Ok. We must admit we have never done this before – here are 2020 New Year’s Resolutions we’ve made for YOU! Excuse the presumptuous nature of our blog, that we know what is best for you!
1) Take time to smell the roses. Whenever you tell yourself, “I love to read, but I just don’t have time to read a good book’, take the time to read a good book! You really do have the time. You just choose to use it in other ways. 20 minutes of Facebook equals about four chapters of James Patterson’s latest thrillers (his chapters are usually less than four pages long.” Walk in the park. Plant a garden. Exercise. Roll in the grass with your kids.
2) Treat your roof for moss or have someone do it for you. Good money spent. But be careful on the ladder if you do it yourself. A new roof is going to cost you between $10,000 and $15,000 for most homes, depending upon the condition of the roof, “what lies beneath”, and the intricacy of the roof lines and pitch. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This also applies to eating cookies and worrying about diabetes, but that is another story!
3) Spend a little more time with those you love, and equally as important, those who love you. Even thirty minutes with my granddaughter, age 3, is like a blood transfusion. Mix tired old blood and new blood, and suddenly you have created rejuvenated blood and lifelong memories.
4) Pay your credit card balances down to less than 30% of your available credit. And pay your bills on time, every month. If you have no credit, and are quite proud of that, awesome! But also know that lenders like to see that you have credit, use it wisely and sparingly, and make your payments on time. One person we know paid off two credit cards and saw their credit scores go up 41 points in three months. When buying a home, there is a world of difference in a 590-credit score versus one in the 700’s, especially when it comes to favorable interest rates.
Another New Year’s Resolution?
5) Another New Year’s Resolution? Vote in 2020. Do your homework, look for facts, listen to all opinions, and form your own conclusions about what makes the most sense. Vote in the primaries and next November. It is your duty and what makes our country great. And simply remember one thing if nothing else – You can’t win an argument on Social Media.
6) Volunteer your time, energy, money, or prayers for something benevolent and for the greater good. A warming center for those who are unhoused can ALWAYS use help. Serve a meal. Teach a struggling child to read. Donate a jar of peanut butter to the food bank. Sounds small and inconsequential? Not to the family needing protein and struggling with food insecurity.
7) Put your phone down. Just for a little while. Make eye contact. Have real conversations with real people. Have a family dinner even once a week, no phones allowed. Listen. Ask questions.
8) Pay a compliment. Mean it. Catch someone off-guard with a “You have the most engaging smile.” Or, “I love it when you laugh. It is contagious.” Tell an employee, “I just really like working with you and am so glad you are here.”
9) Think before you speak. Words can heal or hurt. Choose the former if possible. Know the consequences of the latter, beforehand.
10) Last of your 2020 New Year’s Resolutions? Laugh. Have fun. Be safe. Take a calculated risk, with “calculated” being the operative word. Step outside your comfort zone, even with a baby toe. Challenge yourself. Easily-Accomplished goals are just that – too easy. Goals should be stretching but possible. Be smart – Losing a pound in six months is easy. Losing 20 over the course of a year is smart. And finally, be grateful and gracious. Give without conditions or expectations. Receive gifts with appreciation. Always say thanks.
Happy New Year’s from your friends and professionals at Bledsoe Santana Team Realty, LLC!
Silverton Office 503-874-4666
Woodburn Branch Office 503-446-5411
Keizer Branch Office 971-339-5244
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