Debt Reduction 101

Yesterday, I shared this questionnaire from Smile Therapy and Part One of my answers. If you’re new to this train of thought – look at yesterday’s to get the background on why this questionnaire is so awesome and how it can help you make meaningful resolutions.

The questions:
*How would you rate both your physical and mental health?
*Are your relationships functioning the way you’d like? (spouse, significant other, friends, family)
*How would you rate your work situation and / or your satisfaction with it?
*What about how your finances are sitting? (assets, debts, cash flow)
*Are you progressing with regards to your short and long term goals?
*How much “fun factor” do you have in your life? (What cool things have you done in the past 12 months? Are you living life to the fullest, or just going through the motions?
*Are you progressing spiritually? (For example, do recent actions make you feel your moral compass is accurate? What have you done recently for your fellow man? Do you feel “tuned in” to the universe or are you still waiting for that cosmic connection?)

Part Two: The Rest of My Answers

Are you progressing with regards to your short and long term goals?
Well, first and foremost – I have to be better at setting said goals – both short- and long-term. But if I had to paint my life in broad brushstrokes, my short-term goal is to get through the wedding and not compromise some of the projects I hope to accomplish (i.e. – the programs I want to make by hand, the CD wedding favors.) Long-term is the novel.

How much “fun factor” do you have in your life? (What cool things have you done in the past 12 months? Are you living life to the fullest, or just going through the motions?)
In terms of fun, I have a good life … Future Husband and I do not go out often, but when we do go out, we usually have a good time together. Last year we made it to two sports events, went on one mini-vacation to the Twin Cities and took a longer trip to Wisconsin. My fun factor doesn’t just revolve around FH. I guess if I had more time, more money and if Hollywood would produce something other than drivel, I’d go to more movies. But I have Netflix, I have a library card – I don’t need too much to make me happy or to entertain myself.
I was also pondering the answer to this question the other night when I was making a late dinner for Future Husband and I. I think one of my biggest problems when it comes to my “fun factor” is that I do compare our life to other lives and other experiences. That’s not hard to do after the recent round of holiday letters and cards. Facebook is also particularly bastardly at evoking a feeling of “Oh my, they went to Europe? How lame am I?”
I told FH that not comparing our lives to others is something I need to be better at. Because our life is pretty darn cool – it’s not perfect, but holiday cards are exactly that. Cards. They are representative of one moment where the kids weren’t crying and when mommy’s hair was perfectly coiffed. It doesn’t speak to all of the other life things that happened that year.

Are you progressing spiritually? (For example, do recent actions make you feel your moral compass is accurate? What have you done recently for your fellow man? Do you feel “tuned in” to the universe or are you still waiting for that cosmic connection? )

Is my moral compass accurate? (In various places around the world, people are throwing back their heads and howling with unbridled laughter, ready to produce pictures, emails or audio files that will ensure I never run for public office.) I think my moral compass is OK. I really need to find a church that I attend out of joy, not obligation. (But I also really need to start searching for that church.) I’ve probably become too good at telling white lies … usually at my job, nothing that would get me fired, but you know “Oh, printer ink! It’s on order” when in truth I haven’t thought about it since you told me that your black ink was quickly fading. Whereas I’m not proud of this, sometimes these things are a matter of self-preservation at work.
Other than this, I think my moral compass is OK. If I found a $50 bill on the sidewalk, I would try to find its owner. I used to be a mentor and that was one of the most rewarding experiences of my adulthood. I don’t think you’ll be seeing me on “America’s Most Wanted” anytime soon.