Many experts are suggesting that the current financial situation will get worse before it stabilizes and turns around. I’m a practical person so I have trouble understanding how printing more money is a sound plan to get out of debt, at home or at the federal level. I expect we have not even begun to see the full effects of the recession take place so these will be uneasy times.

That being said, it’s now more important than ever to plan ahead. From something as basic as tax software, to informative and intricate guides on managing money; don’t let yourself be on the receiving end of a challenging situation without having a few good tools to help you through.

Reaction or preparation?

Are you waiting and hoping your family will be spared from the worst of the recession? If something were to happen that directly affects your income, would you be prepared? If you can honestly say you are not prepared, it’s likely you would make decisions by “reacting to” bad news. When you are reacting, decisions are generally made based in fear. Fear does not cultivate wise decisions or a solid plan of action.

The other option we have is to plan ahead. By growing your perspective you will be more prepared for various scenarios and a broader perspective will give you the creative means to make a crisis work in your favor.

The Power of a Resource Toolbox

We learned how to handle seemingly disastrous financial circumstances with more clarity and focus because we ate up every bit of information we could get our hands on. It was literally sink or swim! These books and resources spoke differently than what we were used to hearing and they soon cleared the dark clouds of worry from our minds.

Learning is the beginning of wealth. Learning is the beginning of health. Learning is the beginning of spirituality. Searching and learning is where the miracle process all begins. Jim Rohn

Here are some of the important resources that helped change our lives and get us back on solid financial ground:

• The Magic of Thinking Big: David Schwartz – This is a “must have” book for both adolescents and their parents! Who needs to be bogged down with pessimism? This is where we first learned about “possibility thinking” and we continue to go back to it again and again.

• Cashflow Quadrant: Rich Dad’s Guide To Financial Freedom, Robert Kiyosaki – This book was extremely helpful in helping us understand how money flows in society. It states the limitations and benefits of each financial quadrant so you can determine if you are living in a quadrant that is either suited to you or limiting you.

• Rich Dad Poor Dad: What The Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That The Poor And Middle Class Do Not! Robert Kiyosaki – A big eye opener about how we view “time and money” by following the life story of Kiyosaki and his two “dads” – one rich and one poor. A new value system for time and money is essential.

• Think and Grow Rich: Napoleon Hill – I have to honestly say that I did not “get” this book when I first read it. As a practical person, I wanted the “how to” book and missed the deep significance in this book. Now this book speaks volumes to me and I’m so glad I finally realized it’s significance. It’s a must read classic for every home.

• The Challenge to Succeed (Audio CD’s): Jim Rohn - For an entire year, we listened to the cd’s nearly every day. It would be impossible to adequately describe how he has impacted our thinking, but if you would rather have timeless truths delivered without the fluff, these CD’s are for you. His message is simple and elegant and he will truly impact you in a positive way.

• The 4 Hour Work Week: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich, Timothy Ferris. This is an excellent resource book for anyone seeking more freedom from their work or business. Lot’s of practical tools and advice. I appreciated his definition of the “new rich” as he correctly described our desire for “lifestyle freedom” as opposed to being “Trump rich.”

• The Science of Getting Rich: Bob Proctor -  SGR program is fantastic. Audio CD’s and a workbook to apply what you’ve learned. There is a ton of information to go through and it’s timeless wisdom yet again, so it speaks to your inner intelligence.  “7 Natural Laws of the Universe” are on our fridge today, our very important reminder to surrender to Laws that are not normally visible with our mind. (Until you learn the Laws!)

• Parallel Universes DVD: How To Live in a World Where Everything You Desire Is Already Yours! James Arthur Ray – A fun blend of scientific discoveries that validate timeless spiritual truths (of coarse!) James Ray is passionate, well studied and authentic. I personally love quantum related anything so this was enjoyable. If you watched The Secret, I predict that you’ll enjoy this one even more!

This list is not exhaustive however the main idea here is to choose your financial information wisely. If you want to transform your financial future, access books and resources that you can learn and grow from. The media is not a source for wisdom or growth and we cannot change our circumstances by accepting this type of information into our consciousness.

The solutions for your future will require a different level of thinking that what you are normally accustomed to. As a reformed pessimist, I now know the importance of learning new information and gaining a positive mindset to help create abundance and success.

How do you gain clarity in difficult times? Which books and resources do you recommend to help see beyond the recession?

Hey, come visit the me and leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you. If you enjoyed this article, thank you for giving it a boost on social media. © All rights reserved. This post is from HealthyGreenMoms and cannot be republished without express written permission.

8 Important Resources To Help Transform Your Financial Future

Financial health is one of a few major keys to overall wellness and so it is fitting to integrate a “Family Finance” category into HGM. This is a simple article about one family (ours!) who dared to dream big 4 years ago and finally climbed out of financial ruin. If you have never gotten off the starting blocks in the first place and you dream of being financially worry- free, this is for you:

Many families were in financial crisis long before the wall street meltdown and current economic concerns hit. A growing majority simply don’t have enough cash to make ends meet, much less investing in their future. Combine this with the recent job losses and you have a recipe for a major financial crisis.

What is it that you’re after?

The way money relates to “freedom” lies in the ability to devote your life to causes that you deem as more soul serving than working to make ends meet. Whether you are after just a little more each month or getting to a position where you no longer have money worries, each family can generate what they are looking for with some focused attention on a few key factors.

Our family is working towards financial freedom and early “retirement.” As the children of parents who have had very little financial success, my husband and I have seen how years of money worries can smother hopes and dreams. We knew we wanted to avoid repeating the same circumstance in our lives, however, without understanding a few basic rules of financial wellness we made a mess of our own finances soon after getting married.

There is a silver lining in all crisis though. Financial meltdowns can serves a huge opportunity for you and your family with some work and a fresh perspective.

Why is a financial crisis your best opportunity?

The problem with being constantly cash strapped is that over time it can seriously affect how you perceive opportunity in the world.

I’m going out on a limb to say that since there is no shortage of opportunity, a limited perspective is one of the major reasons why it is so hard for families to recreate their bank balance. A limited perspective makes it very hard to overcome obstacles and hardship. The comforts of stability do not require much personal growth and learning so a crisis of any kind is amplified by how ill prepared a person is to handle it.

We lived for 4 years on the verge of bankruptcy and nothing sucked more than being a slave to our own circumstance! The good news is that a financial crisis turns your life upside down. Crisis has always motivated people to make great changes in their lives and your financial crisis can be the same gift of change, if you choose.

The following 7 keys will help you see a financial crisis from a new perspective and turn it into your best opportunity:

1. Accept Personal Responsibility

Regardless of the perceived cause of your crisis, accept responsibility for it. To quote a popular saying, “you cannot change what you don’t accept.”  While external situations may have caused additional hardships, take back control for the fact that the solution now lays in your hands.

If your financial slop has been brewing over a longer period of time, begin to ask yourself probing questions about how you view money, yourself, success and other successful people to greater understand why opportunity may continuously elude. (I’ll include a book list for the next article which will help you probe deeper into this.)

The main point is that people who are personally responsible no longer feel scammed, cheated or defeated because they take advantage of each situation as a learning opportunity. Become solution oriented and forget spending time thinking about things that do not change your circumstance.

2. Don’t Rely On Others To Make It Easier

As soon as you decide that you cannot rely on others for your financial well being,  you will no longer accept less than you deserve. Are you holding out for a little while forsaking the opportunity to Be and Have more?

We soon realized what a huge motivator “rock bottom” can be! Continuous “help” from others is a problem because it  serves as a band-aid that only delays the need to hit “rock bottom” and become resourceful enough to figure out a solid plan of action. While assistance can be a lifesaver for the short term, don’t exchange it for the reward of being able to choose how you want to live.

3. Accept That There Is No “Secret” Formula

Call it the “lottery mentality” in the age of  instant gratification. We, along with so many people were waiting for the “big reveal” on what it takes to be financially independent. There must be something they’re not telling us? One of our biggest moments of personal growth was realizing that we too can have the same success as others. There is no “secret” that we need be privileged enough to have access to!

All of the highly successful people we have come into contact with have only been willing to do a few key things that others are not willing to do.

Financial independence comes with a price though. There is a price to pay for everything. Do you have the discipline to delay your gratification in order to make sacrifices with your time and effort until you reach your goals?

4. Study To Grow Larger Than The Problems You Face

Most of us eventually arrive at our destination not because we’ve intended it to be this way but because we’ve fallen asleep at the wheel. You can be sure that the one thing that greatly influences every financial decision in your home is your own personal mindset about money. Use this crisis as an opportunity to understand how your thinking differs from those who are in the financial position you want to be in.

Thinking about our personal views on success and money was a lot of fun although frustrating and shocking to admit that we had some pretty “poor” ways of seeing ourselves. Once you begin to shift your perspective you will be in a much better position to take steps towards fixing your financial situation.

5. Invest In Yourself First

YOU are the best return on your money. If you want to break past the ceiling or plateau of J.O.B. income then it pays to invest in yourself.

Consider starting a business. You don’t need to bet the family farm to gain big rewards either. Start small. If you don’t have a business yet, consider that the only way to build something for the future is to generate multiple streams of income. Begin with one additional income stream outside your current job or income source.

Examine your financial goals, talents and passions and then take some steps to invest in yourself and your future.

6. Learn To Take Calculated Risks

The day we finally became sick and tired of our limited choices was the day we decided to take our first bold steps towards a new life. We were able to risk what others do not because we felt we didn’t have much to lose. Despite popular advice, we chose to risk it all because the life we had would always be waiting for us if we “failed.”

Do you take the risks required to advance towards your dreams? When you do take a risk and it doesn’t provide the results you seek, does the cynic take over and you give up?  Mature your “entrepreneur spirit” by taking small calculated risks that will season your tolerance level for taking bigger risks in the future .

Don’t let any “problems” along the way become a roadblock for you! The only way to move past problems is by paying special attention to Key #4 – “Study to become larger than the problems you face.”

7. Be Selective

Too many people take financial advice from people who are not walking their talk. Is your “adviser” earning a wage from his advice or is he financially free because of his advice? Big difference.

If it is financial abundance you are seeking then it pays to learn a little about what the rich do to get wealthy. How do they think, how do they work, how do they see assets, liabilities, time, and opportunity. Their perspective is much different that what you will find on TV or from the popular “money guru’s” currently dispelling their advice.

Also remember that much of the so called wealth you see around you is swimming in debt so never feel envy or competition towards others.

In Summary

Tune out the negative and focus on what YOU want for your family. Stop buying into the crisis, set a new course and be willing to go the distance. You can do this because we managed to do it, even when everything was against us.

The next article will include the books that saved us from ourselves so don’t forget to subscribe for updates!

What are your thoughts on the financial crisis? Do you see opportunity amidst the chaos? How will your family manage through it all?

Hey, come visit the me and leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you. If you enjoyed this article, thank you for giving it a boost on social media. © All rights reserved. This post is from HealthyGreenMoms and cannot be republished without express written permission.

7 Keys To Turn a Financial Crisis Into Your Best Opportunity