The Friday Feast ~ the 3rd of April

I love learning. Always have. So when I find a blog or writer that interests me I devour everything I can find. Every day I move countless amazing articles from an array of  frugal, simple living, FI-minded writers into my Amazing Reads folder to be read at my leisure. These articles inspire me and the Mr. to think about things in different ways, to keep open minds and to constantly keep learning so we can be the best possible us.

In this episode of Friday Feast: Dividend Mantra, White Collar Freedom, Big Guy Money, and Becoming Minimalist.

Here are my picks for this week's Feast. I hope they inspire you to set financial goals and take control over your heart, mind and - yes, your pocketbook.  There is a fire lit within each and every one of us, and the sooner we find that flame, the quicker we can use it for the energy we need to master our own happiness.

Making Me Think:

There are a few articles this week that got me thinking about the way I think. Complicated, I know. But sometimes it's our own thoughts that are holding us back.

Dividend Mantra wrote an article about how he won the lottery!  Exciting! He talks about if his younger self were to see him now with the money he's invested/saved, he would indeed feel like he won the lottery. After all, how else did you accumulate that kind of cash? This made me first put myself in my younger self's shoes and look at where I stand. Married to a wonderful man, with a great job and over $500,000 in net worth with plans to only work another 5 years. Wow. I won the lottery too! It also made me question some of my own assumptions about what is possible. If something seems so out of reach - "I might as well win the lottery" - maybe I'm just putting obstacles in my own path. Maybe it's not as out of reach as I believe.

White Collar Freedom also made me think this week when he wrote about the once in a lifetime trap. It is true that so many people use "once in a lifetime" to excuse bad behavior or overspending. But he points out that everyday is "once in a lifetime". We will never have a chance to live that day again. So, "once in a lifetime" is not an excuse to do things we wouldn't ordinarily do. It is a reason to step back and live each "once in a lifetime" day the very best we can.

In living each "once in a lifetime" day the very best we can, we should also recognize that luxury is all around us. Big Guy Money shares one day in his life and how he recognizes the amazing luxuries he possesses. We too have so very much to be thankful for and to recognize.

Lastly, Becoming Minimalist discusses how what we consume determines the lives we live. I could not agree more. This is along a similar vein, that we are/become the five people closest to us. So if we choose to surround ourselves with positive, helpful, joyous loving people and consume uplifting, thoughtful, meaningful article and books, and eat healthy and delicious fruits and vegetables, we will get the traits from those activities. However, if we do the opposite, our lives will be filled with negative emotions and traits.  I'm going to keep reading these wonderful articles that inspire me to reach my FI goals and edit my life to be exactly what I want it to be. I'm going to keep eating delicious healthy food and going to the gym everyday with my hubby. I'm going to keep seeking out new likeminded people and make a conscious effort to be with my close friends and family who I admire and love.

I hope everyone has a wonderful, thoughtful, once in lifetime weekend :)

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Did you read something inspiring this week? If so let us know in the comments below!

They have been at a great feast of learning, and stolen the scraps.
- William Shakespeare