15 Words That Changed My Mindset From "Stressed" to "Blessed"

A year ago, I quit my post as a Quality Assurance Specialist in the Business Process Outsourcing industry.

The pay was good, but it was not worth all the stress and the toll it had on my health. I hung up the towel after a decade of working the night shift.

My job as a QA with various companies were all memorable, but the best ones were the unexpected responses from the agents either during a live call, or during coaching sessions.

During one ordinary shift, I came across a bad call and gave an agent Auto-Fail. I approached her station and took her in for immediate coaching. She cried and said she wanted to quit. I told her, "Hey, its just a bump in the road. Now you know what you shouldn't do. This job brings food to the table and sends you kids through school. Don't give up! I'll be here if you need help or when you need advice. Remember, every time you encounter difficulties, just F.I.G.O. - Forget It and Go On."

Touching base with my friends who still work in that company told me this girl is now a Team Leader. I guess I did something right.

Three years later, in another company, I got to do the task of being a Virtual QA (which means the agents I handle are off-shore), I came across a most unforgettable statement from one of the agents assigned to me. Markus was very upbeat in handling the customer's concerns and while the customer was waiting for her order to be completed, the customer asked him, "So how are you doing today?" I was expecting a canned response in the likes of. "I'm doing good. Thank you for asking." But no! Markus responded with something that hit home. He said, "Well, I'm breathing, I'm employed, and I get paid on Friday. Everything's good. All is good."

Wow.

That was one wake up call for me. Why worry about the unimportant stuff when waking up is already a blessing in itself. Being able to breathe, walk, talk, interact, love and be surrounded with family and friends is a blessing! Doing what you love to do and get paid for it is a bonus! God is really good!

So now I go about living my life, my perfectly imperfect life. And when I get frustrated or depressed, All I have to do is remember Markus' words and carry on through the day. Fifteen words that touched my heart and made me be thankful of even the tiniest thing. 

Blessings sent! Have a great day.

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Treat Yourself! Simple Ways To Save On Shopping

From time to time, we all deserve a treat. Many of us would like to have more disposable income to spend on going out for dinner, a weekend away or a new outfit, and it may not be possible to treat yourself every month. However, with these savvy shopping tips, it is possible to save on shopping. If you like to indulge in some retail therapy now and again or you’re hoping to try and cut the cost of your weekly grocery shop or monthly gift haul, bear these pointers in mind.

Image by https://www.flickr.com/photos/pictures-of-money/16678606754

Clothes and accessories

We all need clothes, and if you have an interest in fashion, you probably like to add new pieces to your wardrobe on a regular basis. The cost of updating your closet every season can soon mount up, but there are some crafty ways to save on shopping.

The first thing to do if you love fashion is to embrace online shopping. If you shop online, you often get a much better choice, but you can also take advantage of lower prices and flash sales. If you have stores that you love, go online, visit their website, and join their mailing list. When you’ve done this, register with some discount sites, and sign up for alerts. Every day or week, you’ll receive an email full of the latest sales and promotion codes. Even if you’re only saving 10%, you could still save a significant amount over the course of a few months or a year. If you do find items you like, and you’re thinking of adding them to your basket, always compare prices first. This is particularly beneficial if you’re buying branded items, for example, a pair of trainers. Type the make and style into the search engine, and it will show you prices from different retailers. Sometimes, there’s a huge difference, and spending a couple of minutes doing some research will have saved you all that money. 

Image source: http://maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com/Shopping-Money-Woman-Online-Credit-Card-Wallet-2125548

If you often find yourself looking in magazines and sites like Pinterest for style inspiration, it’s always a good idea to look for copycat items. If you see a designer coat you’re desperate for, but you can’t afford, have a look around for high street copies. Popular stores are really good at offering cheaper alternatives to the styles and pieces you see on the catwalks, so you spend less and still be on trend. 

Buying secondhand clothing or items that people don’t want is another way of making shopping more affordable. If you don’t already have an account for online auction sites, it’s really easy to set one up. All you need to do is sort out your profile and your payment information, and you can start bidding on items you like. You can tailor your search. If you’re looking for a black coat, for example, you can choose which brands to include and select size and style options. Once you have an account, you can also consider selling. If you have clothes, bags, or shoes that still have the tags on, or are barely worn, you can sell them, and put the money you make towards some new purchases.

Image by https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Application_for_online_shoppers.png

Saving on gifts

If you have a large family or you’ve got into the habit of buying your friends and their children gifts, life can get pretty expensive. Before you know it, you’re devoting a significant sum to buying presents every month. It’s always a nice gesture to buy gifts, but if you can’t afford to keep spending like you are, there are ways of reducing costs. Now that you’ve got to grips with Internet shopping, you can use it to save on gifts, as well as clothes. Look out for special offers and online sales, and shop around for the best prices. If you’re buying vouchers or gift cards, it’s worth checking out sites like Cards2Cash and if you’re stocking up on toys, look out for bundles and multi-buy offers. Often, you can save money by buying 2 or 3 items at the same time. If you’re a creative person, you can also reduce spending by doing some DIY gifting. If you can bake or sew, make the most of your talents. You could buy some mason jars and fill them with brownies or homemade cookies or create some bespoke cushion covers, quilts, or t-shirts. 

Image credit https://pixabay.com/en/gifts-wrapping-paper-presents-932349/

Grocery shopping tips

If you added up how much you spend on food each month, you’d probably be amazed. We tend to spend a lot on putting meals on the table, and once you throw in additional items like pet supplies, cleaning products, and toiletries, the costs can soon spiral. If you’re spending too much at the grocery store, these saving tips should come in handy.

Plan ahead

Always go to the supermarket with a list. If you just grab things here and there, you’re likely to miss items you need, and you’ll end up spending more. Work out what you’re going to eat in the week ahead, and write down the ingredients you need. If you’re keen to cut costs and save time in the week, batch cooking is a fantastic idea. If you have a few hours on a Sunday afternoon free, you can cook up meals like casseroles, pasta dishes, and curries, and freeze individual portions. Later in the week, all you have to do is defrost as many servings as you need and then heat them up when you get home. 

Image via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shopping_list_(2098182380).jpg

Unless you spot offers on products that you usually buy, try and avoid promotions. If you find this hard, shop online. This way, you’ll have a running total to show you how much you’ve spent, and you won’t have neon signs or eye-catching displays trying to lure you away from your list. If you’re buying items like pet food or nappies, which you tend to buy in bulk, go online and compare prices first. If you find a store that has them on offer, you can stock up.

Image courtesy of https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%99.jpg

If you’re spending too much on shopping, but you’d like to be able to afford the odd treat, try adopting these savvy shopping tips. Hopefully, you’ll be able to save more and get more for your money when you do decide to treat yourself.