Do Your Things Own You?

Do you have things like a bicycle, jetski, or swimming pool that sit unused? Is it that you don't have time to use them because you have to work so much just to pay for them? Sometimes it seems like all the things we own somehow own us.

The bad news is that it's often true. We have to arrange our lives around our things. You get a new truck that can go anywhere, but you're too busy working to go there. Someone is out fishing while you are putting in overtime to pay for your fishing boat. You use your large-screen television a lot, but does it sufficiently reduce the debt-stress that came with it?

Break The Chains!

The good news is that there's a better way. Actually, there are three better ways. First, know what you really value. Second, use cash instead of debt. Third, learn how to look at costs and benefits.

Will you really enjoy that $2,000 mountain bicycle enough? Maybe. This isn't about right or wrong desires. It's a question of truly seeing your own values. Think back to things you've bought but not used, or not used enough. What truly enjoyable things could you do with that money if you had it now? You've got to be self aware and honest.

Cash is king. The price may seem the same, but put those things on a credit card and, with interest, you'll pay a lot more. Cash means you have to save and wait a little for things, but you can buy more and have less stress. Credit cards provide the illusion of a richer life. Escaping debt gives you the reality.

Finally, learn to understand costs and benefits. A friend once came to the realization, using pen and paper, that his jetski cost him $300 for every hour he used it the first year. Loan interest, gas, insurance, depreciation, repairs, licenses - these things add up. And he thought it was too expensive to pay $100 per day to rent one! Consider the real costs of things, and look for a cheaper way, or at least make an honest decision that it's worth $300 per hour to you.

Your things should be making your life better. If they aren't, you need to start looking at them differently. Don't let your things own you. Change your approach.

Steve Gillman writes on many topics including brainpower, weight loss, meditation, habits of mind, creative problem solving, generating luck and anything related to self improvement. Learn more and get free e-courses at http://www.SelfImprovementNow.com

---

Choose Your Friends, Choose Your Fate

When I was about 10 years, I got a t-shirt... Read More

Ending the Internal Conflict

If you read personal growth or self-help books at all,... Read More

Attraction Tools for Success: Manifesting Your Intentions

There are several books now that discuss the power of... Read More

5 Powerful Steps To Unleashing Your Creative Self

There is a thread of certainty that runs through many... Read More

Why Character and Integrity Are So Important

It's been said that character is defined by what you... Read More

The Wealth-Receiving Mindset

Here is an exercise for you that will develop what... Read More

Who Do You Want to Meet?

One of the goals that I encourage my clients to... Read More

The Joy Of Living In The Zone

What do people want most in the world? What is... Read More

Searching for Higher Ground: 24 Hours to a Better Life

There's a moment in one of my favorite films, Searching... Read More

Business Intuition: Using the HeartMind

Many scientific studies have demonstrated the reality of intuition for... Read More

You Teach People How to Treat You

So often we hear people ask the question, "Why does... Read More

You Think That You?re Listening?. But Are You Actually Hearing What Im Saying?

"We have two ears and one mouth, so that we... Read More

Are You Killing Your Beautiful Dream?

And the real sad part is that the people involved... Read More

What the Young Man Heard

In the latter half of the 1800s, when the telegraph... Read More

Aspire to Be

Many individuals believe that they have to "live up" to... Read More

Making New Friends

How do we make friends? More importantly if dropped into... Read More

The Revolution Begins When YOU take Control

I'd like to share a story with you about two... Read More

To Live Or To Live With Purpose: That?s The Ultimate Question

Each person has her or his own place and purpose.... Read More

The Law of Attraction and Love

The Law of Attraction says that 'like attracts like'. It... Read More

Doing Your Lifes Work

Most people want to do their life's work. Some people... Read More

What You Habitually Think Becomes Attracted to You

Are you frustrated with a certain area of your life?... Read More

Pheromones Myth or Fact. Do Pheromones Work?

I did a quick search on the Internet for pheromones.Pheromones... Read More

Be Not Afraid of Greatness

Have you noticed how the workplace seems to be a... Read More

What Message Are You Sending Out?

A woman phoned me the other day to ask me... Read More

Better Tame The Bull, Or, Youll Eat The Crow!

A man can stand a lot? as long as he... Read More

A Mini LOA T-ToolTM

The Law of Attraction T-ToolTM is the single most useful... Read More

Aspirations Worth Their Weight in Platinum

"To succeed, planning alone is insufficient. One must improve as... Read More

Make A Superb First Impression

It is extremely important that people have a good first... Read More

To Be Or Not To Be, Visible That Is...

Stepping outside your old limitations and 'out of the box'... Read More

The Likeability Factor ? Do You Have It?

Growing up, we all had a mental picture of the... Read More

Power Affirmations Are Not Enough

I hope this article finds you safe and well. I'm... Read More

Digging To The Root Of Your Problem

Most people have some aspects of themselves that they would... Read More

Use Your Vibrations of Energy to Communicate Part 2

"The speed of electromagnetic energy signals is 186,000 miles per... Read More