Next week my wife will celebrate another birthday. It would likely be in my best interest not to tell you how old she will be. Like me, she grew up in a family with several other siblings. Like many of you, she can recall the fun and trouble that they used to get into as children. My kids love one story that she has shared from her past.
That one story can relate to how many of you feel today when it comes to your finances, careers, relationships, and life in general – you feel like Stretch Armstrong. Right away, many of you asked, “who is Stretch Armstrong” and others of you just showed your age!
She shares the story of how she and her twin sister decided that they would see why ol’ Stretch could really stretch. I may have the story all wrong as to what happened, but they cut this toy man so they could find out that he was filled with a gel type substance. I am not not sure why they did that and they may not even remember, but it reminded me of – you.
The reminder of that toy shows me what many of your are expriencing today. What feels like from all four limbs, you are stretched as far as your can go. Any more and others will see what you are made of inside.
Too much debt, living beyond your wage, trying to accomplish what your neighbors or family members are doing, struggling to provide a future for your children and yourselves – you are stretched and you are feeling it. Would you agree it is not a fun position to be in?
There is a better way. Most of you are being stretched and you have no plan for retuning you back to normal. You are not sure what needs to be done or what it is going to take, but you are looking to a release from your present position.
Did you know that you can get back there? Yes, you really can but you have to make some tough decisions. You have to first decide you are tired of living like this and you are open to making the changes in yourself that need to occur. You need a plan – for your finances, your career, and your life.
When Stretch Armstrong was stretched it would take some time to return him to his normal shape. Your plan is going to take time, but you have to be released of the hold now to move forward.
Stretch was really only good for so much stretching before he would show you what he was made of. What about you? How much more stretch do you have?
