Well, hello there!  It’s been a while I know, but I’m on my way back to a regular involvement with this site.  I’m very excited because I’ve definitely missed having the opportunity to interact with you on a regular basis.  What happened, you say? I’ll explain later.  But right now, I want to talk more about the future plans for the site which I hope you’ll want to be a part of.

Ironically, as I was starting to write this post, I was watching Oprah’s Life Class when she was talking about The Plague of America: Money.  It was an awesome class and it validated the constant pull  that I’ve felt over the last few years to start a conversation to help us all  rise and realize that we can all live an abundant life.  It’s just a matter of learning how.

So, here’s what I have currently in store.  In a few weeks,  February 13, 2012, I will do an official re-launch Personal Finance Notebook.  The following week, I’ll release a free guide that I’ve written just for readers who are interested in becoming a part of this community.  The guide is called, An Escape Route to Financial Freedom: Six Pathways That Will Lead You to Live the Remarkable Life You’ve Been Called to Live.  For those of you who are already a part of the community, I’ve decided to send it to you a few days prior to the site release.  It’s something that I’ve poured my heart into.   I know that many of you have probably created those New Years Resolutions to become better managers of your money so I pray that this guide will help you along your journey to the financial abundance you seek.

SIDE NOTE!  I am in the process of merging all subscribers to one email management system.  I apologize, but for those of you that receive the site updates via Google, please look out for a confirmation email that will be coming to you within the next day or so.  I need you to re-confirm your email with the new system.  If you don’t receive the email, no worries…you are already a part of the main account. 

I have lots more to say, but I won’t bore you with the details at this point.  For now, mark your calendars for February 13, 2012.  If you’d like to participate further in the development of this project, see what you can do below:

• I’m currently very active on Facebook and Twitter.  Feel free to stop in, say hi and start interacting there.
• Leave a comment at the end of this post…all are welcome!  What are your ideas? What’s happening financially in your own life? Do you feel that you are living your life in complete abundance?  It’s o.k. if the situation is good.  It’s also o.k. if it’s a challenging time right now.  We’re here to support each other.  If you would like to share your ideas or story in a more private forum, you can email me at patrenia.spears [@] personalfinancenotebook.com (without the brackets). Information shared via e-mail will not be released, shared or exposed without your permission.
• Read more about my new vision for the site here and the community here.
• Spread the word.

That’s all for now.  Don’t forget to help me get the word out! PUSH…February 2012!!!  Thank you all so much and I look forward to a wonderful year.

Yours in Service,

“We must all suffer from one of two pains:  the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.  The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.” - Jim Rohn

Money is something that everybody loves, but many don’t know how to control.

All too many homes are filled with the stress of working and trying to make ends meet.  It’s robotic…the money comes in and the money goes out, spending for the needs and wants of today.

There are three types of people that exist:

1.  The Prepared – Somewhere along the way they learned how to manage their money, perhaps a trait taught to them by their parents.  They are savers, givers, and investors.  Their bills are always paid on time.  They always have what they need and make sacrifices for their wants.  They use little to no credit.

2. The Deceived – They think they know how to manage money.  They pay their bills on time.  They manage to save some money each month, give and do some investing.  They always have money for what they need AND for what they want.  They tend to overspend, but their success at managing money is camouflaged by the amount of money they make. They use credit, but are only able to manage it by paying the minimum amount monthly.   The truth is revealed soon after disaster strikes (job loss, illness, injury, etc).

3. The Drifter – They don’t know how to manage money at all.  Paying partial amounts and/or late payments on bills are a way of life.  Something always seems to “show up”.  There is never enough to make it until the next pay day.  Small to no savings.  Not able to adequately prepare for the future.  Overuse credit.

Which characterization do you feel applies more closely to your life?  If you fit in category 2 or 3, would you like to view life through a different set of glasses?

What I believe is the key to changing they way your life unfolds is to…Create New Disciplines.  Discipline is a basic fundamental that often goes overlooked when we take on new tasks that are unfamiliar.  New habits must be created on purpose.

Let’s say that you want to lose about 40 pounds.  You have to create new eating habits along with exercise to start the process.  The weight loss does not happen overnight.  It is a gradual change of mindset first, and then the weight loss follows.  You create new disciplines to reach your goal.

The same is true for managing money.  It is a process of creating new habits that will first change the way you think about money and second the way you manage it.  Many of us want to be prosperous, comfortable and/or wealthy, but continue to walk slowly towards financial disaster.

So, how do you create new financial disciplines?

1. Readjust your priorities.
2. Create monthly budgets.
3. Take the time to review your spending daily (5-10min).
4. Start where you are.

Success at money management is not going to happen overnight, but a decision can be made to create new financial disciplines today.

Will you suffer from the pain of discipline or the pain of regret?