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With over 23 years of helping the average American, Art De La Rosa-Financial Planner, CEO, and Author, shows you how easy it is to build wealth every day!

Financial gurus sell you the idea of limiting your money daily and eating rice and beans or promising you to make you a millionaire fast by investing in stocks, crypto or real estate. There is no shortcuts!

The step number one, in your life, is to identify what makes you the happiest, which is already 90% of the work you want to put in. As the matter of fact, without this step, you will get nowhere.

This is the reason why there are a lot of bankruptcies and divorces in the United States. You will always end up wasting your energy, time and money.

Put those stock charts away, quit researching for properties that can "potentially" make you money, and do not starve your family from delicious foods for something that makes no sense. 

If you truly want to achieve financial success, you must do things differently. You must execute a financial plan and a strategy to follow daily to achieve all your goals.

I am an immigrant, and I am 55 years old. I retired from CalPERS, (my regular job as a retirement specialist for 8 years), to do what I love to do the most. Helping people live daily with abundance.

I do not own investment properties. I do not own any stocks. I have small debts that need to be paid. I have a thriving profitable business with huge margins, which came from that 90% of my time I allocated. 

I have a loving wife and two wonderful happy kids. I splurge on my family with a great lifestyle and an awesome quality of life. It's all real!

You can download, for free, the financial plan I follow, Wealth Grows When Your Cash Flows, to achieve success.

Truly, the sky is the limit. Protect and do more with your hard-earned money. Live your life to its fullest every single day!

Tracking your spending, by nature, tends to be boring and difficult. However, approaching your finances in a manner that allows you to learn about your spending, as well as improving your planning skills, can help you save an extraordinary amount of money and grow your wealth.

Your personal financial plan  will successfully help you maximize your money. Doing so, it is crucial to understand the "Daily Activities/Events" that trigger the spending. In other words, writing daily "FINANCIAL WORKOUTS" that include every single activity/event that makes you use money will be the key to saving BIG every single year and accumulating the wealth you desire. 

Make sure you get the right financial advice to effectively achieve your financial goals. Financial planning pays off!

Every morning, when you wake up, you can determine the course of your day and, therefore, the future of your life. Do you start your day thinking about how you will earn your next dollar? Or do you ask God for guidance for your day?

If you choose the first option, you could have $200, $500, or $1,000 more in your bank account by the end of the day. Choosing God's guidance, however, could prepare you to get $200, $500, or $1,000 for the rest of your life and even attain the Kingdom of God.

God's option, however, will require you to believe and trust in Him fully and have one hundred percent confidence that He will give you what you want. Most consider purchasing a home, sending kids to college, or planning a comfortable retirement. Some of us think about being able to make a lot of money or becoming millionaires.

Not many people can achieve all their personal and financial goals unless God is in their lives. Matthew 6:33 says, "Seek the Kingdom of God first, and everything else should be added to you." This verse illustrates how God will give you all that you want. To fully believe this promise of God, you must create and build a relationship with Him. This relationship will require you to interact with Him every moment of your day and life.

Through this journey with Jesus, you will turn all your unbelief into something concrete, and your faith in God will definitely be stronger. Your relationship with God will determine your Spiritual success; the stronger, the better! Planning and achieving a goal requires discipline and a commitment to seeing it become a reality. It will also require prayer and worship. You must learn to love God the most; there are no shortcuts!

Jeremiah 29:11 states, "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Once again, to fully believe in what this scripture says, you must trust God one hundred percent. If you want to surrender your life to Jesus, you must become God's student. God's Holy Spirit will guide and remind you to do God's will. 

Regardless of where you are at this point in your life—single, married, with kids, close to retirement, or retired—you should seek God every day to make sure you enjoy the life he promises we all could have, a life with abundance—money, your own home, a better job, success with your family and kids, good health, and everything else.

When you read God's Bible, you can see how God wants you to live and how happy he will be if you obey him. He also tells you how much he is willing to give you by believing in all his promises. Your daily mindset should be finding ways to increase your faith. Once again, the higher your faith, the more confident you will be. 

Why do I emphasize faith? Well, let's take a look at the definition of faith. Hebrews 11:1 states, "Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." In other words, even if you do not see God, you must believe He is in your life, guiding you and helping you live your daily life. Once again, you must acknowledge His presence in your life with faith.

When you make your daily decisions, God guides you, assuming you allow him to direct your life, whether for good or bad. Almost all of us behave in a way that is contrary to what God wants us to do. We hurt others. We lie. We do not love as much, and we do not obey Him. Because we have this tendency, God has to intervene to help and save us. You probably know people who suffer from mental, emotional, and physical pain, are poor and have very few resources.

Because we tend to want to be independent of God and make our decisions without allowing Him to guide us, God lets us make our choices until it's too late. For example, we tend to make mistakes when we make financial decisions, such as getting a job, going to college, getting married, buying a car, purchasing a home, or retiring, without relying on him. That is the reason why there are people who experience homelessness, divorce, illness, bankruptcy, and other problems.

Fortunately, when we go through tough times, God is there to help us even though we initially ignore him when making decisions—God uses those experiences to make us stronger and wiser.

The providence of God is the concept that explains how involved God is in our lives. In other words, when you meet people or when something happens that you wonder how it happened, God orchestrates the whole situation. He makes things or events occur, using the Holy Spirit to accomplish His will.

Through the Holy Spirit, God created our existence and the whole world. For believers, God's Spirit dwells in them to guide and help them obey Him. Even if you can't understand these concepts, God says in Proverbs 3:5, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."

The Holy Spirit is often described as God's active presence in the world, working in the hearts and lives of believers. In the New Testament, particularly in the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit is depicted as descending upon the apostles at Pentecost, empowering them to spread the message of Jesus Christ.

I have been helping people with their finances for the last 23 years. My experiences with my clients have consistently shown me how we get resources from God. Your faith has to be strong to believe that God gives you what you want. Through your faith, you will be able to trust in Him and be 100% confident that He will continue to provide for you, now and during retirement.

As mentioned above, every day you have the opportunity to turn to Him to give you the Holy Spirit. You will learn every day, and you will be challenged to make changes in your life to prepare you for a life that consists of love and happiness.

Spiritual practices will provide individuals with a sense of solace, resilience, and purpose, which may indirectly contribute to their ability to cope with financial challenges. For many people, spirituality involves cultivating qualities like gratitude, compassion, and mindfulness, which can positively influence decision-making and resilience in the face of difficulties.

However, while spiritual practices can contribute to emotional and mental well-being, they might not directly solve financial issues right away. Practical steps like budgeting, education, and seeking financial advice are often necessary to address the concrete aspects of financial challenges.

In essence, a holistic approach that combines practical financial strategies with emotional and spiritual well-being can be beneficial for navigating and overcoming financial difficulties.

Fostering a sense of abundance and gratitude involves shifting your perspective and focusing on the positive aspects of your life. Here are some practical steps:

1. Practice Mindfulness: Be present in the moment and consciously appreciate what you have. Mindfulness helps you recognize and savor the good things in your life.

2. Gratitude Journal: Regularly write down things you are grateful for. This practice can shift your focus from what's lacking to the abundance that exists.

3. Positive Affirmations: Use positive affirmations to reinforce a mindset of abundance. Affirmations can reshape your thoughts and beliefs over time.

4. Help Others: Engaging in acts of kindness or helping others less fortunate can highlight the abundance in your life and create a positive feedback loop.

5. Limit Comparisons: Avoid constant comparisons with others, especially in terms of material possessions. Focus on your own journey and accomplishments.

6. Celebrate Small Wins: Acknowledge and celebrate even small achievements. This cultivates a sense of accomplishment and abundance.

7. Simplify: Decluttering your physical space and simplifying your life can help you appreciate the essentials and feel a sense of abundance.

8. Visualize Goals: Instead of focusing solely on what you lack, visualize your goals and aspirations. This can create a sense of purpose and abundance in potential achievements.

Remember, cultivating gratitude is an ongoing process. By consistently incorporating these practices into your daily life, you can gradually develop a mindset of abundance and appreciate the richness of your experiences. 

The concepts of "debt-free" and "financial freedom" are related but distinct, each representing different stages or aspects of financial well-being.

DEBT-FREE

Being debt-free means you have no outstanding debt obligations. This includes credit card debt, student loans, car loans, mortgages, or any other form of borrowed money. The primary focus here is on eliminating liabilities. A debt-free person has successfully paid off all debts and does not owe money to any creditors. While debt-free is a significant achievement and reduces financial stress, it does not necessarily mean that the person has achieved financial security or independence. It simply means they no longer have the burden of repaying borrowed money.

FINANCIAL FREEDOM

Financial freedom, however, is a broader concept that means having enough wealth and income to cover your living expenses without relying on work. It includes having enough savings and passive income streams to sustain your desired lifestyle indefinitely. The focus here is on building assets and income streams that provide financial security and independence. It’s about having the freedom to choose how you spend your time, whether that means working, pursuing hobbies, traveling, or engaging in any other activity. Financial freedom usually implies having a substantial financial cushion that allows for long-term financial stability. It’s the ability to live comfortably without worrying about money.

Uncertain about your financial future? Follow the plan that can help you achieve all your personal and financial goals, including how to get out of credit card debt. Do you want to eliminate debt, buy your home, or live a comfortable retirement? If you’re wondering, 'can I afford to retire?' or 'how much money do I need to retire?', start your journey with retirement planning in West Covina. Begin your financial plan today and set yourself on the path to success!