Happy New Year and welcome to a fresh start! Last year sucked for so many people. I had some challenges too so I’m glad 2016 is behind me. Now we have the chance to start again with a fresh new sheet of paper.
Last year sucked for so many people. I had some challenges too so I’m glad 2016 is behind me. Now we have the chance to start again with a fresh new sheet of paper.
We get to write a new story for a new chapter of our lives. There are a lot of opinions about how to make it a great year, how to keep your resolutions, and how to be successful. There are even these lists of 17 things floating around for how to make 2017 great.
Personally, I get overwhelmed with a list that’s over five items so to keep it simple for everyone I only have three things to do to make 2017 the best ever.
Here are my top three tips for how to have the best new year ever
1. Stop caring about what other people think
As I get older I care less and less about what other people think, but this year I cared way too much. Big mistake. I was miserable trying to keep up with the opinions of others. That was a total failure.
This year I’m pulling the rug out from under the opinions of others who are not where I want to be or have not experienced what I have experienced. I’m taking the attitude of Trust, but verify. I have to do a gut check to see if what others are saying, the advice they are handing out like lollipops, is worth the time and energy to follow.
Take a page out of my book and just stop caring about what other people think. Start following your heart instead. You know the answers and if you don’t pray for wisdom and trust that God will give you the right answers and send the right people your way.
2. Do you (improve along the way)
We live in such a copycat world right now that it’s hard to know what is genuinely you and what is someone else’s influence. Social media plays a huge part in this phenomenon. However, you have to decide to do what you do best and forget about the rest.
Embrace your personality, your quirks, even your dark side. In the process, you will learn to trust and love yourself more so you have more to give your children and the world when it’s time. The hidden benefit of doing you is your level of self-acceptance increases.
When you accept yourself it is easier to make small improvements along the way. It is fun and you don’t feel the pressure of having to change because someone else said you should.
3. Plan for success and focus only on what you want
Finally, make a plan for success. How?
Simply decide what you want for the year (I suggest the top 3 things), write it down and post where you will see it each day.
The next thing is to focus only on what you want and ignore the rest. You almost have to have tunnel vision so you can’t see the distractions or the B.S. that is constantly coming up. This is the key and what they mean about living your life on purpose.
If you want to go to school put it on the list. Start with getting information about the school, programs, and enrollment dates. Talk to an adviser about your goals. Then register for a class to test out whether it is right for you.
Just stay focused on the activities that will get you toward your goals. Let the rest fall our of your view.
If you do these three things for the first three months of the year, the rest of the year will be on fire! Amazing! Unstoppable!
Want to learn the secrets to Unstoppable Power?
Grab my course, How to Unleash Your Unstoppable Power, for only $.99 (plus you get unlimited access to 1,000s of other courses for 3 months)! In my course you will discover the 16 steps to living fearlessly and authentically for the rest of your life, one day at a time.
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
Now that is the million dollar question everybody is asking, right? Well let me tell you, I learned how to go from minimum wage to six figures over a period of time. It was an interesting journey that I believe anyone can take with a plan.
So how do you do it? You do it by having a plan of action and actually taking that action until you reach your goal. That’s it in a nutshell. As easy or simple as it sounds, believe me it is not an easy journey and not for lazy or scary people.
My Single Mom Minimum Wage to Six Figures Story
I did it with my two kids, a full-time job, classes and homework, and a ton of determination. There were times I wanted to quit. There are days I cried and felt like giving up. Sometimes there were even people who tried to stop me. I even got distracted and off course for a little while, but I would not give up.
I went from working at the Probate Office in the county courthouse for the then minimum wage of $6.35/hr to a temporary job for $8.00 at AFLAC. Then I was hired full-time with benefits at $10.00/hr. My journey took me back to college after 10 years with a 6-month old and a four year old to a new city. My pay dropped to $8.50/hr working for the college then went up to $12/hr part time as an intern at NASA.
I was then hired as a full-time contract technical writer making $17/hr. Within a year I was promoted to Sr. technical writer and received a raise to $20/hr. From there I went to other companies and made $27/hr, $32/hr, $45/hr, to $50+/hr. As my skills and experience increased so did my income. I went from court clerk to SharePoint Corporate Trainer. None of what I’m sharing is to brag but it’s to show you that my hard work, prayers, and determination made the difference.
Even though I am a single mom it has never kept me from going after my dream. Maybe part of it is that I’ve always been an over achiever, but it’s mostly that I did not and would not let my circumstances or other people dictate my life and financial future. I decided what I wanted to do and I did it because I had two amazing kids keeping me motivated.
Dreams, Goals, & Plans are Key
You simply cannot give up on your dreams. You have to turn those dreams into goals. You have to create a plan. I’m not saying it has to be perfect but it has to at least drive you toward something better.
My process for going from $6.35 an hour to six figures was not a cut and dry path. I did not have a blueprint or cheatsheet. The truth is I had to piece together several parts to get to where I wanted to be. I can share those pieces with you but it’s up to you to take them and apply them to your life. In the end, it will probably look nothing like my journey.
Get the Puzzle Pieces Here
If you want to get the pieces to my puzzle you can join, enroll, or grab my $6.35 to Six Figures Master Class. In it I share how to create a Money Master Plan to elevate your income and upgrade your quality of life! There is no magic bullet but I can say my methods are sound and will help you along this financial journey.
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
In the first video blog of Rich Single Momma Says you will learn how to stop worrying about money. The reality is worry and whining is a waste of precious time and energy.
If you are chronic worrier or whiner, you are probably caught up in a hard to break habit. That doesn’t mean you can’t break the habit but you must learn to get through it.
I worried about money all the time. It was on my brain 24/7 especially being a single mom. But I learned that money is energy and loves being around people who are on the same wave length as it were. If you want to attract more money you have to get on the same brain wave pattern as it is on.
Watch the video for more…
Are you tired of worrying about money and want to adopt a positive money mindset? Ready to release the financial stress in your life? I’d love to help you come up with solutions that are specifically for you. Click the link to get a free 15 minute Massive Money Mindset action session with me. I will give you actionable ideas to go from money worry to money motivation.
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
Hi! Welcome to RichSingleMomma.com. I started this website almost a decade ago because I couldn't find any blogs back then that helped single moms with money. I was having some success in that area so I decided to share what I knew about side hustles, making extra money, and managing money. Read more...
