I’m guilty, yes I have done it over and over again. The outcome has always been the same. I would always tell myself that once I got out of this mess I have gotten myself into it would never happen again. I lied, I lied to myself and not only did I suffer for it but my family suffered for it too. I could blame you for it, yes you, my friends, the general public, society, and even my family could take some of the blame. Only that too would be a lie. The fault is my own. You see no one twisted my arm, or held a gun to my head. No one spent hours trying to convince me of anything. I just did it because I convinced myself it had to be done, it was expected of me. The truth is it was my own mental delusions making me believe in order for me to fit in, to be accepted by my friends it was what I needed to do. I was so overwhelmed with worry about making the perfect presentations to everyone that I would take chances, and borrow from Peter to pay Paul. I would count my chickens before the eggs hatched. I would spend my money on what I wanted and then put my burdens on the shoulders of my family and friends. Pressuring them to help me with living expenses that I deliberately put on the back burner. I never concerned myself with their financial situations as long as what mattered most was taken care of, me and my needs or wants. I had my designer clothes, my up-to-date new car, and or truck, I lived in a really nice huge brick home with all the amenities. My whole house was furnished with everything new and it looked as if it was professionally decorated too. I’m sure by now most of you know exactly what I’m talking about. For those that don’t, I’m talking about living a Champagne lifestyle when you can barely afford a beer budget. From this, I have learned a lot, and that is what I would like to share with you. If you have to dress or put up any false persona in order for your friends, family, or anyone else to accept you, like you, or even love you. You need to know that it is every bit as fake as you are. I’m here to tell you nothing you wear, nothing you live in, nothing you drive is going to make you who you are. You are not just fooling everyone else but even more so you are fooling yourself. All that extra help you’re getting will soon run out, then you will be overwhelmed with debt that you cannot pay. I can almost promise you something huge is going to come up that you are completely unprepared for that is going to play a big part in bringing down your imaginary empire. It may be a huge medical bill, an accident, a pet that needs Vet care, the loss of a job, a death in the family, or a sickness that keeps you from work. All these things are inevitable and almost guaranteed to happen in your life sooner or later. When it does what will you do? Who will you turn to? If you have no one to bail you out, you lose it all. You don’t have to miss much work when you already work from paycheck to paycheck before you are too far behind to catch up.You are so worried about everyone thinking about how successful you were, how will you explain selling everything you have worth anything and moving in with a friend or relative? Will you tell more lies to make yourself look used or mistreated? The truth of the matter is, that it is in fact you that is the user. It is you that are mistreating those that truly care about you. It’s time for you to face reality. Find a place to live that you can afford with your income. Find a vehicle that you can afford to drive and maintain. The necessities like changing the oil, and buying tires when yours are worn out. Do you have any idea how dumb it looks when you’re driving a $50,000.00 car with bald tires? Furnish your home with what you can afford with your own money. You need to have a plan and a goal. You will never own a home living from paycheck to paycheck and getting into debts that you cannot pay. You can’t have a future for your children, you can’t take them to the Dr. when they need to go, buy them clothes when they need them. If you don’t have money left out of your paycheck when you get your next paycheck you are living above your means. If you are not able to save any money out of a month’s income, you are living above your means. If you do not establish credit, savings, and other assets you will stay in the rut you are in until you decide to come off your high horse. If your friends, family, or whoever can’t accept you for who you really are, well now you know the truth. It never was about you, it was about what you had. Everyone wants the best of everything they can have in life. I can assure you that you will enjoy it a lot more if you get it all on your own and you can rest assured that you will be able to keep it. The world is waiting for you, go out in it and let it consume you, or have a plan and create your own world, your own legacy. Live a life that matters within your means.
Simply my Thoughts
Dean Butler
