Thought for The Day: Quit Being Poor

There is a lot of talk in this country about who is poor and who is rich.  We use these words as if they mean something concrete, when in reality they mean something different to everyone.  Most people would look at a two year old and say that he is small.  But when that same toddler gets a new baby brother, suddenly we call him a big boy!  Can you really set a dollar amount and say this is rich and this is poor?   Like big and small, these words are completely meaningless out of context.

Most people at some point in their lives have felt poor.  Those same people may make twice what their neighbor is making, and still think they are poor.  Have you ever gotten a raise thinking it would make a difference in your life, but the money was soon spent and you felt no richer than you did before the raise?

There is real poverty in this country, but the truth is most of us aren't in it.  I doubt that many of you are reading this post on a computer at the soup kitchen.  We may feel poor.  We may meet a government guideline that says we are poor.  But that isn't what makes a person poor.  Poor is a mindset.  It is a way of being.  So if you are tired of being poor, then stop.  Stop being poor.  

We live in the greatest nation on Earth.  The opportunity for growth and happiness is immense.  Is life unfair?  Yes.  Do some people have it easier or harder than others?  Yes.  But just because some people have more opportunities than you do, doesn't mean you shouldn't take advantage of the choices you do have.

Work harder, aim higher, and enjoy what you do have instead of worrying about what you don't have.

According to the government, my kids are being raised in poverty.  They are disadvantaged.  But I'm not raising poor kids (and I'm not writing this post from a soup kitchen).  My kids work hard.  My kids save their money.  My kids understand personal responsibility (maybe better than many adults).


There are literally millions (probably even billions!) of people in the world right now who would feel beyond rich if they had your life.  And millions more who would feel infinitely blessed to have the opportunities you have right now. So don't ever let yourself feel like you are disadvantaged. You have all the opportunity you need, it just may look different than someone else's opportunities. Now get out there and choose the life you want.

Marcia

Have fun!

Learn to take care of your own needs.

Make things yourself.

Use every day as a chance to learn something new.

Get outside and exercise.

Learn to bake.

Share your homemade talents.

Spend time with your kids, not money.

Learn to work hard. Then teach your kids to work hard too.

Dave Ramsey-  "Rich" isn't an amount of money; it's a mindset in how you live.  I've been broke, but I've never been poor because when I was broke, I just had no money.  It wasn't that I had no hope.  It wasn't that I didn't believe I could win."