Posted by: Kimanzi Constable | March 8, 2012

Are You Still Making Changes?

So here we are into the month of March and this post is really a question for you: Are you still making the changes you resolved to make at the beginning of this year?

Don’t get discouraged

Look, I know from personal experience that it can be hard to make changes, the thing is that you can’t stop or give up! When you’re making changes and things aren’t going as planned, you easily get discouraged, when you get discouraged is when doubt wants to creep in and make sure you don’t succeed. You have to ignore the voices of doubt, whether they are in the back of your head or are coming from other people.

The changes that you are trying to make are too important to give up if you have slipped in your progress, don’t be discouraged. Everyone falls at one point or another in their journey to make changes in their life, the one’s that are truly committed get back up. Even if you have fallen down seven times in the last two months, brush your shoulders off and get back up!

Remember why you are making these changes

You started on this journey for a reason, you always have to remember and keep that reason as the motivation to make these changes. What do you want to change this year? One of the most popular things people want to change is to lose weight, I’m in this boat with you.

If you want to lose weight this year focus on why you want to do it. if you lose weight you’ll look better, feel better. You will live longer and set a great example for your kids, you’ll have more energy and confidence. These are a few of the things you need to focus on and those moments when you’re doubting yourself, remember these reasons as motivation. When you focus on the why, you’ll get that extra energy you need to push you past any failures. Have the right focus! Read More…

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Posted by: Kimanzi Constable | March 3, 2012

It’s Hard To Save Money (February Monthly Income Report)

Our trip to Maui

Our trip to Maui

If you are new to our blog let me catch you up to speed, we’re moving to Hawaii (YEAH) next year. We have vacationed in Hawaii and fell in love with the people, the weather and the atmosphere. It was always a place we wanted to retire to but we had a mini awakening, prayed and got peace about not waiting until then. We also want to enjoy it while we still have time on this earth and have a lot more simple life style, so next year we’re off!

The first book

At the end of this year we are losing a few major bills, we are losing two car payments, insurance, private school tuition. These bills total $1,200 a month, so that should free up a little money to combat the super high cost of Hawaii. Our goal is to give ourselves a little cushion and save up $15,000 as our emergency fund. I will be leaving by myself in January to set up our housing with my family coming some time in March after I get everything set up.

Second book

You may be wondering how we will support ourselves, good question. Our prayer and what we are working for this year is to build our internet business (talesofwork.com) and some books that I wrote. The job situation in Hawaii can be scary but we’re confident we can find or create work if our internet business is not where we need it to be by then.

So now that you are caught up that brings us to our income report. At the end of the month we let our readers know exactly what’s going on with our finances in hopes that if someone else is going on this journey too, they can look to this blog for help in every area. Read More…

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Posted by: Kimanzi Constable | March 1, 2012

Win A Free Kindle Fire Or Radically Change Your Life!

I’m super excited to announce that tomorrow is the official release of my new book, I just want to scream!! As a part of the launch of the book, one person will win a FREE Kindle Fire. In order to win all you have to do is buy the book from my website (talesofwork.com) and share that you bought the book on any of your social media pages, that’s it. Spend $2.99 for a chance to win a $200 Kindle Fire.

So why would you buy the book?

Have you ever wanted to change anything in your life? Yes. At one point or another we all want to change something, so what’s the problem? The problem is that change is hard and radical change? It’s super hard! The normal routine is to get pumped, to tell ourselves that this time will be different. Three months later we’ve already told convinced ourselves of all the reasons why we’re fine.

I don’t know about you but I’m sick and tired of being “fine” it’s just not good enough anymore.

We can go through the rest of our lives with just being “fine” and we might even have a few moments of joy, it is possible. My question to you is: aren’t you curious? What could your life be like if you had more than fine in your life?

What if you had a life where you lived out all your wildest dreams? What if everyday you went to bed thoroughly exhausted because you spent the entire day living out your passion? What if you did things that other people only dreamed of?

This will be out tomorrow!

You can live this kind of life, you can make changes in your life that not only last forever but radically change every aspect of your life!

Do you have a family? What are your kids learning about life from your actions? Do they see you miserable everyday, always complaining about this and that? Kids are smart and pick up on what’s going on, they see your struggle and it affects them. Why do we tell our kids to shoot for the stars when we ourselves won’t even shoot for the clouds?

You can change your life, you can live out your dreams, you just need a plan!

That’s exactly what my new book is all about. It’s a nine month plan to make those changes that you’ve always wanted to make, it lays out a step by step plan. The difference between this book and other’s is that I’m just like you.

I’m not some guy making millions who tries to identify with you, I identify with you because I’m going through the same things. I’m working on losing 132 pounds this year, I’m working on not living paycheck to paycheck. I’m working on getting out of a job I hate, I know exactly what you’re going through.

That’s how I came up with this nine month plan, I did it with you in mind!

Yes, you have a chance to win a Kindle Fire but this is a lot bigger than that, this is about your future and the future of your family! Too many times we have talked ourselves out of a life we truly want, It Has To End Here!

ARE YOU WITH ME?

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Posted by: Kimanzi Constable | February 28, 2012

One Step Closer To Our Dreams

One of the changes that I want to make is to move onto work that I love. As a part of this, I had the opportunity for two interviews this past week about my book and writing. It was surreal to get interviewed about what I love to do. I wanted you to have a chance to listen, so I hope you enjoy:

Podcast:

Paul the Book Guys: http://bookguys.ca/home/episode-028-nobot-of-the-book-guys-show-is-on-itunes-now.html  my interview is at 32 minutes in, let me know what you think.

I also had the privilege to get host on an entire show! Here is the link to that episode: http://bookguys.ca/home/episode-030-all-we-want-to-do-is-eat-your-brains-is-on-itune.html

Guest Post:

I was able to have two blog posts featured on two other blogs that I great admire and read everyday, here they are:

Dan Black’s bog: http://danblackonleadership.info/2012/02/how-to-start-a-movement/

Dan Miller’s blog: http://www.48days.com/2012/02/23/stop/  Read More…

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Posted by: Kimanzi Constable | February 21, 2012

3 Things You Need To Know About Making Changes

Have you made any resolutions this year? Are you tired of the same old same? Chances are that if you read this blog you want to make some sort of change in your life, that’s good. As I work on my goal of losing weight, I’m seeing fewer and fewer people in the gym these days. If you have decided on making changes in your life this year, how’s it going?

Free this week!

I hope you are continuing strong, too many people are too quick to give up, we have to reverse that trend. The more people who decide to change their life in a positive direction, the better off our society will be. If you are in the midst of making changes or are starting on a journey to make changes, then here are a few points to help you succeed:

  • Change is hard. This is pretty obvious, but the problem is that we under-estimate how hard this journey will be.  If you’re going to make changes in your life, prepare for an all out war at against doubt, negative people and old habits. When you’re moving forward and you see some progress, you can easily get deceived, you think in your mind “this isn’t that hard”, don’t fall for this trap. Have the proper amount of respect for how hard this will be and you’ll be properly prepared to deal with it.
  • Make changes gradually. When you’re making changes there is a temptation to rush, you want to see results today versus a month from now, don’t do this. The best weapon you have to make sure your changes stick is making your changes habits. When you don’t rush and make your changes slowly, they become habits that will stick with you the rest of your life, this is what we want. If you are making changes the goal is not to go back to what you once were, take it slow, form habits, and never go back.
  • Focus on the “why” of what you’re changing.  Too many times whenever we’re doing anything in life we focus on the what and the how. When you look at how to do something it seems impossible. For example, I want to lose 132, if I just looked at how I would do that (going to the gym for an hour everyday and dieting) I could get frustrated and give up. If I looked at what I have to do to lose that weight (a whole lot of cardio) then I could think it’s overwhelming and give up. I focus on why I want to lose weight (to be healthier, to help me be more active, to not get diabetes) that focus gives me the fuel to push through the how and the what. When you’re making changes in your life, focus on the bigger picture, why you’re making these changes, it will give you the strength you need to push forward! Read More…

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Posted by: Kimanzi Constable | February 16, 2012

That Person Could Be You!!

This will be free next week!

Right now things seem pretty bleak with our economy, everyday we hear of more companies that are closing or filing for bankruptcy. Every now and then we do hear a positive story about someone just like you or I that had an idea, decided to pursue it, and it worked out beautifully for that person.

I read a story in USA Today about a month ago about a woman in rural Alaska who started a small blog about crafts. She did it as a hobby not really thinking much about it. Before she knew it people really responded and she was getting massive visitors to her site. It didn’t take long for companies to notice and she was getting all kinds of offers to advertise on her blog. She barely has an internet connection but now supports her family with that little small blog that she started.

That’s just one story, there are thousands and even millions of success stories about people who had an idea and decided to pursue it. Microsoft was started in one of the worst economy’s. I know from my own personal experience that when I started my bread business that many, many people told me that the business would never be able to support me full-time, 11 years later, they were completely wrong.

The point is we have all read these stories, we have seen them on the news. Usually when we hear about these success stories we say: “that’s great, I knew they could do it”, “I wish I could do something like that but I have kids”.

The list goes on but we always think it’s great for that person when we should be asking why haven’t we done it!

I got some news for you, we could be hearing your story of success, the only way it’s going to happen is to stop making excuses and take action!

Why does it have to be one or the other? Read More…

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Posted by: Kimanzi Constable | February 14, 2012

Avoid Negative People At All Cost

When we first started telling people we were moving to Hawaii, what do you think the typical reaction was? There were a lot of negative opinions, people eager to point out all the reason things won’t work out. Do you think it was different from family members? You’re right again, some family were more negative than random people, that’s just how it goes I guess.

Our first trip to Maui

No matter what you do in life, there will always be people who will try to put you or what you’re doing down. Even when you want to make positive changes that will benefit your life, the negative people will come out of the woodwork.

Negative people are the fuel for doubt

When you’re trying to make a change in your life, you will always have doubt, those negative things they say make those doubts in the back of your mind sound like a scream.  It’s hard enough fighting doubt on a daily basis, don’t make it ten times as hard by having negative people feed into that doubt.

Negative people will affect your focus

When you want to make a change in your life you have to see the light at the end of the tunnel, when you have negative people getting in your way or making you doubt yourself, you lose focus. You think about what they’re saying, it makes you second guess what you’re doing, you lose track of your “why”. You don’t need this in your life, I don’t care if it’s your best friend from twenty years ago. If they are making you lose focus by being negative, then they’re aren’t your best friend at the moment when you need them the most. They might have to go….

Surround yourself with only positivity Read More…

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Posted by: Kimanzi Constable | February 9, 2012

Unexpected Expenses

We have been watching every dollar that comes in, we know we’ll need it living in Hawaii. So imagine our surprise when we found out that we have to pay for an entire year of our car insurance up front. We usually pay every 6 months but do to some changes at the agency, we have to pay the whole year.

Our first visit to Maui

As we go throughout this journey we know unexpected things will come up, its murphys law, right? So you have two choices: give up or push ahead.

Are you on the path to your dreams? If you are, be sure there will be all kind of things that will stand in your path, you’ll have to make a choice. We hope you choose to push forward, there are way too many people who are giving up these days.

You’re a lot closer than you think:

What would it really take to radically change your life? If you want to move somewhere new and amazing and have a minimum wage job, do you really think you can’t get that same job in your new place? Yeah, yeah, the economy is bad, SO WHAT! Read More…

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Posted by: Kimanzi Constable | February 7, 2012

The Reason Why (and a book excerpt)

This move to Hawaii has done something to our family. For as long as we can remember we have thought certain things about life and how it should go. I guess the best way to describe it is to say we believed that we had to conform.

  • Conform to where we’re suppose to live: where we we’re born and raised.
  • Conform to what we should do for income: work at a standard job that has insurance and a pension.
  • Conform to what others think is the best way for us to live: what family, friends and random people think.

Us on the road to Hana in Maui, HI

This move has shown and inspired us to the fact that we don’t have to conform and I have news for you: NEITHER DO YOU!

This move is what inspired my second book. For today’s post I want to share with you an excerpt from the introduction of the book. We hope you’ll enjoy it and pick up a copy when the book comes out March 2, 2012:

“What’s the point? Why change your life? Why nine months? Who cares?

Have you ever had someone you know or a loved one die? If you have the one thing that sticks out to you the most is how short life is, it goes quicker than we think. Lord willing, if you make it to your death-bed, what will you look back at your life and think? Did you “live” or did you “exist”. Will those memories be filled with all the amazing things that you have done in your life or will you remember the episodes of your favorite TV show? When you die, what will others say about you? Read More…

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Posted by: Kimanzi Constable | February 2, 2012

Monthly Finance Report

Tanya stayed here in Oahu, Hawaii

We wanted to publish a weekly finance report but as we looked at things, it makes more sense to publish a monthly one (I hope you forgive us).  Every month we will update you on where we stand with saving up for our move to Hawaii. We will give you an honest look at our finances in hopes it could help someone else endeavoring to do the same thing.

These reports will be general, meaning we won’t list everything to the last cent. If you are thinking about making a move and could give us some pointers, we would love to hear from you (leave any tips in the comment section).

NOTE: a friend read our last post about weight loss (http://excitingfamilyjourney.com/2012/01/31/losing-weight/) and made an excellent observation, he pointed out that we said we’re “trying” to lose weight when we should say “we are” losing weight. Thanks Dan, you’re absolutely right! (Tanya has lost 11 pounds and I have lost 7, in the past two weeks)

Here is our monthly report for January:

Income: $6,253

 - Bills: $4,830

  -Savings: $630

Total Money Saved For Hawaii:  $793 Read More…

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