Obstacles are those frightful things that you see when you take your eyes off your goal…
-Henry Ford
I’ve seen a few those things in my lifetime. In various stages, forms, and sizes. They can be sooooooo intimidating at first glance.
I’ll admit, it took me a little while to realize that I had even taken my eyes off my goals. It wasn’t until the obstacles had my full attention and I was completely discouraged that I had no choice but to look around for my goals again. Thankfully, my goals are huge and the Holy Spirit always helps me back on track.
Nowadays, I don’t take my eyes off the prize. Because the last time I did, I quit the race. After that, I vowed to NEVER let it happen again!
I hope you do the same! Stay focused and you’ll stay blessed!
I’m not sure how many of you have actually watched the movies or just seen the previews but I assure they are really amazing movies. I promise I’m not just saying that because Jennifer Lawrence and I are from the same city. Although, she’s the reason why the movie is as amazing as it is.
Briefly, the first movie is about an older sister Katniss Everdeen who volunteers to take her little sister’s place in what their nation calls “The Hunger Games“. A televised fight to the death in which two teenagers from each of the twelve Districts of Panem are chosen at random to compete. Katniss and her district partner Peeta change the game by deciding to die together, rather than kill the other as the game is suppose to be won.
In the second movie Catching Fire, they are made to portray themselves as a couple when they have to participate in the “Quarter Quell” (an event that occurs every 25th year of the Games and allows the Capitol to introduce a twist). Which the Capitol decides to bring all the previous victors to the arena to compete against each other. The victors come together and fuel the district’s uprisings by destroying the forcefield. In the chaos Peeta and Katniss are separated, Katniss with the rebels from the bombed District 13 and Peeta captured by the capital. Ending with Katniss finding out that her district has now been bombed as well.
In the last movie Mockingjay Part 1, Katniss is enlisted as the Mockingjay (which is her trademark and the symbol of the uprising). She is voice of the people and the leader of the revolution. She sees and hears the story about how the Capitol destroyed her District. As well as, witness how far the Capitol is willing to go in order to disband the rebels. She realizes that the Capitol has brainwashed Peeta through torture and has turned him against her.
I bet now you’re wondering “what’s the forewarning?” Well, there are Capitol enlisted parole officers that are called “Peacekeepers”. They are police-like officers that enforce the Capitol’s will onto the citizens. They kill those that are a threat to the Capitol and engaged in the uprising. They are the ones that bomb the districts that are going against the grain.
To the “Peacekeepers” are much like the “National Guards” that are called in when citizen being to riot. Gun toting officers that somehow forget that they are citizens when they aren’t armed and are out of uniform. Now, it’s no secret that our Capital is, in many ways, just as corrupt as this fictional Capitol. Agreed, they don’t force us into “Hunger Games” in which we have to kill each other in the confinement of an arena. But they definitely pin us against each within our neighborhoods.
How you ask? While let’s start with racism/segregation between races instead of districts. Then there’s the discrimination within the classes. The rich are well above middle class and middle class is only a notch above the lower class. The poor are pretty much non existent, much like District 13.
Just like the rebels of the Hunger Games uprising, we as citizens are the majority. Yet, we are still stuck where the presidents and corrupt politicians have left us to fend for ourselves or depend on their assistance or accept their injustice and oppression. I wonder, almost everyday, when will people wake up to all the signs around us. And everytime, I get the feeling that once people start paying attention and take their blinders off, it will be to late. But it doesn’t haven’t to be that way.
No, I’m not trying to be Katniss. I’m well aware that the story is fiction but I also know I’m not the only one who reads between the lines. I also know that I’m not the only one who sees that things are only getting more out of hand. Am I suggesting an uprising? Not yet, but I am suggesting that you take your blinders off and realize how much control the government has over your life.
There are a lot of people in debt now days. Ranging from old bills to loans. Yet, they still haven’t made money management a required course in the school curriculums.
Personally, I didn’t learn how to manage, let alone understand the functions of money, until a couple of years ago. I learned because I was trying to get my first business started. When in hindsight, I probably should’ve learned first. Then tried to start my business and not at the same time. But hey, shrug you live and you learn, right? No regrets!
Yes, my efforts did include college. But as a result, student loans are about 85% of my debts. And I didn’t even get the chance to take ONE financial course!
Thank God, I finally got the chance to learn! If it wasn’t for the research I did, I probably wouldn’t know half of what I know now. Because school didn’t really teach me much and my parents aren’t even where I am. Although, I did learn about bill management/saving from my step-mother and bargain hurting from my grandmothers. I had to learn things like bookkeeping and investing on my own.
The times we live in and the generation that we are, doesn’t help us at all. Everything is high-class, if you will. Brands, high-tech, and keeping up with the Joneses, or should I say Kardashians?
I mean, I can understand the high-tech aspect. Technology has the power to make life more enjoyable and simpler. But keeping up with the latest fashion and trends, that ain’t my stizz. It’s never been worth it to me. Besides, they aren’t designed with me in mind.
What I’ve learned over these last few years is that: You NEED money for EVERYTHING but you don’t have to SPEND your money ON everything. Meaning, JUST because you WANT it, you DON’T have to BUY it!
How many times have you went into a store for one or two things and came out with more OR, worse , NOT even getting what you went in for. Exactly, too many times to count. But don’t worry, it happens to the best of us.
Here are some tips that have helped me and I’m sure can be useful to you as well.
Save your change! It adds up!
I’m not talking about JUST pennies either! Dimes, nickels and quarters as well. Keep it somewhere low, in a place that you don’t look very often and nobody else would think to look either.
Break your big bills first!
I know that’s against everything in you, but you’re going to do it eventually anyway! Trust me. Say you have a $100 or $50, once you break it, you have more bills. Put the loose change in your pot, and start putting aside your one dollar bills. (I advise a different place than your change pot. Like an envelope.) Then, start breaking your $20s, $10s and $5s. Once you’ve done that enough times you’ll have a nice saving of change and bills.
Swipe less, Automate more!
Many people have moved into debit cards and bank apps. Yet are still having to pay overdrawn fees. My advice is to automate your bills and keep just a little extra in the bank for overage and taxes. But if you’re going to go shopping, withdraw what you want to spend and make a list. You’d be surprised how much you save when you only have enough for exactly what you need.
Keep receipts, know the flow!
I advise you to keep them for at least a month or so, if you don’t use them for your taxes. That way you know where your money went. If you keep records of each month, you can track your spending habits. Therefore, you’ll know the average amount for your necessities and know what areas you need to make improvements in. As well as, become familiar with your bad habits. For example: How often you cook vs eat out and how often you buy unnecessary things (and what those things are.)
Be Intentional! Use “The Process of Elimination”!
This one, ties everything together! If you know your money and your habits, you can spend your money with intention. I’ll use myself as an example. I know that when I’m about to check out, I re-evaluate my cart. Remove anything I don’t really need and make sure I have exactly what I came in for. I try to take only enough money for the items I need/came in for. That way it’s easier for me to get rid of the non-essentials, to make sure I have enough money at the checkout.
I’m not sure if these tips are helpful or not because I don’t know your life. But I know they’ve worked wonders for myself and a few people I know. So, feel free to at least try them, come back and tell me how they worked or didn’t work for you
REMEMBER: Having money doesn’t make you rich and spending wisely doesn’t make you cheap.
Nobody will EVER respect a clone! Lol You would THINK that was common sense!
EVERYTHING about ME is DIFFERENT…on PURPOSE! I wake up EVERY day thinking, WHAT can I DO to set myself apart from EVERYBODY else?
HEAD to TOE, INSIDE-OUT! Lol I’ve NEVER met or seen someone and thought “I wanna be THEM.” If I compared myself to someone else, NOBODY WOULD MEASURE UP!
YES! I AM THAT CONFIDENT IN MYSELF AND WHO GOD CREATED ME TO BE! YOU SHOULD BE TOO!
I’m not sure how many of you have actually watched the movies or just seen the previews but I assure they are really amazing movies. I promise I’m not just saying that because Jennifer Lawrence and I are from the same city. Although, she’s the reason why the movie is as amazing as it is.
The poor are pretty much non existent, much like District 13.
Be The Change! 