You probably already know that your financial difficulties are making you stressed, but have you really stopped to consider what that means for your health?

When something affects our health in a tangible way we are usually proactive about fixing it—when we have a cold we take vitamins and go to bed. When we start putting on a little weight we cut back on the chocolate and start exercising (hopefully you do).

However, when you are struggling with financial difficulties it you try to hide it and to ignore the consequences and the affect it’s having on your health because we think there is nothing that can be done, it’s just a part of life.

Financial Stress

We have all dealt with stress before, but when you are having financial difficulties stress can become a constant visitor and, eventually, a way of life. Chronic stress can lead to cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Stress increases your heart rate and your blood pressure putting more stress on your heart.

High levels of stress can also alter the hormone levels in your body which can lead to adrenal fatigue, weight gain, and can cause joint pain.

If you are having financial difficulties you have probably found yourself anxiously tossing and turning at night and this sleep deprivation can also lead to weight gain, trouble concentrating and can impede everyday tasks such as driving or working. Not getting enough sleep can also impair your immune system and cause moodiness.

You may also suffer other personality changes such as anxiety and depression, which can in turn make the stress of your financial situation even harder to deal with.

Looking after yourself

When you are having financial difficulties it is harder to care for yourself because you may develop unhealthy ways to cope with the pressure. These coping mechanisms could be smoking, drinking and frequently over eating.

In addition the physical damage caused by financial stress, when you are having financial problems you tend to cut spending on caring for yourself. Whether you let your health insurance lapse or ignore health issues in the face of expensive doctor’s bills, not caring for yourself because of your financial situation can lead to life altering illnesses and even death.

Aging

High stress levels and unhealthy lifestyle habits can lead to looking and feeling older than you really are. Stress and worry cause those worry lines in your face to deepen. Stress can also affect your skin, your teeth, and your internal organs which, when combined, make you look and feel old.

Plus, because you are worried about your finances you neglect to spend the money on supplements, and preventative care which can help your internal health, your skin, and your joints.

Relationships

Your relationships with your partner, your family, and your friends are the most important things to your wellbeing. And when you are too consumed by your financial difficulties to afford these relationships the time and effort they deserve, they will suffer.

Your hopelessness and frustration with your financial situation can lead to irritability. So even when you do make time for your relationships, your attitude can damage those relationships and it can often seem easier to withdraw from your social circle. Unfortunately this isolation can then compound feelings of anxiety and depression.

How to Build Healthy Financial Habits

If you are suffering from one or all of these symptoms of financial strain then you probably don’t see how a few simple steps can put you on the road to better emotional and financial health.

However, it’s taking those first few steps and making a start on changes in your life that can bring hope to the situation. If you continue taking small steps towards healthier financial goals, you’ll find yourself making major progress in no time.

Stop letting your finances physically harm you. Vertical Vision will help you get on track and take control of your money. We will help you reduce the stress and anxiety caused by your money problems. Don’t wait any longer, call us today at: (973) 440-8095

Come and meet other local business professionals. Each month there is a different host and a different location. The host will have 10 minutes to present to the group. (sign up to be a host)

The next Wednesday morning event we will meet on April 25th (7:15am) at Vertical Vision, 274 Spring Street, Newton.

Quitting your job may not be as risky as it seems. You should have done what you wanted a long time ago!

You’ve done what you were supposed to do. You graduated high school. You may have gone to a great college and even graduated with decent grades. You landed your first job and were then promoted. Maybe even multiple times!

You now are making decent money—more money than you ever thought you’d make. You’re married and now have responsibilities – kids, a mortgage, parents who may outlive their savings.

But you’re not living the life that you envisioned. The great job that you worked so hard for years and years to put yourself in the position to get is now your jail.

What you didn’t realize then you realize now. You shouldn’t have done what you were supposed to do. You should have done what you wanted to do, what made you happy, and what would have provided you the freedom to live the life you wanted.

And THAT is start your own business.

Don’t worry. It’s not too late to start a company, which is your only hope to live the life you want.  But if you fail to act now or soon, it may be too late. And getting off your current path onto a more fruitful one may be less risky than continuing to cash the regular safe paycheck and building for the long term.

If we can all agree on one thing (and it may be the only thing we can agree on), it is this: The “security” society is over. OVER! And it’s never coming back.

Social security is bankrupt. We know that. The program, like many others in the US, is a GIANT PONZI SCHEME! The money I pay today for social security goes right out the door to pay for benefits of others.

Job security? Forget about it. Assume you will be laid off, no matter what industry you’re in. Expect it to happen sooner than later.

Unemployment, COBRA, the EPA, FEMA, SEC, and most other government safety blankets and protectors are irrelevant. It’s not that the good people (in most cases) who work there are all ignorant and don’t mean well. We’ve seen over and over again that government protections don’t work.

Government security is over. Job security is over. Financial security is over. Sit with it. Feel it. Be with it. And start acting.

Does your personal financial future look like China? Or are you Greece? The decisions you make today to build for your future will determine your fate.

Why does it make financial sense to start your own business? Even if you continue to get your paycheck, you’re paying 40 percent to the local, state, and federal government. So the real opportunity cost is the after-tax money, the in-your-pocket money.

I’d argue that investing that money in your future is a better investment than investing 10 hours a day, and probably many weekends, trying to make someone else money, someone who may lay you off very soon.

Say you make $120,000 per year, a healthy salary for a college-educated professional. Of that, $48,000 goes right out the door. So your “in-your-pocket pay” is really $72,000, or $6,000/mo. That’s the investment you’ll be making in your future, it’s your opportunity cost. It’s a lot of money but definitely not enough to build any sort of real cushion or wealth, especially if you live in any city.

Now the old model was to slave away at a company earning enough to “survive” and support your family in hopes that you’d move up and make the big money in a decade (or two). Well, now that golden payday has been crushed and the only constant is change.

Entrepreneurs take advantage of change. Change is their muse, their catalyst, their lover and their protector.

Change chews up and spits out workers, employees, and the status quo of how thingswere done. Change looks at the above as inconvenient barriers to getting to a better place, temporary barriers that can be removed at any time.

So the question you need to ask is simple: Is your annual take-home pay, after taxes, really enough for you to justify the status albeit-potentially-fleeting quo? I’d argue for many of you that the answer is NO by a long shot. And you taking your paycheck and deluding yourself to think that this too will pass is dangerous and short-sighted.

Starting a company provides you two main benefits: flexibility and a prosperous future where you’ll control your own destiny. You’ll also have learned the financial survival skills necessary to thrive in any environment without sitting at your desk worrying about whether you’re on the chopping block. What I love most about starting companies is being able to show up to see my kids at school whenever I want. I work harder than most people. But I do so more on my terms than anyone else’s.

I am a realist. I know that not everyone is capable of quitting their job and starting up. Bills need to be paid. Responsibilities don’t go away. But for those of you who are in a position to invest in yourself and your future, let’s make sure you’re doing so in the most intelligent way so that you can reduce the time it takes you to start living the life you want to live.

Why wait, let’s get started now on developing your new company. Click Here to schedule your first appointment or call us at (973) 440-8095

As we start out the new year, what are you going to write on your page? Are you going to write down successes, failures, or just another blah mondane page like so many of them are?

I suggest you make 2012 the year to start working with Vertical Vision. We can help you eliminate your debt. We can help your business grow. We can help you achieve things that you have been dreaming of. Why not make this year the year wher you write big bold successes on your page.

Let’s get started today. Click here to schedule an appointment or call us at: (973) 440-8095

It doesn’t matter if you are in Texas, Ohio, Alaska, or some remote region of the world. Vertical Vision can work with you.

Call today to schedule your appointment. Our phone number is (973) 440-8095. You can also schedule an appointment online by clicking here.

You would think it would be just a low-income problem. Well, it’s not.

A surprising number of middle class families – including 25 percent of those earning between $75,000 and $100,000 — are also “fragile.”  What’s even more distressing is it’s a bigger problem in America than in any other country.

Being financially fragile is just another way of saying, “you’re financially unhealthy and you’d better fix the situation fast before you die a slow financial death.”

Of course, there are other areas one should look at to determine total financial health, but saving for an emergency is one area that most people overlook.  If you find yourself saving for a vacation but have nothing put aside for an emergency, I suggest you reevaluate your priorities and start to pave the way towards greater financial health.  You won’t be sorry you did!

Give us a call for an evaluation today. Stop the cycle of living on the edge. We can be reached at (973) 440-8095 or you can email us at: info@myverticalvision.com

• A new, fancy car
• A 60” 3D LED TV
• A vacation in France (or Hawaii or Australia)
• A hillside or beachfront house

Besides the luxuries and toys (which are perfectly fine to want and have), I’ve also learned that most people genuinely want to do some good in this world. Most people, if they had the money, would love to:

• Donate to worthy charities
• Give to their church
• Help the less fortunate in their community
• Help a struggling loved one

There are countless ways to answer the question: “What would you do if you had more money?”

But every single answer falls under the heading of the 2 things everyone really wants:  Freedom and Control!

Financial Freedom

Every person I know that isn’t already wealthy wishes they had more freedom with their money. What would financial freedom mean for you?  How about the freedom to choose when and where to spend your money, the freedom to purchase the things you really want, the option to stay home with your kids, to give generously, to quit the job you hate and pursue your passions, hobbies or business ideas, and to experience the best of what this world has to offer?

Financial Control

Those same people, including you and me, desperately want to have control over their finances. What would it look like for you to have financial control?  How would it feel to have control of your full income, control of your spending, of your financial future, your security, your opportunities, your career, your legacy?

If these are the two things everyone wants, what’s keeping you from having them?

Debt

If you’re in debt, you need to face the reality that you are being robbed of financial freedom. When you’re in debt, you’ve promised to pay a portion of your income every month until the debt is paid off. When you’re debt free, the only person who decides what you do with your money is you!

Unbalanced Budget

If you don’t live on a budget, you’re not in control of how you spend your money. We’re all guilty of making spur-of-the-moment, “if it feels good do it” decisions with our money. Without proactively planning how you’ll spend each month’s income, it’s unlikely that your spending matches up with what you really want in life.

No Emergency Fund

If you don’t have a solid emergency fund, you have no control over your financial security. But when you have money set aside for emergencies, unexpected expenses no longer control your financial situation. Even setting aside just $1,000 is a great start.

No Retirement Plan

If you aren’t investing for retirement, you’re sacrificing your future freedom. Do you really want to continue working into your 70’s because you have to? Do you want to sacrifice your freedom in your golden years by not preparing now?

When it comes to your money, freedom and control are absolutely within reach, but no one’s going to hand you these gifts wrapped in shiny paper with a bow on top. You have to work for them! Make the decision to take back your financial freedom and control today!

Schedule an appoint with us to get started today. We can be reached at (973) 440-8095 or you can schedule online by clicking here.

Envelopes
Each envelope represents a different budget category. Place in each envelope the amount of money for that budget category. When you spend money, take it from the appropriate envelope. When the money in the envelope is gone, the spending for that category stops.

Gift Cards
Purchase gift cards for your budget categories. Each gift card should have the amount of money budgeted for the category it represents. When you spend money, use the appropriate gift card. When the balance on the card is zero, spending for that category stops.

Expense Tracker
The Vertical Vision Expense Tracker is one of the most flexible ways to stay on track. It is a simple easy to use system that allows for you to spend money using checks, debit cards, and cash. In the Expense Tracker there are pages to represent each budget category. You start each page with the title for the category and the amount of money for that category. As you spend money you write it on one of the lines and subtract the amount you spent from the available balance. When the balance is zero, the spending stops. Not only is this one of the most flexible ways to track your spending, it also gives you a great record of where the money went. The Expense Tracker can be ordered online by clicking here or by calling our offices at: (973) 440-8095.

However you chose to track your spending, make
sure that you are following through and staying on budget.

Vertical Vision is a coaching firm focused on helping our clients achieve success. The two most popular ways we do this is through Small Business Coaching and Personal Financial Coaching.

Small Business Coaching
In small business coaching we offer an outside point of view. We are able to look in at a
business and see things that the owner and employees sometimes can’t. We find areas in the business that can be improved to offer the client both better success and new customers. Vertical Vision works with our small business clients to build their businesses into the successful enterprise we know it can be. We have also worked with many clients who are just starting out. We have helped them develop a successful business from the ground up, including all the paperwork and red tape required to start a new business.

Personal Financial Coaching
Our personal financial coaching is very different from seeing a financial advisor. Typically, a financial advisor is looking for a client with a lot of money to invest. Our typical financial coaching client does not come to us with lots of money. They come to us with little or no money. New clients are often worried about money and how to make ends meet. They often work hard, but have little or nothing to show for it. We work with our clients to put an end to the worrisome cycle of living paycheck to paycheck. We show them how to pay off debt, build a savings account, and ultimately how to achieve financial freedom.

If you would like to learn more about our services, please feel free to give us a call anytime. Our phone number is: (973) 440-8095.

Vertical Vision Coaching may very well change your life.