7 Cardinal Rules for Life

I'm entering 2014 with a positive attitude.

I wrote down my New Year's Resolutions and I really hope to stick to them.

I've come up with a strict budget that I'm certain I can accomplish, I'm trying to cut off my extra spending on nonsense items.  This means no more trips to Homegoods or Marshalls "just because".  I don't need clothes. Our house is pretty much decorated with the exception of the living room.  I'm allowing myself to buy a picture ledge from Ikea because I've always wanted one for the wall. And maybe a couple of knickknacks for the shelf that we have our DVD player and cable box on. But other than that, the house is basically set. There is no reason I can't stick to my budget.  I am also participating in the 52-week money challenge.  This will be a challenge because I rarely have cash on me.  I'm so used to using a debit card so I'm going to try hard NOT to use it except for gas only! If I can get myself in the habit of paying with cash, everything will be paid for upfront and I won't have to worry about it in the future.

If you ever find yourself going for the credit card, ask yourself: why am I using my credit card? Is it because I don't have the cash upfront and more convenient for me to pay later? BIG NO NO.  If you don't have the cash for it right then and there, you can't afford it. Plain and simple.  And if you can afford it (whatever IT may be) you would have gone to the store specifically for it and prepared to buy it in cash or on your debit card.  This really is one of my problem areas.  While I can afford to buy the things I've gotten in the past, I wasn't properly prepared for buying said item. And then I find other things to spend my money on, money that was allotted for the item I purchased on the credit card and then that gets pushed to the back burner.

I would like to pay more compliments to my husband.  I always get so caught up in such little petty, materialistic things that I forget what's important. "I hate those jeans Mike, they're SO baggy!" "Ugh are you really wearing those socks with those sneakers" "Man you need a haircut".  HOW THE HELL would I feel if Mike said these things to me? "Boy your hair looks like shit today Lauren". "That shirt looks so old, you should really stop wearing it and throw it away". I would be completely devastated. Why is it okay for me to be so nitpicky to him? IT'S NOT.   This was actually my first item on the list.  BE NICE. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all....or, in my case, find something NICE to say!

Find a new job where I am happy was also on the list.  I'm going to temporarily cut this one off.  Mike and I discussed that we really do want to move within 1 year, up to two years and honestly there is no point in heading out somewhere new at this point.  I have a well paying job, decent (jerks changed our benefits) benefits, great time off, and I know my boss' work ethic. Why settle into something new to only have to quit in a couple of years.  Suck it up.  No one loves their job. I have to keep telling myself that one.

Don't compare myself to others. This is nothing but bad news. You have to be happy with what you have. Be happy being YOU.

Which brings me to: 7 Cardinal Rules for Life.  I found this on face book a couple of weeks ago and I screen shot the text because I absolutely loved it, and knew I wanted to share this on the blog at some point.  I don't know who the author is that made this.  I did however make it all fancy-schmancy. You know us bloggers can't have anything ugly on the blog :)

What do you think? These rules really spoke to me. I'm going to keep these in the back of my mind when things aren't right.

Happy New Year - glad to be back everyone!