​​​What do many people think of most of the time? If you said health and wealth/money, you would be correct. What separates healthy and wealthy people from unhealthy and poor people? Answer: HABITS. Yes, our daily habits can make or break us! Since our minds are like rubber bands, they will never return to their original size once we stretch them. Therefore, the question Did You Know? will be part of the Newsletter.

 

HEALTHY: We know by now that we need to work out, eat the right foods ( fruits and vegetables), and do the " healthy " things for us. Reminding us to stay healthy are three (3) benefits listed below:

 

Avoid Pain and Disease…When people think of “healthy,” they often think of “disease-free.” To them, healthy means no heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, or respiratory diseases. It also means healthy joints, strong bones, and good vision. A vast majority of human diseases can be prevented with lifestyle changes.

 

Save Money…Getting sick is not cheap. In 2009, General Electric partnered with Seed Visualization to present a series of charts showing how much it costs to get sick in America. For example, a 58-year-old with diabetes had an annual healthcare cost of about $7,667.

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If he has insurance, the insurer will pay about $6,390, leaving the person with an out-of-pocket expense of over $1,200. Without insurance, the burden is all on the patient. Note: Healthcare costs have increased tremendously over the last few years.

 

Mental Health… A study conducted by researchers at Duke University found that exercising for 30 minutes three times a week can help an estimated 60% of patients overcome their depression without using antidepressant medications. In addition, exercise can give you the time to relax, take a break, and deal with the problem at hand!

 

WEALTHY: How would you define wealth? Merriam-Webster dictionary defines wealth as having wealth, being very affluent, having a great deal of money, resources, or assets, and being rich.

 

Zig Ziglar said: “ Money isn’t everything, but it’s right up there with oxygen.”

Money is a topic rarely discussed and one of the main reasons most people do not have enough. What is enough? That is a personal question, and it is up to you. Wealth, income, and money-making are often discussed or viewed negatively. When I was young, I used to hear people say the following:

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“ Money does not grow on trees.”

“ Money is the root of all evil.”

“ Rich people are greedy.”

“ Money won’t make you happy.”

 

Have you heard those expressions or phrases? Those who lack financial freedom and intelligence usually say these expressions or words. As a Financial Consultant/Advisor, people must understand that money is crucial to freedom. Money is a protection to buy food and medicine, care for your family and provide a roof over your head. I realize that money is an excellent servant but a terrible master. If you are only driven by money, building a lifestyle and living on your terms isn't easy. Balance is needed. A proverb states: “Give me neither riches nor poverty.” I think that proverbs give us balance.

 

But some questions come to mind. How can we focus on building wealth when we are barely getting by? How can we focus on financial freedom when we are two paychecks away from going broke? Sadly, these are common questions in today’s society. The answer. We start by changing our attitude and mindset from scarcity to abundance. Since thoughts always precede actions, it is our thinking that we have to adjust to having a more favourable outcome.

 

People must realize that money will not solve their problems. If people think money solves problems, I am afraid those people will have a rough ride. Intelligence solves problems and produces money. Personal growth solves problems. Money without financial intelligence is money that will soon disappear. “People Do Not Plan To Fail; They Fail To Plan.” Our goal at TWS Consulting Group is not only to help people plan but also to PROTECT, PLAN and PREPARE. We help protect assets, help plan for a better future, and help prepare for financial independence.

 

HABITS: Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a habit as (1). A settled tendency or usual manner of behaviour. (2) An acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely involuntary.

 

What do Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Oprah Winfrey, and Elon Musk have in common besides being billionaires? They are READERS. The habit of reading and applying the information you have read can profoundly affect your life. Think about it. People from all walks of life, people with incredible life experiences, and people who have gone from pennies to fortune and from failure to success have taken the time to write down their experiences so that we might share in their wealth of knowledge.

 

The important question is this: In the last 90 days, with this treasure of information from books that could change our lives, our fortunes, our relationships, our health, our children and our careers for the better, how many books have we read?

 

The HABIT of READING reduces stress.

A 2009 study at the University of Sussex found that reading for just 6 minutes can reduce stress levels by up to 68%. It also promotes mental health. Research suggests that people who keep their brains active by reading or playing mentally challenging games like chess are 2.5 times less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.

 

DID YOU KNOW? Pecans Fight Off Diabetes

Pecans may help prevent type 2 diabetes. When people ate a typical American diet—low in fruits and vegetables and high in calorically dense foods—for four weeks, those who consumed 1.5 ounces of pecans daily (a little less than one-half cup) had lower diabetes risk markers than those who did not eat the nuts. Risk markers included insulin levels and insulin resistance.

 

Study by researchers at Tufts University, Boston, published in Nutrients.