Finances for the College Freshman

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It’s easy to find ourselves in situations where we feel that there is absolutely no choice. However, there are often many little (or big) choices that we can make that may be elusive. Take a moment to step back, examine your situation, and look at all of the options, instead of just what’s right in front of you. You may be surprised.  

Why is it that so many times we feel stuck in our situation with no way out? 

Truly, it’s easier. It takes much more effort to explore your current task, project, or workplace challenge and make a change. However, when you take some time to look at the options you can begin to see the possibilities. 

To begin, take a step back from whatever it is you’re struggling with, be it a presentation that just won’t come together of a difficult coworker you have trouble getting along with. Instead of looking at the problem that you’re facing take a moment to visualize a solution. For now, don’t worry about how you’re going to get there, whether it’s feasible, inside the box, or outside the box.  

Once you’ve identified your ideal solution keep going and come up with a few more possibilities. When you limit yourself to one option it’s incredibly easy to get frustrated or upset if things don’t go as planned. It’s much better to have options and give yourself more of an opportunity. 

With a few solutions in hand, start brainstorming how you might achieve those solutions. Keep your mind open to the many possibilities that may come to mind. This is still a time to be creative and stay open minded. At this point things might still seem a little far fetched or almost insurmountable, but we want to start big and see what happens.  

All of these decisions are up to you. You get to determine how this moves forward and remind yourself that you have power over your own situation. While many days it feels like supervisors, managers, and deadlines may control every bit of your work life, you still have some choice in how you manage and handle all the tasks in your daily work life. 

Pick your solution and start putting your plan in to motion, and remember things don’t often change over night, give them some time. Take control of the things that you can and start being assertive about your needs and wants. Be prepared to not get all of the things you ask for though, as sometimes they just aren’t possible. However, you won’t know until you ask 

When you take the time to think about your situation, what you want, and how to get there, things may not seem quite as overwhelming or overbearing. Start with the small things, and take control over the things that you can. Making those choices and decisions are a challenging yet necessary part of exerting your power of choice and your power over your situation.