(Henry Ford)

I think we can safely assume that Henry Ford had some failures on the road to success.

He was obviously an entrepreneur (risk taker).

I have experienced that it’s better to try and fail than to never have tried at all.

Living with the regrets of never trying always stay with you.

So, if you’ve had a recent failure, “Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again!”

If not today, when?

According to a 2023 study from finance website WalletHub, 25% of Americans say it’s worth going into debt for a good vacation.

The majority of those going into debt do so by charging travel expenses on a credit card, with 20% of respondents saying they would rather skip a credit card payment and put the money toward a vacation.

Elizabeth Currid-Halkett is the author of The Sum of Small Things: A Theory of the Aspirational Class and a professor of public policy at the University of Southern California.

She believes that the current trend of travel moving from “optional” to “priority” began during the financial crisis in the 2000s and spiked after the pandemic.

“We wouldn’t have been able to predict it.

The way the pandemic affected different generations in different ways.

But the idea that our friends matter, living life matters, how important living a good life is – that has led to a change in how people spend their money.

“When you’re young, you don’t have money to shift into another area.

But you can say, ‘I’ll think about this later and live my best life right now.’” (CNN)

It sounds like a new point-of-view for a new generation!

Tucked away in the mountainous highlands of Chiapas in southern Mexico, around 150 coffee farmers on the Edelmann family farm work with their hands for hours on end.

The shade of tree canopies is the only barrier between their bodies and the summer sun.

Tomas Edelmann, a fourth-generation coffee farmer and vice president of the international Coffee Farmer’s Co-op, told CNN that their shade-grown method of producing coffee is more drought-resistant.

A longer-than-normal dry season, he blames on climate change, still caused crops to suffer this year.

“If you don’t have the right weather, you will not have the right production.”

“And with low yields, obviously your cost of production goes up.” (CNN)

(Nelson Mandela)

It’s appropriate that our title comes from Nelson Mandela.

After many years spent in prison, he became president of South Africa.

Are you satisfied with your life?

If so, you should be a happy person.

If not, are you willing to consider other life choices?

Understand that a decision to go in a different direction will be difficult.

But, nothing worthwhile is easy.

Maybe you already know the path you’d like to take.

In either case, you must consider the effect on loved ones.

Be careful and do your homework.

If not today, when?

We bought a unique bird feeder just to attract Baltimore Orioles.

It has a littlt cup on the feeder filled with grape jelly.

Sure enough, The Baltimore Orioles began stop by for some jelly.

Slowly, sparrows began eating the grape jelly too.

My research tells me that grape jelly isn’t a food source that normally attracts sparrows.

But, THEY HAVE ADAPTED.

CAN WE?

There are many changes going on in our world.

Among them, our society is becoming more confrontational.

Each of us can reduce this by being KIND to people we meet each day.

I may be askiing you to leave your comfort zone.

Can we adapt?

If not today, when?

I think most people equate generosity with a wealthy person.

Luke 12:48
“To whom much has been given, much will be required.”

This includes a person who has various talents, wealth, knowledge or time.

Each of us has something we can share.

These are all gifts that can be shared with another.

Generosity is not just about money. That’s easy if you have it.

The giving of your talent, knowledge or time are actually more difficult to give.

Do you have something of value you can share with someone in need?

Remember, it is in giving that we receive.

If not today, when?

(Benjamin Franklin)

My dad used to tell me “Everything in moderation.”

Benjamin Franklin believed that passion is a desirable trait.

But, it must be applied only in pursuit of a reasonable objective.

I would add one more qualifier, OBTAINABLE.

Pursuit of the unobtainable is a waste of time and effort.

Do you have any goals for your life?

If you make a list, scratch out the ones that are unreasonable.

And zero in on the ones whose result would be “A life worth living!”

If not today, when?

(Charles Dickens

Good advice from Charles Dickens.

He was a famous English novelist who was considered the greatest novelist of the Victorian Age.

His works included A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, A Tale Of Two Cities and Great Expectations.

His advice to us is very profound, but hard to take because it’s hard to set past misfortunes aside and plan a better future.

But, that’s what we must do.

If not today, when?

The number of US cities where first-time homebuyers are faced with at least a $1 million price tag on the average entry-level home has nearly tripled in the past five years, according to new research.

A Thursday report from Zillow indicates that a typical starter home is now worth $1 million or more in 237 cities, up from 84 cities in 2019, underscoring America’s ongoing home affordability crisis.

“Affordability has been strained across the board,” Orphe Divounguy, a senior economist at Zillow, said.

“We see the largest number of million-dollar starter homes in expensive coastal markets.

We see them in markets with very low homeownership rates and we see them in markets with more building regulations.”

Almost half of the US cities with $1 million starter homes are in California. New York, New Jersey, Florida and Massachusetts.

Move To Another Employer-The best way to get a good raise is to move to another employer. Many have gotten a 20% and higher raises with the move. (Forbes.com)

Research Is Necessary– If you intend to stay with your present employer, you must find out the average pay for your job classification.

Presentation Of Accomplishments– You must be able to present a printed document describing the results you’ve had in your area of responsibilities.

Timing?– Don’t request a raise if the company is struggling financially. If, however, you have made a substantial accomplishment to the company’s success, the timing is right.

Focus On Your Results, Not your Time With The Company!– A reminder to your boss that you’ve been in your job a long time is the wrong thing to say. It gives your boss a guilt trip. Length of service doesn’t deserve a raise, RESULTS DO!