Difficult conversations are, well, difficult. We don’t like to have them with others. We don’t like others to have them with us. Consequently, we aren’t very good at them, because we avoid having them as much as possible. However, many situations only get worse without having a conversation. A lot of challenges can be avoided by sitting down and having a difficult conversation. Take a deep breath and do it.

Financial independence is highly desirable. Yet, for some reason, it seems to elude many of us. You've likely tried your hand at many different approaches, yet none have been able to give you the anticipated results. The good news is that financial independence can be achieved. By making certain adjustments to your life, you'll find yourself starting to build financial independence. So put aside your plan to work harder or put in longer hours and read on to find the
answers you’ve been searching for.

As a parent, your job is to take care of your children until the day when they can strike out on their own. While they graduate from high school knowing how to read and write, there are other skills that are just as important that may not get covered in the classroom. Before your teen leaves home, ensure they're ready to fend for themselves and have
a positive impact on the world. Take a moment to run down this checklist of life skills your teen will need.

You can live life in a way that makes it challenging. Or, you can live life in a way that makes it much easier.
Some people are highly skilled at making life more difficult than it needs to be. You probably know a few people like this. Even if you’re making your way through the universe with a minimal amount of grief, it’s likely that you could be doing even better.

How can you know if you’re doing well? It’s not fair to yourself to compare your situation to that of your friends, family, or peers. There’s no set path for life, but there are clues that can let you know if you’re doing well. It’s worth the time to assess your life once a year to ensure that things are moving forward. If they’re not, you’ll know that some changes are in order. Look for the signs in the attached file to ensure that you’re making progress with your life.

We lie to ourselves each day. We tell ourselves that we’re going to start eating perfectly on Monday. We’re going to start a blog on January 1st. We blame our parents for our current financial mess even though we haven’t lived with our parents for the last 20 years. Maybe we believe if we only had a swimming pool, we’d finally be happy, and that
happiness would last forever. Read on to learn all lies that we tell ourselves.

There are many compelling reasons for giving up sugar. They include losing weight and lowering your risk for diabetes and certain cancers. On the other hand, going sugar-free can be tough when you realize how many products contain sugar. You may also be troubled by withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches and mood swings if you try to quit cold turkey. Fortunately, you can eat healthier while continuing to indulge your sweet tooth. Read on to learn more.

Happy hours can be a great way to unwind after a stressful day at work. You bond with your coworkers, talk about your day and listen to some upbeat music. On the other hand, if you make such activities a regular routine, you could be taking in more alcohol and empty calories than you want. You can’t remove stress from daily life, but you can learn to deal with it without creating more trouble. Start with these ideas for relaxing without alcohol or food.

There’s no reason to start out the New Year with new debt hanging over your head. Put away the credit cards and throw a great party on a budget. With the proper planning, it’s easy to host a New Year’s Eve party that’s both stylish and inexpensive. Avoid letting a lack of funds be an excuse for not enjoying the New Year with your friends and family. You’re likely to find that many of your friends don’t have plans, so offer to be the host. With some smart planning, the party might even be free for you!

By the time we reach a certain age, we understand the real point behind our New Year’s resolutions. It’s admirable to make real efforts to improve yourself. Yet, for many, making it past February 1st with your resolution intact just doesn’t happen. What can you do to ensure you follow through with your New Year’s resolution and ultimately achieve the results you seek?