Live your life by design not default

People who live their life by default tend to be the ones who "blame" other people for their situation. They blame the economy for not having enough money, yet are more likely to spend all they do earn, wasting money on simple pleasures like going out, buying cigarettes, take-away food and alcohol. Want to know where your money goes? Keep receipts, put them into a spreadsheet and tally it up at the end of the month - it's amazing where you can make savings to your budget once you take responsibility for taking care of what you earn.

People who live their life by default are more likely to blame their bosses for not giving them a payrise yet do little or nothing during the year to warrant one.

People who live their life by default say that if the "government" did more they could get a better job - yet fail to understand their part in the process. I've worked in factories, my kids currently work in fast food - anything to give us enough money at the time to do what we needed to do... For my kids, fast food is a good option because the hours suit their needs, and when the time comes they will move on, because they are also working towards bettering their education. And you know that selection criteria that says "dealing with difficult situations" boy do they have a LOT of examples to share. Believe me fast food is not an easy option.

People who live their life by design on the other hand tend to know what they want - and they take the steps to get there. In some cases it may take years to get the qualifications, or to save up enough money. It may mean burning the midnight oil after the kids have gone to bed to do the paperwork that will mean they can open their own business. But they know what they want and will put things into place that will allow them to reach their goals. Do you suddenly decide one day that you want to get fit and wonder why after doing little or no exercise for several weeks you haven't changed?

But do you know the amazing part? When you live your life by design you don't just affect one area of your life. As you make changes you will automatically start to see other areas where you can make changes too - for example, your desire to re-decorate your house means you don't spend all night watching TV, you save the money you would have spent on going out and put it towards paint or new furniture. As you climb up and down ladders and cleaned rooms of existing furniture you will slowly find yourself getting fitter / slimmer, your house gets de-cluttered and on it goes.

You decide you will get another job, so you update your CV, put together a covering letter and send it through to prospective employers. Not satisfied with your current "look" after all you didn't have time to go shopping or get a decent hair cut before, now it becomes important. You begin to dress to impress, your self-esteem goes up and you find you have more energy. And the best bit, you work better where you are currently employed too. You decide that if you do leave, you really don't want half-finished projects to mar your chances of a good reference, so your productivity improves.

Have you been guilty of living your life by default? Is now a good time to change that? And if not now - then when?

With many thoughts

Elle