Live your life - do not take it for granted

Dad would tell me all the time – be sure to save 40% of what you earn. He would say that was enough, because to make a decent living, you need to spend the remaining 60% for various needs. 

The magnificent change in recent years is the easy availability of loans for cars, houses, household appliances, etc. Unfortunately, many young couples fall into the prey of luxurious living when they have lot of money in their hands.

When you are between 25 and 30 yrs old, and you have two earning members in the family,  it is a natural tendency to plan ahead for the future. 

But, remember, things can go wrong anytime – you may have trouble with your current job, sometimes you may have difficulty getting another assignment inspite of your qualifications and experience (it happens when you are passing through a bad phase). You may have to take care of your parents, siblings, children’s education, etc.

  

There are people  who pride themselves on living on hand to mouth, after taking enormous loans. Is all this worth it? I simply do not understand this. Don’t we all earn to live life to the full?

Live for yourself, and not for someone else. If you have too many financial obligations, you may be forced to be put up with many things in life, unwillingly.   

What is the point if you have a huge bungalow, but cannot sleep inside it in peace. Imagine having to spend the next 20 years repaying loans, and you being unable to manage if something untoward would happen. I know a couple in the IT industry who were earning substantially well. They went into loans right from a farm house to the huge plasma TV in their living room. A day came when the woman could not continue work for health reasons, but they needed the extra income to repay the loan. They were desperate, and finally had to sell off most of the things they bought through loans.

What I am trying to say is this. We must definitely plan for the future – but invest sensibly. When you envision your dream, do also think what you will do if something goes wrong in your plan. In the stressful lives we lead now,  let us learn to live and enjoy each day. When you are in control of your financial situation, it gives you more confidence and you will also have the liberty to make changes in your career and life when you can. There are many people who opt out of their professions in the middle of their career to take up a dream project, or even social service. When this happens, you will be able to pursue your dream without any hesitation or guilt.

Never take life for granted. There is a saying in Tamil - நோயற்ற வாழ்வே குறைவற்ற செல்வம். This means that to live healthy is the best asset you can possess. In today's world, with so many new diseases cropping up because of our lifestyle, it is truly a miracle if we are in good health today.

You are blessed if you have a plum job now. So, try to live life to the full when you can.


Cheers!