A 6 Step Guide on How to Nail Those Resolutions

Amanda Abella — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 14:00:15 +0000

Since starting this blog at the end of 2010 I have been able to nail my New Year's resolutions. In 2011 I knew it was high time to get my finances in order and I did just that - I came up with a savings plan that worked for me, opened up a Roth IRA, I got a full-time job and I got a raise at said full-time job within a few months. In 2012 I knew my health and wellness was a priority - I'm proud to say that I've been practicing yoga regularly for a year and picked up kickboxing a few months ago. I'm also on day 107 of regular meditation.

One question I get asked all the time is how do I do it? How do I manage to actually do what I say I'm going to do? How did I manage to go from sedentary workaholic lifestyle to working out nearly everyday? How do I keep expanding this blog and my career? How did I manage to set up an IRA when I didn't know compounding interest from my own ass? And most of all, how did I manage to stay on track when life hit me square in the forehead with a breakup, hard times at work or family stuff?

Am I just more disciplined than the average Joe? Not really. In fact, I have my days when all I want to do is stay in bed. I do, however, have a few tips that have helped me actually achieve my resolutions.

1. Prioritize

I try to keep it to no more than three resolutions a year. I also make sure to categorize them. So for instance 2011 was dedicated to finances & career and 2012 was dedicated to health & wellness - two departments where I knew I had to get it together. In 2013 I'll hopefully just be able to add on to lifestyle changes I've already been working on for some time.

So how do you choose which resolutions to go for? After all, if you're anything like me (which you probably are since you're reading this blog) then you get a little ambitious and carried away.

Gabrielle Bernstein published an awesome video a little while back that really gets down to the nitty gritty of prioritizing your resolutions. And guess what? It really works! Check it out below:

Click here to read the entire post.

2. Figure out how you work.

Hit the ground running or baby steps? Everyone is different. I personally have to do something everyday in order to create a habit. Other people are more successful when they start small, like starting off going to the gym once a week instead of everyday.

Look back at your past successful resolutions. How did you approach it? Did you make a commitment from the get go or did you ease into it? Once you figure out what works best for you, use it.

3. Start early.

This is my favorite tip - start a few days early! Last year I started practicing my healthy resolution on December 26th. It made it seem like there was less pressure and by the time January 1st rolled around I was already a few days in.

This year I'm doing the same with my green juice resolution. In fact, I started on Christmas Day

4. Use life's curve balls to your advantage.

One of the biggest reasons people have a tough time with resolutions is because life inevitably gets in the way.

Been through a breakup? Got laid off? Illness? No problem! Use these less than desirable situations to your advantage. Get creative and use the energy these situations bring up for good.

Don't get me wrong, if you need to take a few days to readjust, do it. But you also have to look at the silver lining - and guess what, you know have more time to cultivate those resolutions. Besides, focusing on something else other than your hardship - like doing something good for yourself - can make a huge difference in the healing process.

For instance, when I was feeling a lot of anger after a breakup I upped my fitness routine and started kickboxing. I was still taking care of myself, was using the anger to get a good workout in and was releasing whatever crazy emotions were coming up through physical activity.

The result? I've got arm definition for the first time in my life (see picture below haha). My abs are tighter, I'm stronger, I've got more endurance, my mood has improved and most importantly, I've made health and fitness a regular part of my life.

2012 resolution completed, even with one of life's curve balls.

5. Enlist some buddies & declare your resolution.

Do you and a friend both have a similar resolution? Join forces! Go to the gym together, work on your side hustles together at a coffee shop, train for that marathon together, whatever! There is some serious strength in numbers so take advantage!

This is also a great way to keep yourself accountable. By declaring your resolution out loud it gives you a sense of commitment. The friends you enlist can also help keep you on track (just like you can help them).

6. Have fun! Don't be so hard on yourself!

We're not perfect, and as a result we're going to fall off the wagon. The plan of action here isn't to be so hard on yourself - that just brings up feelings of guilt, anger and a whole bunch of bullshit that won't serve you.

The solution is to acknowledge the goof up, give yourself a pat on the back for getting as far as you did and picking yourself back up again the next day. Sometimes it takes a few tries before something sticks, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that!

At the end of the day resolutions are meant to improve our lives, not make us feel miserable.

So what are my resolutions this year?

Health & Fitness: Start juicing, baby! I got a Breville juicer for Christmas (the same one in the documentary Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead) and I'm ready to use it! I've been experimenting with green juices and smoothies for a few weeks and I truly feel it's time I make a commitment to those micro-nutrients and make myself some green juice for breakfast everyday (as I am writing this I am on Day 2).

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter to keep up, join in and show me your juice!

(Optional resolution: I've been reading up on the health benefits of massage thanks to Kris Carr. In 2013 I will try to get a massage once a month to help my muscles out.)

Money: In 2013 I hope to max out my Roth IRA contribution for the year. The max contribution is $5,000 and I already contribute $1,200 automatically. Only $3,800 to go! I plan to do this with the help of Impulse Save. If there is anything that Impulse Save has taught me it's that little savings here and there add up quickly.

Career: There's nothing really new in the career sector other than continuing what I've been working toward since starting this blog. I need to continue testing my coaching chops as I move through the ICA program. I also hope to become actively involved in local networking and career communities. I've got a couple of workshops I'm working on that will help me get involved, give back and help me with one of my ultimate blog/career goals of speaking & live events.

I also hope to attend at least one conference in 2013. I upgraded my Delta Skymiles account & have accumulated a ton of miles for United. It's time to start using those suckers!

Are any of my fellow bloggers attending any conferences in 2013? Which ones? Want to split the cost of accommodations? Email me and let me know

What are your resolutions or goals for 2013? Feel free to share in the comments below!

figure out your financial blueprint. Once you have figured this out you can start seeing where some of your patterns come from.

Maybe you have a lot of consumer debt because you saw your parents putting things on shiny plastic. Maybe you grew up with less money than your classmates so you always have an underlying sense of lack. Whatever the case, as soon as we find our blueprint we can start changing it.

Step Three: Cultivate patience.

After you've changed your mindset you have to cultivate some patience. Money problems don't get fixed from one day to the next - it just doesn't happen. In fact, it could be a while before you truly have financial independence. So what do you do?

Well, we've already learned that we need to change our internal conversation. We also learned that once we figure out our financial blue print so we can notice our patterns around money and begin to change them.

Now you just need a heaping dose of patience.

There's an awesome line from A Course in Miracles that really pulls all three of these steps together:

"Those who are certain of the outcome can afford to wait and wait without anxiety." ~ A Course in Miracles

If you come from a place of positivity and knowing that you are abundant, you can come at your money problems as a witness to find solutions. Once you start putting those solutions into place you have to be patient to reap the rewards.

Is it tough? Absolutely.

Just remember to bring your mind back to the positive whenever you find yourself freaking out about your finances. It makes a world of difference when you're sorting stuff out.

The Action Side

Okay, so you've done some work to clean house in regard to your funky emotional money stuff. Now we can get down to the practical nitty gritty stuff. You know - the bills and the budgeting.

Step Four: Figure out how much money you've actually got coming in.

How much do you make on a monthly basis? How about weekly? No, seriously, how much? Is it just a base salary or do you get commissions, bonuses or tips? How much do you roughly get in commissions?

You'd be surprised how many people I interview can't tell me how much they make. It's not good people! How are you supposed to know where you're money is running off to without first knowing what's coming in!?!?

Sit down, figure out what you're actually bringing home (let's not forget about gross and net income) and write it down somewhere.

Step Five: Figure out where your money is going.

Pull out your bank statements, get out the credit cards, whip out those bills and find out what you are roughly spending each month.

How much are you spending on groceries? Are you eating out a lot? What's your regular cell phone bill? How much do you owe on the credit cards? What are you paying in interest? Car payments? Your car insurance? (If you don't have a car see how much you're spending on public transit) What do you spend on miscellaneous items?

Figure it out. Write down. Compare it to how much is coming in.

What do you see? Are you in the red month after month? Where is your money going?

Once you figure this out you can move on to step three.

Step Six: Where can you make some cuts?

Chances are you're spending too much money somewhere. How do I know? Because we all do this.

First check your bills to see where you can make some spending cuts. Maybe you can start cooking at home more rather than buying lunch. Maybe you can buy less clothes on a monthly bases. Maybe you aren't really using your Netflix account so you can cancel it. Remember, even little things make a big difference.

Step Seven: Check in on your fees.

How many of you have fallen victim to some random fee you didn't know about or ask for? I'm guessing about 90% of you have your hands raised.

Check your bills on a regular basis to see if you're being charged for things you are unaware of (this used to happen to me all the time with a big bank and a large phone service provicder). Once you have identified these fees start calling billing departments to remove the stuff. Ramit Sethi of I Will Teach You To Be Rich has some great scripts for this stuff. You'd be surprised at how much money you're wasting on these useless fees.

Step Eight: Side Hustle

Sorting your finances isn't just about paying down debt and covering your bills, it's also about building wealth. One of the best ways to pay down debt faster or start giving yourself a financial cushion is by side hustling. After all, who said you had to depend on a regular paycheck from your day job?

There are a lot of really great ways you can make extra money. From freelancing to selling old stuff on Craig's list, it's really never been easier to make some extra cash. If you need some ideas check out this amazing list from The Simple Dollar, 50 Side Businesses You Can Start on Your Own.

Try a Money Meditation

Financial problems don't have to keep us from living our best lives. By changing our mind set and taking practical action steps we can begin to solve our money issues immediately. If you need a little boost feel free to check out this free Money Meditation from Tenderlogic. It'll help you get clear on your feelings surrounding money. Danielle LaPorte also has excellent advice about feelings and money in her book The Fire Starter Sessions.

Here's to a beautiful and abundant financial future for all of us!

If you're viewing this in an email click here for the video.

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After working in career consulting, recruiting and human resources I've noticed that half the people I interview are pretty damn miserable. They've blamed outward circumstances for their problems, bring baggage to job interviews, dealt with broken marriages, blew through all their money, got laid off, had to deal with medical issues, and bring an overall crappy mood into the room.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm pretty sympathetic toward people with issues - hell, we've all got them! Life isn't perfect, people! What bothers me is when they let the inner nastiness determine how they react to life's curve balls. This nastiness then projects outward causing them to lose their jobs, fail at relationships, hurt people, create addictive behavior, bomb job interviews, take on insurmountable amounts of debt, and chase things outside of themselves in an attempt to find happiness.

They come into the office thinking that if they get that one awesome job all their problems will be solved. Here's a newsflash: if you bring a crappy attitude to the job your problems aren't over. In fact, they will either continue or get worse. If you can't stay satisfied at one job over your attitude what makes you think the next job will be any different?

And the same applies for everything else. If you can't manage your money making 38k what makes you think you can manage it when you make 50k? If you can't forgive an ex what makes you think the next guy is going to be any better? If you can't get off your butt and go to the gym how are you supposed to get fit?

On the other hand, there are those people I interview who are an absolute joy to meet. Even if we can't find them a job or provide much consultation, they bring this awesome energy into the room. They don't necessarily have a ton of money, a nice car and a hot relationship. In fact, these people have gone through many of the same hardships as those I've previously mentioned -if not worse! The difference is in their attitude. They have already realized that clawing, manipulating and complaining won't make situations any better. They know they are the co-creators of their own lives. They know that life can be lived with ease.

Is it genetics? Are some people just born happier than others? No. Some people just learn early on how to roll with the punches and stay positive. And more people are starting realize that their internal state will make a world of difference as they go about living their lives.

The moral of the story? Stop being such a cranky pants. Stop chasing things outside of yourself for happiness. Work on the inside and the outside will start figuring itself out.

emotionally shaky month. And just as I suspected my finances took a major hit thanks to my emotions. I've known for quite some time that I am an emotional spender and since I was really not in the mood to be paying attention to my finances they took a dip.

I was also behind with my side hustle invoicing and didn't send them out until the last week of September. However there is a silver lining, although I racked up my credit cards much more than I should have I PAID THEM OFF IN FULL. The other good news is that I am almost done paying off my Life Coaching Certification (Projected Finish Date: December 2012). Once that is taken care of I can really start saving some dough (it's about $600 a month).

Nothing sends me into panic mode like having debt so I made damn sure to take care of that. I also canceled my trip to New York due to un-forseen circumstances (thinking about using those airline miles to finally attend a conference in 2013). All of that money was moved over to my regular savings and used to pay off the debt I took on this month.

As for the numbers, here they are. Not the best but not terrible either given the circumstances.

Cash: 6225.07 (+225.07)

Brokerage: 681.31 (+9.13 without even touching the account! Woooh!)

Roth IRA: 2,091.17 (+137.01)

Credit Cards: $0 (Biggest win this month!)

Net Worth: 8997.49 (-328.70 Womp)

Life Coaching Certification

As soon as I was feeling better I really revved up the coaching classes. Believe it or not the topics discussed in these classes have really helped me during my post-break up healing process which of course will certainly make me more empathetic toward my clients.

Thanks to ICA's new schedule I am also putting in major hours during the weekend. I also picked up my second external client as I work toward my certification. Phillip is a long time follower of Grad Meets World (I think he wrote the first comment on the blog), has an entrepreneurial spirit and is a boxer!

Side Hustle

My monthly posts on SALT are still up and running. Unfortunately, I did have to drop a project earlier this month. But hey, that's the great thing about side hustling - you can back off when you need to.

Interesting surprise though, I did start getting requests from people looking for help with their blogs. So it is with great pleasure that I announce that BLOG CONSULTING IS BACK! I can only take on a couple of clients so feel free to email me if you're interested - amanda [at] gradmeetsworld [dot] org or use this form.

Health and Fitness

Since my emotions have gone from sad to angry and back again I needed to find healthy ways to channel them. Yoga is great, and this would mark the 9th month of my regular practice, but I needed something a bit more aggressive. Lo and behold I found an awesome mixed martial arts studio six blocks from my job! Last time I did mixed martial arts I was 20 so this was definitely a pleasant surprise as I have always had an interest. If you're in the Miami area make sure to check out Arena Combat Sports.

Below you'll find proof that I am indeed attending boxing classes:

First class! There I am in the purple! That would be my coworker/IT guru near the wall.

Post workout feeling so much better! Exercise is great stress relief!

Don't worry, though. I most certainly have not forgotten about my yoga and have attended whenever my mind isn't completely frazzled. Besides I have to visit my favorite teachers over at Prana Yoga.

Ready to get my OM on!

Follow me on Instagram for all my picture adventures! @amandaabella

Moral of the story: Going through a hard time? Perfect excuse to GET IN SHAPE!

Top Posts on the Blog September Edition

I don't know why but we got some major traffic boosts on the blog this month. I've also had quite the spike in email subscribers. I think it's because I'm really pushing myself to be authentic and it's resonating with people. Either way, I've really enjoyed all the empowering emails, Tweets, comments and Facebook Messages. YOU GUYS ROCK!

How Do You Deal With a Break Up? 7 Steps to Getting Over a Break Up

4 Steps to Start Working When You Feel Overwhelmed

How Can Exercise Help You With Life's Curve Balls?

Am I Too Young to Be a Life Coach? (Reader Question)

Events You Don't Want to Miss

My new friend and colleague Jordana Jaffe is hosting a FREE CALL on October 18th where she's going to dish out her secrets for being a successful entrepreneur. I promise you she's got some good stuff and hey, IT'S FREE! Click here to learn more and sign up.

On October 11th Coach Jennie is launching a self-guided coaching program called Audacity Rules. It's purpose? A cathartic shove toward self-actualized brilliance. If you've ever met Jennie, as I have, then you would know she does just that! If you want to go from kinda awesome to straight up audacious I would not hesitate to check this out! Click her to sign up and snag a free sample chapter!

That's all for this month, folks! Here's to a rockin' October!

run your life - from getting a loan to landing a job.

Far too often I interview people who have some pretty horrendous scores, and I mean bad. Like, I didn't even know credit scores could be that low kind of bad. Granted, during a recession when people lost their jobs and houses went into foreclosure at alarming rates it's somewhat expected that credit will be affected, but a lot of the time I'm interviewing college grads who don't have those kinds of financial issues, yet they still have horrendous credit.

Most of the college grads I've interviewed have never owned property, therefore foreclosure is not an issue. Most of them also haven't had a job to get laid off from and live with mom and dad so it's not like they had to make ends meet with a credit card. They're also still within their grace period for student loans so that hasn't affected them yet either. In fact, most of the time they just got themselves into credit trouble from buying way too much crap or not understanding how credit works.

So here it is laid out all nice simple for you - you've borrowed money that needs to be paid back. The longer you take to pay it back the more the interest will accumulate and the more will end up coming out of your pocket. This affects your credit score which then pretty much affects everything else in your financial life.

Got it? Okay.

So how do you keep your credit score healthy? Or, in many cases, how can you improve your credit score? Read on, friends.

Pay in full each and every month.

This is what I do because I was taught to be anal about my credit. I pay my balance in full each and every month. How do I know I'll be able to pay it off? Because I know exactly what's going on my cards (cell phone bill $100, life coaching certification tuition $600, transportation $100, charity of choice $25). As for other expenses that come month to month, I try to do pay those in cash or with a check unless I'm getting some sort of worthwhile incentive (triple miles anyone?)

Some of you may wonder why I put my bills on my credit cards instead of using check or cash. There are a few reasons for this. First, I'm building my credit. I've got an excellent credit score and I'd like to keep it that way. Second, I'm a fan of my airline miles so I rack them up by putting my monthly expenses on my card. And third, sometimes companies screw up your bill so I'd rather have it on credit where I can dispute it quickly rather than having a company mistakenly take too much money from my checking account.

Don't spend money before you have it.

Credit cards are not free money. Quite the opposite, they're actually expensive ass loans. That being said, it would not be very wise to spend money before you have it. Simply put, crap happens.

Maybe payroll got delayed. Maybe your client won't send a check in time. Maybe a deal fell through so you won't be getting that commission bonus you were banking on.

Or...

Other unexpected expenses come up. Maybe your car breaks down. Maybe you have to go to the doctor. Maybe those damn traffic cameras caught you doing something stupid and now you have to pay a ticket. All of these cases can cost a pretty penny and take money away from paying your debt.

In all cases of the above cases it would suck if you racked up your credit because you thought you had money coming in or you didn't expect to have so much money going out.

What if you already have shaky credit?

"But Amanda," you say, "I already racked up my credit. What do I do then?"

I'm glad you asked. Here a few ways you can start paying down that debt:

Stop putting stuff on credit - You clearly already have an issue so let's not exacerbate it.

Find ways to make extra money - Side hustling will allow you to put more money toward paying down your debt. Whether you find a part time job, take on freelancing or decide to babysit, try to find ways to make extra money.

Pay more than the minimum balance - You'll never get anywhere by only paying the minimum. Try doubling it. Better yet, make it triple.

Make the necessary sacrifices - Take a look at your expenses and see what you can cut. A little bit here and there can go a long way. Start brown bagging your lunch, give up cable TV and cut down on the Starbucks.

Use ImpulseSave - ImpulseSave is a neat way to get you in the habit of saving money. Several people have dedicated their ImpulseSave accounts to saving up money to pay off their debt.

Make Bi-Weekly Payments - This is a great tip from Carrie over at Careful Cents. In fact, her explanation is so good I'll just let her take it away:

Submit half the payments to your lender every two weeks instead of the regular monthly payment. This will accomplish three things

1. Less interest will accumulate, because your payments will be applied more often.

2. You will pay an extra payment, because there are 52 weeks in a year, which equals 26 yearly payments (or one extra).

3. Doing this for the duration of the loan could shave off several months.

Make sure to discuss this with your lender before making bi-weekly payments, because you might be penalized for any extra payments or paying off the loan balance early.

For more great tips on how to pay down that debt check out Carrie's awesome articles that were picked up by The Huffington Post: Top 6 Ways to Pay Down Any Loan & How I Paid Off $14,000 and Became Debt Free.

How do you maintain a healthy credit score? Any tips for paying down debt?

1. Putting people to sleep.

2. Images of impending doom with the FreeCreditReport.com guy singing in the background.

I'm here to tell you to snap out of it! Knowing about your credit score is probably one of the most important things you can do on your journey into financial freedom.

You may not have noticed this yet, but your credit score can basically run your financial life. Yes, those three numbers can easily determine the outcome of so many of life's big purchases - from student loans to buying a house - so it's very important to make sure you have a healthy credit history.

How is this possible? Well, your credit score is basically a culmination of your credit report which shows a history of how you've paid your bills, how much credit you have open and how much money you still owe. Furthermore, your credit report shows whether you've had a judgement against you, any claims you've made or if you've had your wages garnished. Those three numbers that make up your credit score are pretty much your overall grade in the department of borrowing money - a grade that shows lenders how likely you are to repay a loan.

I'll eventually go into ways you can keep a healthy credit score, but first I figured it would be wise to detail just how your credit score runs your life. After all, you can tell someone they need a good credit score but if you don't really tell them why it's important they may not get it.

Interest rates on loans

There may come a day when you need to take out some sort of loan - say for a business, a car, for school or for personal reasons. Your credit score can determine how much interest you'll be paying on said loan. The lower your score the less interest you'll have to worry about and vice versa. In other words, a healthy credit score can actually end up saving you a ton of money.

Getting a loan period

For some loans, your credit score can determine whether or not you even get approved to borrow the money. This alone is a pretty good reason as to why you should keep a healthy score.

Rent or mortgage

If you're looking to rent a place the landlord will probably ask to look into your credit. Likewise, if you're trying to buy a house you can bet the bank will be looking into your credit history now more than ever. The better your score the more likely you'll get approved by a landlord or the bank. Furthermore, if you get approved for a mortgage your credit score will also determine how much you will be paying in interest.

Getting a job

Sometimes I get job candidates that get insulted when I ask about their credit score, at which point I explain that companies are now looking into credit histories more than ever so they'd better get used to it. This isn't necessarily something new, it's been pretty standard for banks and other financial institutions for quite some time, however since the Recession more and more companies are following suit.

The logic may be a bit flawed in their approach, after all just because you have a bad credit score doesn't mean you're going to steal money, but the truth remains that companies feel more comfortable hiring people with good credit scores. Having a solid financial history shows companies that you are responsible with your money so you'll probably be responsible with theirs.

Insurance premiums

Many insurance companies are now pulling your credit score to help determine how much you'll be paying in your insurance premiums. Simply put, your credit history helps them predict how likely you are to put in a claim. For instance, with auto insurance companies there seems to be an increasing correlation between how responsible people are with their money with how responsible they are on the road. Granted, a good credit score may only save you $15.00 here and there, but over time this can add up to a lot of money.

In lay men's terms, the three little numbers that make up your credit score can not only determine how much interest you'll be paying on a loan, but whether or not you are approved for borrowing money.

If you're not sure what your credit score is you'll be happy to know that you are allowed one free from each of the three main credit bureaus each year.The first step in building a healthy credit history is knowing where you stand - click here to get your annual report.

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It's been a while since I've done a health related post on the blog. Actually, if we want to get technical, I think the last time I mentioned health and fitness was when I interviewed Diana from Unleash Your Sexy.

So it's high time I bring up living a healthy lifestyle again, because what's the point of figuring our your money and your career if you can't live to enjoy it? What's the point of creating your post grad life if you don't work in your health?

Rather than going on about how much I love yoga, how to find your personal work out style or how to even find time to work out I'm going to come from another perspective: money.

After all, what motivates people more than the cost of something?

An Investment in Your Future

Yes, living a healthy lifestyle can cost you money. Gym memberships can be expensive depending where you go. Yoga classes cost an arm and a leg (I should know). If you need a trainer due to injury or doctor's orders say hello to a hole in your wallet.

Granted, there are ways to live healthy on the cheap such as subscription services like Exercise.tv and My Yoga Online, but let's face it, sometimes we feel more motivated in a class. It's also nice to have live instruction, especially when it comes to posture and form for the sake of not getting injured.

Rather than thinking about it as a huge burden on your wallet, think of it as an investment in your future. You want to travel the world, have a family, run a business and live a kick ass life? Well then how do you plan on doing any of that to it's fullest potential if you are sick and unhealthy?

Besides, not being healthy can actually cost you more money than anything you spend on health and fitness now.

How Poor Health Can Make You Poor

Here are some facts about how poor health can actually make you poor:

Ever wonder why employers ask about your health? Unhealthy employees cost businesses $153 billion in lost productivity. Guess who an employer is more likely to hire? Sure, there are laws in place to protect against this sort of thing, but let's call a spade a spade. Not only that, but if you already have a job then poor health reduce the hours you can work and therefore decrease your income. Poor health is also one of the primary reasons people are forced to retire early.

In case you haven't noticed, the cost of even basic healthcare is RIDICULOUS. One way to reduce the cost is to be preventative about your health.

According to Mayo Clinic, among overweight and obese adults, each one-unit increase in BMI costs an additional $119.70 in medical costs and $82.60 in drug costs.

Diabetes was recently named the fastest growing condition among Gen Y. Diabetes can cost an individual close to an extra $6,000 a year in out of pocket medical costs. This is in addition to the $13,243 the nation spends on each person with diabetes.

As it turns out the best investment you will ever make is in your own health. When you really start to think about it, it’s an investment that basically requires no risk, is available to people of all financial backgrounds, and can actually save you a lot of money for the long haul. With that in mind, why wouldn't you start cultivating a healthy lifestyle in your 20s?

P.S. Don't forget to join me tonight at 10PM EST as I host a Twitter Chat sponsored by SheNow.org! I will be there to answer all your career development questions - from looking for work to running your own side hustle! Use hashtag #SheNOWCHAT to join! See you tonight!

Many of you guys, whether you've been following Grad Meets World since it's inception or just recently started reading, graduated without a job. A common theme for graduates in the last few years, this has affected us emotionally, psychologically and financially - in some ways bad and in some ways good.

And so, two years after I (and many of you) graduated, I ask the following question:

Remember how much it sucked to graduate without a job?

The uncertainty, the empty bank account, having to move back home, the anxiety that came with it all?

I bring this up for many reasons. First, it's good to take a look at our past every once in a while to see how far we have come. Many of us have found work, have created our own work and have really started to live life on our own terms. Sure, the road may have been (and may continue to be) bumpy, but we've realized that not all is lost and we won't drop dead tomorrow just because we happen to have graduated during a recession.

Second, I bring this up because it's good to recognize those individuals that were there for you. You know, the ones that talked you through it all, supported your crazy ideas or in my case, handed me a book that slowly began changing the way I lived my life.

And so I ask another question:

Did you have someone to help you through that period of uncertainty-- someone who helped you navigate what you wanted to tackle in the professional world?

Whether you did or you didn't, you probably know by now how valuable a resource like that can be for a new graduate, which is why I'm really excited to tell you all about this online initiative taking place.

Meet The Levo League: an organization dedicated to helping young women achieve their career goals and find their dream jobs. Levo is celebrating Graduation season by kicking off their Mentorship Match initiative, and we at Grad Meets World are putting out a call to you: If you know a thing or two about your industry, sign up to participate in the Levo League Graduation Guide program.

You can sign up at www.levoleague.com and specify whether you're a new grad desirous of mentorship or a veteran professional willing to share your expertise with new entrants to the working world.

SheNOW Twitter Chat with Life Coach Amanda Abella - Get your Career Questions answered!

Did you just graduate? Are you looking for first job? Do you have a job and think it's time to leave? Do you have the entrepreneurial spirit?

Whatever your career question make sure to join me and SheNOW for a Twitter chat on Monday June 4th at 10PM EST. We'll be addressing all your career concerns so make sure to use the hash tag #SheNOWCHAT to get in on the chat!

Check out SheNow.org for more details!

The Frugalpreneur Podcast - Building a Kick Ass Brand with Amanda Abella of GradMeetsWorld.org

I never actually posted this on the blog so I figured now is as good as time as any! Listen in to hear Shannyn (Frugal Beautiful, Beautiful Giveaways, The Frugalpreneur) and I have loads of fun while we discuss the many ways of building your brand online. Seriously, we're a trip.

Click here to take a listen!

I had an article published on Forbes! 6 Things That Keep 20-something Women from Financial Success

I had an article published on Forbes.com! Thanks to Glass Heel, a website dedicated to helping professional women on their way to the board room, I had the amazing opportunity to show my skills for a huge publication! Make sure to check out 6 Things that Keep 20-Something Women from Financial Success. Oh and it's in the TOP 5 MOST READ ON FORBES WOMAN (at least while I'm writing up this post)!

You can also check out these other awesome articles just for Gen Y women:

The 3 Ingredients to Career Satisfaction - Classy Career Girl Podcast

It's Funny What a Little Fun Can D0 - Glass Heel

4 Types of Toxic Bosses - and How to Handle Them - Forbes Woman

Don't have a job? Six Easy Ways to Go from "Oh No!" to "Let's Do This!" -The Levo League

The women before us paved the way for us to have fulfilling careers while remaining true to our femininity. Give thanks and pay it forward for your future daughters by taking advantage of all the opportunities that have been presented to us.

recent trip and after figuring out my tuition for the life coaching certification, I had to kind of rework the bank accounts to get back on track.

That is to say, I needed to open up new high yield savings accounts (super easy with ING Direct. Email me for referrals and get some extra cash for opening an account) and get back to that savings plan I rave so much about. I also had to figure out a new budget with a cell phone bill that finally got sorted out and with some money that I am now giving my parents each month.

While reworking my budget I had to figure out what kind of money I could save (still aiming for 50% of my income) and what I had left over to spend. Now, we all like to buy nice things every once in a while, and like Ramit Sethi I don't believe you have to give up stuff you like in order to save money. I also like pretty things (I am a girl with a shoe obsession) and don't like to sacrifice quality, so I kind of made it my mission the last couple of weeks to find fabulous treats at a decent price.

Thanks to blogs like Frugal Beautiful, Careful Cents, Budgets are Sexy, The Budgetnista, The Frugal Travel Guy, Fantabulously Frugal and Super Frugalette I have found some pretty amazing stuff that will help me save money - from good quality clothing to travel!

E-Miles

Okay, this actually takes some dedication because you have to check the site everyday - but if done well you can find some pretty nifty stuff on E-Miles that will not only get you sweet deals but earn you bonus airline miles. For instance, I just got 12 issues of The Economist for a $1 each in addition to earning 700 bonus miles. So, not only did I get an awesome magazine at a freakin' steal I also didn't have to spend $700.00 to earn miles. You can also find stuff like free credit reports, free business cards, and countless other things - all of which can give you bonus airline miles.

The only thing is you have to keep your eye on the subscriptions and cancel them before they go up to full price. If you can keep up with it then it's a good way to save on stuff while earning travel points. All you need to do is hook it up to your frequent flyer account (no you don't need to take out the credit card, although it helps) and start signing up for deals.

Also, DO NOT take out a credit card unless you know how to handle having multiple cards. Simply put, the interest rate on these cards are RIDICULOUS so if you aren't good with credit this isn't something I recommend.

HauteLook

Holy shit I am obsessed with this site! Thanks to Shannyn at Frugal Beautiful I was able to sign up for this AMAZING site that helps you find name brand stuff at up to 75% off! Seriously, some of the dresses I have found are not only good quality but DIRT CHEAP. The same goes for shoes, furniture, jewelry and menswear!

To make it even better, HauteLook was getting so much attention that Nordstrom decided to acquire it - and anyone who knows me is well aware of the fact that I have a damn near obsession with Nordstrom.

HauteLook is definitely the first website I'm hitting up the next time I have to find a dress for a special occasion or some kick ass pumps.If you want in on the goods make sure to email me. I've got some pretty nifty referrals

BirchBox and Little Black Bag

Beauty products and accessories are EXPENSIVE. And the same goes whether your male or female. Seriously, have you taken a look at price tags lately? Enter two of my latest obsessions: BirchBox and Little Black Bag.

BirchBox is a beauty subscription service where you pay $10.00 a month to get beauty samples. And I'm not talking teeny weeny samples, I'm talking decent sized product that can easily burn a hole in your wallet at the department store. The REALLY cool thing is that this isn't just for women - there's a BirchBox Man too! (Note: BirchBox for men is $20.00 a month instead of $10.00. Still a great deal because male grooming can get pricy with all those razors.)

Little Black Bag is also a subscription service that mainly deals with accessories. It works a little something like this: you take a survey and then you are presented with a ton of accessories and beauty products. You then pick one product and stylists pick another 2 products for you. All these products total over $100.00 and you get it for around $50.00. But wait! It gets better! Thanks to my Klout score I was able to get an additional product for FREE and I got a 10% discount because I liked them on Facebook (buh bye shipping cost). You also have the opportunity to trade items with other users before your bag ships. The end result is that I ended up with a designer wallet (Item I chose because I actually needed one. Retail $55), a designer handbag (My free item that retailed at $78.00), organic lip balm ($8) a designer ring ($14.99), and designer earrings ($14.99) that totaled $170.00 for only fifty bucks. Hot damn!

The best part is that neither of these services require a contract so you can cancel at any time. Boy do I love a good deal

Coupon Cactus

Coupon Cactus is a free online service that scours the web for the best coupon codes and discounts with over 4,000 merchants so that you never pay full retail for anything. I've seen coupons and discounts for anything from some of my favorite stores to laptops and even phone and internet service!

To make it even better (because what could be better that not paying retail price, right?) you can also opt for getting cash back rewards for your purchases!

It's almost like Retail Me Not meets Ebates. Don't believe me? Read some reviews here , here, and here. Again, another website I definitely won't go shopping without. Email me for a referral and get in some sweet deals.

Klout Perks

I'm sure that those of you who measure your social media influence have already signed up for Klout. If you haven't, what the hell are you waiting for?

Klout allows you to see all your networks in once place, what you are influential about, what people who influence you are doing and how your score measures up over time. In addition, depending on your score you can get FREE STUFF! Thanks to my Klout score I've already cashed in on Moo Business cards, Moo mini cards, a $78.00 handbag and a week's supply of Eboost energy mix all for free! Join Klout, measure your social media influence and get in on the deals! Oh, and make sure to stop by my page and say hi

I should mention that although this stuff is better than sliced bread, it doesn't mean you should drown yourself in debt or spend all your cash. Keep in mind some basic shopping know-how and use it for things you actually need.

If you want in on any of the sweet deals that come from having a referral - whether it's extra cash from ING for opening up an account or discounts for all the others - make sure to shoot me an email. I love sharing the wealth

Photo via robinsonsmay

I can't stress enough the importance of personal development. Sure, it has that whole stigma behind it, i.e. "self-help is cheesy", "self-help is for people who don't have it together", "self-help is for people who read stuff like 'The Rules'", "self-help is for single people" the list goes on and on and on.

I have a response to people who think that way: Do YOU have your life totally figured out? Do YOU have it together with relationships, career, health, personal finance and above all yourself? Do YOU go after what you want on a daily basis? Do YOU live a fulfilling life?

Chances are there's something you can work on, because here's some straight up truth for you: NO ONE has it all figured out. Not your mom, not your friends, not your favorite motivational speaker, and not your role models. Here's some more truth: EVERYONE is afraid of something.

That's not a bad thing though, after all, we're all human and no one is perfect. What's bad is when things get off kilter and you don't do something about it. Because you see, there's a difference between people who try to better their situation and those who scoff at such a thought: the former know that their lives are in their own hands, the latter simply accept defeat. So if you know there's some aspect in your life where you can improve, do your best to improve it.

Is it easy? No. In fact, true personal development takes a lot of work and commitment because it's a life long process. But think of it this way, you've got one life to live, wouldn't it be in your best interest to live it as fully as possible? Don't you want to have a great relationship with yourself? Don't you want to go after what you want in life? Don't you want to really live?

I know I do. And I know many of you do as well, or else you wouldn't read my blog. So here's your chance to start taking some action:

I'm giving away 12 free coaching sessions.

A part of my ICA coursework is to take on a couple of external clients. I decided all I could handle for time being was 3 clients, 2 of which found me pretty quickly. That means I have one spot left for 3 months of free coaching.

Here's what you will get for FREE:

A safe environment where we can discuss your fears, your goals and whatever is coming up for you.

The support system of having a coach to keep you accountable.

Action plans with tangible goals to help you reach your milestones.

3 months of free coaching valued at $840.00

Here's what my other clients have to say about coaching with me:

As a recent graduate, I had to decide what direction I wanted my life to go in. Having so many interests was proving to force my life into a standstill. During my weekly sessions with Amanda I have been able to make strides in my life plans. It is during our sessions that I have been able to fully analyze the nature of my future career paths.

- Melanie Gomez, 24, FIU '11

I loved working with Amanda! She's really personable, and knowledgeable about the things she's talking about.

Tatiana Christiana, 24, Hollins University '10

So how do I get in on the free coaching?

There are some easy ways to get in on the free coaching giveaway.

1. Sign up for the Life Coaching Email List. That way you can stay up to date on other free coaching giveaways, discounts, courses and snazzy free coaching stuff.

2. Make a 2 minute Youtube video describing who you are and why you need life coaching. Make sure to link Grad Meets World in the description and then simply post it either in the comments section or on the Grad Meets World Facebook Page. Get bonus points by sharing your stuff on Twitter and Facebook (i.e. "I'm trying to win free coaching from GradMeetsWorld via @amandaabella")

You must make a video in order to participate and the deadline is May 27, 2012.

Happy shooting! Can't wait to see what you guys come up with