Hi Guys I'm new here

Step 1 - Sit down by yourself or with your partner... go over all of your spending habits from the last 3-4 months and see where your money is going. Step 2 - Get a WRITTEN budget that gives your money purpose BEFORE the month begins. See where you can reduce spending and take note of what you have left over (even if it is a modest $20) - Cancel unused subscriptions - Take a packed lunch rather than spending $15 on lunch and coffee - Cut back or stop takeaways and eating out/ buying luxury items. Step 3 - Write down your debts smallest to largest Step 4 - Pay down the smallest debt first - If you have an extra $20 a month, chuck that as an overpayment on smallest debt Step 5 - Once the first debt is paid down, take the minimum payment amount and the extra $20 to add as an overpayment on 2nd debt. - Minimum $10 + $20 = $30 extra on 2nd debt. Step 6 - Repeat step 5 until and combine ALL previous minimums + extras until all debts are gone. - Debt 1 minimum $10 + Debt minimum $25 + $20 extra from budget = $55 overpayment on third debt... etc Step 7 - RECOVERY - Keep your monthly expenses low, don't go back into old habits and start investing a portion of the money you had been using to pay off debts and the other portion to build a savings nest egg... this will stop you from pulling out the credit card the next time something needs to be fixed or replaced. This is the best strategy for feeling like you are making progress! You will see the debts dropping like flies... (Yes it may not work out as the best mathematically if you are looking at interest rates, but in the interest of getting and staying debt free, this has worked for millions)

You're probably wondering what on earth this is... can you be Emotionally Smart? Emotional intelligence is less about academics and more about street smarts in the business world. It is split into 4 sections: - Self Awareness - Self Management - Social Awareness/ Empathy - Relationship Management/ Social Skills Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand your own emotions and understand the emotions of those around you. Self Awareness is simply being able to understand what emotions you are having right now, and whether you are leading with emotions or with reason. Sometimes in business, and with people, emotions can take over our actions and make things worse... checking yourself at the door means you can choose to handle things more effectively by removing the emotion in the situation and use this to solve a problem, diffuse tension or to look at issues objectively rather than taking it personally. As a Leader, Self Awareness is important because your emotional state can affect the team's emotions and reactions. If you walk in positive and purposeful, it is easy to raise the motivation within your team to get the work done with smiles and joy. If you let the blown tire on the way into work cloud your mind and you walk in angry, your team will not know about the blown tire etc and will be walking on egg shells the rest of the day. Left unchecked, your emotions could lead to snappy comments and you may say or do something that harms your relationship with your team. Self Management/ regulation is the ability to understand you are angry at the tire... but choosing to take an extra minute or 2 to compose yourself and choose to push on and have a good day despite the not-so-good start. It is the ability to receive bad news or top-down stress and choosing NOT to pass the stress on to the team, however, you choose to turn it into a constructive mission to things resolved. Social Skills (sounds like a simple one) - It is picking up on other people's emotions and choosing how to respond. Some people need a word of encouragement, others a space to vent and be heard...

The weekend’s almost here! What’s everyone up to? I’ll be working most of it, but I’ll squeeze in some family time with a little nature getaway to escape the work stress.

Hey, let’s talk about FOMO—Fear of Missing Out. Scrolling through social media, seeing what others are up to, and feeling like we’re missing something. It’s super easy to get distracted. But here’s the truth: You don’t have to be everywhere or do everything to live a fulfilling life. Here’s what’s helped me: ⏩ Define Your Priorities: Get clear on what really matters to you. When I understood my top goals, it became easier for me to let go of things that didn’t align with them. ⏩ Limit Social Media Time: Social media is a FOMO trigger. Set time limits (use those screen timers!) and stick to them. This gives you more time to focus on your goals, without the constant feeling of being left out. ⏩ Practice Gratitude: Take a moment to recognize everything you’ve got going on in your life. When you shift your focus to your own path, FOMO starts to fade away. I do journaling as part of my morning ritual. ⏩ Stay Present: Remind yourself that you don’t need everything to be happy. Enjoy where you are and what you’re doing right now. That’s where the magic happens. FOMO is real, but it doesn’t have to control you. Try these steps and watch how much well content you feel.