document to its permanent home  

d.      A folder for outstanding work: When you cannot act on it right away put the document in a folder and leave it on your table so that you can keep in view and do it later.

7.      Do what you like and enjoy what you do: The keyword here is happiness. As you are going to spend most of your time at work, it is necessary to like and enjoy your work. Do work that you are interested in and you are good at. Be happy in the workplace.

8.      Take your lunch outside: Don’t eat your lunch and work at the same time. According to researchers distracted eating makes you fat. Distracted eaters cannot remember what they have eaten and they feel significantly less full just after lunch. Dr Brunstrom, a researcher in behavioural nutrition at the University of Bristol in England, says memory plays an important role in the regulation of food intake and distractions during eating disrupt that. Furthermore, you will only enjoy your meals when you are not doing anything else at the same time. So, sit down and eat slowly.

9.      Take breaks:  I have this habit of taking my tea break in the afternoon. I get out of the office to enjoy a cup of tea with some food to munch. It is a marvelous way to relax your mind and restore your energy for the rest of the day. Outstanding problems are instantly  resolved after a refreshing  break

What do you think of these working habits? Do you have other productive working habits to share with us?  

Are you doing it now?

Your success or failure is the difference between action and inaction. There are many advantages to taking action now or never:

·         A grand plan: A plan is just a plan until you take the first step. Be motivated by what you can achieve by carrying out the plan. An idea to do things differently in the office will further improve your productivity   Get started and do it now.

·         Solving a problem: Don’t dwell on a problem too long. Think and act quickly before a problem gets worse and complicated. When a solution is not workable, at least you can learn from it and move on and try another one until the problem is settled. It is better than doing nothing and allowing a problem to be unmanageable.

·         Reaching your goals: Getting what you want in life is the result of getting things done daily over a long period of time. Keep your goals in view and just do what you need to do every day. Over time you will achieve your weekly, monthly yearly and ultimate goals.

·         Honor your promises: Don’t give empty promise to your children. Don’t let them down. When you have promised to take them to the beach. Make a note in your diary on a coming Sunday and go for it. There will be no regret and you can be truly free and relaxed on such a rest day. When you postpone it, it is most likely it will be postponed forever. At work, promise to deliver and deliver as promised is the way to gain trust and build your reputation.

·         Act on your New Year’s resolutions: New Year resolutions are usually about changing of bad habits to good ones like eating breakfast, getting up early, exercising daily, controlling your weight and giving up smoking. Just do one thing at a time and do it slowly. It takes time to change a habit. Get it started today and do it daily to allow a good habit to take root. Don’t dampen your spirits and be discouraged by involving in more than one habit change.

The way to get success is to act now, go slow, take a small step and do it daily to become a lasting habit.

Be Joyful Be Simple

There is a glass panel in my office. It is facing a green field, a river and the blue sky. It is a feast for the eyes by just looking outside to relieve the tired eyes after glueing too long to the PC. It is also a joy to appreciate nature by looking at the passing boats in the river and the changing pattern of the clouds in the sky and not to mention the trees in the field. You can discover the joy in your everyday life. The secret is in doing things that you find joyful and meaningful.

• Do less: Don’t cram a day with too many things to do. Just do one important task which gives you the greatest satisfaction. Take your time to do the rest or do it in another day. Do less to avoid stress and be more productive.  

• Be less: Remove unwanted items in your house. 80% of your time you only use 20% of the things such as clothes you wear, reference books you refer, kitchen utensils you use. Less clutter means more spacious and peaceful living 

• Joy at work:: As a writer, it is a joy and an accomplishment for me to write an article a day. It is also a challenge because there are days that I have no ideas to write the next articles. Do you find happiness in what you do every day?

• As an early riser: Getting up early is like getting ahead of others in a brand new day. Every morning you are inspired to see the transformation of total darkness to bright daylight. It is such a good feeling to start a new day early.

• Jogging: In the evening, I jog around a football field. It is a way to be with nature for more fresh air and sunshine. The simple exercise releases tension and calms your mind. What do you do to lead an active life and be happy

• Power nap: A nap on a Sunday afternoon is a great pleasure. It restores your energy, refreshes your mind and it does not interfere with your sleep at night. You are geared to face the week ahead of you zestfully.

• Reading:  Get rid of unproductive activities. Avoid doing things that are not meaningful such as surfing the Net aimlessly or watching TV all night long. It drains your energy and tires your body. Instead, read books and articles to enrich your mind. Be enlightened and be motivated. I read a few pages at night before I hit the bed.

Effective Ways to be Mindful

To be mindful is to live in the moment, conscious of what you are doing, paying complete attention to your work or having fun freely and fully.

·         Eat and do nothing else: Take a deserving break and get out of the office to take your lunch, don’t eat and work. It does not help digestion and it is not productive. At home just enjoy your breakfast and don’t read newspapers.  Have dinner with the whole family and don’t watch TV. The most important thing is to enjoy your meals by eating slowly.

·         Immerse in your work: Be prepared mentally to work with full concentration. Don’t think of anything else except the task at hand. Get into the flow while you are at work. Work in a conducive environment and with minimum distractions. In this way, you get a thing done meaningfully and productively.

·         Enjoy family life without bringing homework: Be smart when you are at home, it is time exclusively for the family. Share household chores and find out more from your children about school. When your children are doing homework, turn off the TV and do reading instead. Attend to your family and do nothing else.

·         Meditation to promote concentration and live in the moment: Do yoga or Tai Chi to boost the calmness in your mind. You develop mindfulness when you do meditation.  

·         Have fun without thinking of your work: Can you enjoy yourself totally when your mind is about the work in the office? By the way, what can you do now? You are not going back to the office now. Be free from worry and relax fully now.

·         Erase the past from your mind and stop worrying about the future: According to Babatunde Olatunji, yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery and today?  Today is a gift.  That's why we call it the present. The past has gone and there is nothing you can do about it, the future is not here yet, but you have the power to do the best you can now. Treasure every precious present moment.

·         Participate fully: Be involved fully when you are in a   conversation, attending a meeting, holding a discussion, reading or watching YouTube (no fast forward).  Get the most out of what you do.

·         Go slow: Drive slowly to be safe. Work a little slower to avoid stress and mistakes. Be with nature, take a moment of your time and go outside to admire and look at the green field and the surrounding trees, the river and the boats cruising along, the blue sky with the slow-moving clouds and feel the fresh air and sunshine. Slowing down is the way to be in the present.

“The secret of health for both the mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, not to anticipate troubles, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.”

 Buddha

10 Essential Things to Do

There are essential things you should do so that you can be free, healthy, successful and, most of all, happy.

1. Exercise: Recently, a friend visited me. He told me, one day, a few months ago; he was feeling uncomfortable with his chest when he was with friends outside. It had never happened like this before. He was smart enough and decided to drive alone all the way to the hospital for a check-up. Along the way, his chest pain was getting worse. Finally, he managed to reach the emergency entrance of a hospital in town. Realizing the seriousness of his condition, one of the hospital staff told him to call home.  He dialled the number but he could not speak and so he passed the line to the nurse and he collapsed. When he was conscious, hours later with her wife beside him, he was told that his heart had stopped beating for a couple of minutes. He had a heart attack. The doctor who was attending to him told him that he must exercise regularly. Technically he was dead, at least for a while. Now he is living a second life. He is a lucky man. You may not be as lucky as my friend, but to prevent the worst from happening to you, be active and exercise every day.

2. Stop drinking and smoking: When you kick the bad habits you regain your health and save a lot of money. Your smoking habit also affects the health of your loved one adversely. The most important thing is that you prevent a tragic case of a fatal road accident after drinking too much. 

3. Give: Part of the money that you have saved from giving up your bad habits can be channeled to charity. Play a part and help others in need in whatever small way you can. 

4. Be debt-free: Curb your wants in life; this is one sure way to stay out of debt. Financial independence gives you peace of mind.

5. Hold on to your job (for baby boomers): The longer you work, especially doing things you are interested in and good at, the longer you can delay dipping into your retirement fund. Life is getting tougher and tougher. The cost of living is going up like nobody’s business and what you have saved and invested may not be able to cope with it. Keep your job if you are lucky enough to be gainfully employed.

6. Stay positive: Life is full of uncertainties and we may not get what we want to achieve in life. You need to stay resilient and be positive and strong. Look at the bright side of things because of tough times never last but tough people do.

7. Solve problems:  Take prompt action and be resourceful and confident to overcome each and every problem. Life is about problems or else life will be very dull and boring.

8. Be organized: Time is limited. It is necessary to plan ahead and get organized every day. The objective is to be productive, do less and achieve more.

9. Be creative: Be outstanding and be ahead of others by doing things differently. It is also necessary to be creative to solve problems at work and at home.

10. Be happy: You should be happy when you have done the nine things as mentioned here. After all, happiness is a matter of the mind. When you make up your mind to be happy, you are.

Do you have other essential things you must do? Please share with us.

Effective People Skills to Keep Your Job

Apart from the essential technical skills to secure your job you also need to interact with people effectively at the workplace. The most important thing is to give others what they want so that you can get what you want




Communications skills

·         Listen: Pay full attention and listen carefully without interruption. Repeat what you have heard to understand the message precisely. Keeping eye contact is the way to show that you are really interested and paying attention to the person talking to you.

·         Express yourself clearly: Organize your thoughts and speak precisely with a clear voice, using simple language in a pleasant tone. Don’t beat around the bush, but go straight to the point. When it is necessary to write, write briefly, clearly, using short paragraphs and in bullet points, preferably on one page.

·         Understand: Be empathic and know the emotions of the other person. Speak with due consideration of the other person’s feelings.

Effective connection

·         Ask for it: To get what you want you have to ask for it. Ask for feedback, a pay raise. A favor or anything at all. People may not know what you want unless you ask for it. You may get rejected but if you don’t ask for it, you don’t stand a chance of getting it.

·         Pay compliment: It is a way to look for the good and bring out the best in others. It is also to boost the ego of the other person and to lubricate a relationship.

·         Be approachable: Wear a smile and be friendly. Acknowledge the presence of others. Strike a conversation and find out more of the other person.

·         Productive conversation: Be interested in others. Talk about the other person and his or her interests.

Managing others

• Manage your boss: The objectives are to cultivate a healthy relationship with your boss to achieve the goals of the company and to be noticed by your boss. You touch base with your boss on a regular basis and report your work progress. You support your boss and get the trust of your boss in you.

·         Getting things done through others: One effective way to get things done is to solicit for suggestions. If it is their idea they will be motivated to carry out a task without hesitation. Be polite and do not order. As long as you are competent in your area of expertise, others will follow you.

Dealing with people is a delicate matter, handle intelligently and carefully.

7 Essential Technical Skills to Secure Your Job

Technical Skills

Are you competent in the area of your expertise? Have you acquired additional skills to be more valuable in the workplace? Find out more about practical skills you must have to hold your job.


1. Professional skills: This is your core expertise such as law, marketing or accounting. You are employed because you can contribute your specialized knowledge to the growth of the company. It is also necessary for you to update yourself on a regular basis.

2. IT skills: You can’t work without IT. Get to know useful software and hardware at the workplace. Take advantage of the advancements of technology to be more productive. Get onto the social networking sites to project a positive image of yourself. Write articles on your own blog to share your know-how.

3. Planning and organizational skills: Plan ahead to work logically, smoothly and avoid emergency situations. Do daily to-do list in advance and get things done efficiently and effectively

4. Creative thinking skills: This is one important skill to get you ahead of others. Get original and unique ideas to improve the way you work. Most important of all, Solve problems creatively.

5. Time management skills: You must be able to identify your rhythm of energy and work accordingly to get the most important things done. Know when to take breaks to regain your energy and concentration. Are you an early riser? You stand to gain a lot by starting a new day early. The most important thing is to do the right thing, do it right at the right time. You should also spend time on important but not urgent matters like reading and further education to improve yourself.

6. Language skills: In Malaysia, it is necessary to have a working knowledge of more than two languages. As a Chinese, I use English to write an article and I communicate daily in Malay with others as I live in Malaysia, a cosmopolitan country.

7. Personal management skills: The key is to have a balanced life. It means you are able to allocate time for work, recreation, family, connecting with others, exercise, rest, play and sleep. They are all important aspects of your life which you cannot ignore.


These essential working skills will stand you in good stead. Be skilful and be successful at work.

Boost the Quality of Your Life

To improve the quality of your life is to look after your well-being. It is about your health, your mental attitude and the way you manage and live your life. Here are the ways to get a better quality of life:

• Sleep: A good night’s sleep is essential to repair damages done to your body after a stressful day at work. Around 8 hours of sleep is necessary to renew your energy and regain your concentration levels during the day. The quality of your waking hours is determined by the quality of your sleep.

• Be connected: The quality of your life starts with a harmonious and united family. Life is incomplete without a happy family unit. You also need to be connected with relative and friends to support each other. Your quality of life is about self-independence and interdependence among those whom you care for each other.

• Keep fit: There is no quality of life without physical, mental and spiritual health. Be physically active every day. Jog to improve your stamina, stretch your body to be flexible and lift weights to gain strength. Think positively to boost your self-confidence and promote a bright outlook in life. Be contented with what you have and get peace of mind.

• Be engaged: Do you enjoy what you do every day? Be mindful and in the flow for the task at hand. Develop an interest and get satisfaction in what you do. Be delighted in your everyday routines. 

• Be optimistic: Be confident and hopeful about the future. Hopefulness promotes the enthusiasm and fighting spirits in you to look forward to and welcome each new day with eagerness. Always look at the positive aspect of a negative situation.

• Eat right: The quality of your diet start with a nutritious breakfast such as oatmeal which gives you the energy to start a new day. Eat often but less at regular intervals to facilitate metabolism. Drink water instead of sugary drinks. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Sit down, eat slowly to assist digestion and enjoy your food without watching TV.

• Read: What is your favorite pastime? I find reading is the most satisfying and rewarding thing to do. Read to be cheered, motivated, enlightened and thrilled. Reading enriches your mind. Read every day for a quality life.

• Be happy: Learn to live in the moment and enjoy your daily life. Do not think of the past or worry about the future. Solve the problems there and then. Think of happy thoughts and look at events with a positive perspective. Most important of all be happy now because happiness is not in the past or the future.

• Stay away from the polluted environment: Stay away from where the smokers are. Live in a pollution-free area and as close to nature as possible. Fresh air and sunshine are the essences of quality and healthy living. 

• Be organized: You enhance the quality of your life when you lead an organized life.  There is no need to rush about to get things done or face panic situations. An orderly life is a peaceful life without stress and headache.

Can you think of other ways to boost the quality of your life? Share with us

Be Free Be happy

It is a state of mind to be free and happy. It means your mind is 100% on the task at hand at work or totally having fun at play. How do you feel free and enjoy peace of mind?  Here are the tips:

·         Be mindful: Live in the moment, be free from the past. Do not allow regrets, setbacks, blunders,guilt-feeling and failures of the past to be present. Plan and organize ahead to be free from future worries. Enjoy what you do so that your mind is fully focused on the activity at hand

·         Clutter-free living: Get rid of unwanted things in your house. Create more space and allow positive energy to flow freely. You are not restricted and constrained in a clutter-free home.

·         Do less: Having a to-do list is living an organized life. However, a shortlist allows you to achieve more by doing just a few of the important tasks. You are free from the unnecessary stress of getting more done within a limited time

·         Go slow: Work a little slower to be free from making mistakes and get more done. Drive slower to be safe and free from accidents. Eat slowly to enjoy your food and free from indigestion.

·         Free from negatives emotions: You are a slave to thoughts of getting even, holding grudges, feeling of anger, resentment and jealousy.  Your mind is free when you are kind, generous and forgiving.

·          Solve problems: Problems restrict your freedom. There will be problems. Adopt a problem-solving attitude to build your self-confidence. You cannot be free when there are outstanding problems bothering you.

·         Meditation: To meditate is to promote calmness and relaxation. Meditation trains your mind to be free from clutter and live in the present.

·         Less wants:  It means less financial commitments and free from the woes of incurring debt. You avoid sleepless nights and harassment from people after you for the long outstanding amount when the debt is allowed to accumulate beyond your management.

Getting away from the past and future, living in the present, solving problems and wanting less are the ways to be free and happy.

Remove Barriers to Success

What is success? It is the establishment and attainment of goals. However, to gain the success you have to overcome some barriers to success.

·         Aimless living: Every day your mind needs to be focus. The focus point is your goal-related activities. Without setting challenging goals, there is no way to channel your energy for worthwhile purposes. Your mind is drifting in emptiness. Establish your goals by identifying what you are good at, what you like to do and what is meaningful to you. Your goals will direct your attention and you look forward to each new day with eagerness.

·         Negative thoughts: Your mind controls your action. It is essential to tune your mind to think positively. It means you must feel good about yourself, be confident, calm and composed. Negative thoughts drain your energy and dampen your enthusiasm.

·         Bad habits: Are you a slave to bad habits such as procrastination and inertia. Change and replace your bad habits, one at a time, to clear the obstacles to success. Be guided by your objectives and take immediate action.

·         Living in the past: Be free from the past about your setbacks and failures which are restraining you from achieving success. It is a new beginning, be in high spirits and hopeful for a positive outcome. 

·         Fail to do the daily tasks: The attainment of goals is about doing the daily tasks which in turn will get the weekly, monthly tasks done. Do it consistently and you will get to achieve your yearly goals.  The most important thing is to do what you need to do and do it now. It adds up

·         Fail to live a healthy lifestyle: Less physical movement means more health problems. Lead an active life.  Eat healthily, get up early, exercise daily, and look at the bright side of things. Learn to relax and unwind. A healthy body and a healthy mind are essential to attain success in life.

·         Fail to seek help: You don’t have to do it alone. Network with successful people and learn from their hardship and success. Read widely to be enlightened. Learn from your past mistakes and be wiser.

Set worthy and written goals, clear all barriers and be successful in life.