Should you worry or just be happy?
How important is it for you to have a great life? Is it really necessary to have the financial capabilities for you to have a great life? I bet it is pretty important. How on earth do you have freedom to do anything at all if you don't have the money to take care of it? You have to be able to pay your way in this life, no question about it. If you can't do that then forget it, you're stuck! Your electricity gets turned off, and then the telephone, the gas, you get evicted or foreclosed on and you lose weight rapidly because you won't be able to buy food to feed yourself, right? So it is pretty darn important. But what every individual really wants is a chance to be able to have some type of decent life.
It's particularly important if you are married and have children. Not that it's not important if you are single, I did say "every individual" so that goes for you too. We all want to be able to go to the grocery store and buy everything on our list, especially if the kids are tagging along - you know what that's like, your kids nagging you to buy something they fancy and being able to say, "Yes sweetheart, we can get that cereal for you today" or "Yes, you can have that toy", and not have to worry about what this trip is going to cost.
To be able to pay your mortgage or rent (on time for once), utilities paid, car note paid and you actually have a little left over to take in a movie or go out to dinner - Wow! This is the basis for you to have a good life, being able to meet your basic financial needs. It would be upgraded to "Great" if you are able to enjoy that leisurely cup of coffee (or tea) at Starbucks or your favourite coffee house, go out to dinner once in a while, have lunch with the girls (or drinks with the guys), treat the kids to a movie, buy that nice dress or knick knack that you so love, dare I say, go on vacation? Now that's the basis for a great life!
But what if you cannot meet this demand? What if you are going through a really rough time, like most people right now? You worry about how to pay your bills, you're lucky if you pay the entire balance this time let alone paying on time. You wonder which payment are you going to miss just to do this? Yes you are living within your means, you don't splurge, you budget but somehow it never adds up. So do you go out there and find another job? What if you can't? What if you've tried and had no luck? Should you worry or does it really matter? I say yes it matters. Listen, if you can't meet your basic needs, that is a problem. But should you worry? I guess it depends on you.
Look at it this way, it's ok to worry but don't give yourself a headache thinking about it too much. I say this because there is so much going on this world of ours today. Life is too short to get sick from worrying. Take comfort in knowing that there is a God out there (and I say a God depending on what your beliefs are) in whom you can find some sense of reassurance to know that you are not alone. All you have to do is ask, say a prayer. And if you don't want to say a prayer or you don't believe in praying, that's fine, but you can be assured that there is and will be divine intervention in your life. So I guess that means just be happy! There are people dying everyday from illnesses they have no control over. Your life can take unexpected turns so it is better to be at peace with yourself and leave the rest to God, that's what he's there for.
My heart and prayers go out to the family of Mattie Stepanek who passed on yesterday. He was such an angel. I didn't know him personally but each time that I saw him on the news or some television program it always struck me what a blessed and gifted child he was. He had so much problems in his short life and yet he was always so cheerful and so thankful just to see another day. It always reminded me to be thankful for my own blessings.
All the problems that I face are not so large that they cannot be solved. It isn't the end of the world just because sometimes I can't meet the demands of my daily life. I have my health and my family and all is well.
So folks, remember to smile and say thank you and just be happy.