New Year's Resolution--Lose Some Weight!

Every year at this time we make well intentioned New Year’s Resolutions that last for all of a week if we are lucky. One of the most popular for those of us over 40 is, “In this coming year I will lose some weight.” Unfortunately, new year after new year, in about a week or so, my diet plan returns to, “I eat what I eat and I weigh what I weigh.” In spite of my failures let me encourage you to plan on losing some weight in the coming year.

By the way, I am not talking about that kind of weight.

Get rid of some of your debt—Debt slavery is wrecking our nation and our families. Do we really need all that stuff we can’t afford to be happy, to be safe? Resolve to lower your debt burden in 2012.

Cut up some credit cards—How many credit cards do you really need? A case can be made for two credit cards, a primary card and backup card if for some reason the primary is rejected. That has only happened to me once in over 25 years. The telephone lines were down somewhere between Hawaii and my credit card computers located somewhere in Florida. The next morning the problem was corrected.

Work on financial stressors—The lack of an emergency fund is a frequent source of financial stress. Start small. Put aside $1,000 for emergencies. Then you won’t need to use that credit card when your car fails state inspection. The goal here is six months take home salary, but that will take some time to achieve. If you don’t have an emergency fund start one.

Simplify your financial record keeping—How many accounts in how many banks, credit unions, brokerage houses, and mutual fund families do you carry? Is that really necessary? If you have fewer things to track for record keeping, financial planning, and taxes, your life might get a little easier.

Get rid of some stuff—There was a point in time at which I could move everything I owned in a 67 Chevrolet with a roof rack. Twelve years later, a move required two trips in a Ryder rental truck. After 24 years in the same house, it will require a van, even if I manage to downsize some of my mess. Does all this junk make me happier or does it just weigh me down, limiting my options and my freedom? If it has been in a box or a drawer for more than a year, sell it or throw it out.

Over this coming weekend let us spend some time focusing what is really important, what really makes us happy. Maybe, we could find a way to want what we already have rather than that which we do not have. There will always be another “If only.” It will never lead us to happiness only to another, “If only.” My current “If only,” is “If only I could retire, then I would be happy.”

Happiness is found in the moment, not in, “If only.”

Hebrews 1:12 (NAS)

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,