A few years ago, I was told that I needed both knees replaced. The doctors wouldn’t do the surgery until I was older (after 50) and quite frankly, I am putting it off as long as possible. In fact, I hope to avoid it. Because I am passionate about what I do,  I tend to be a workaholic. The problem I run into, is that I can put self care on the back burner and that’s probably part of the knee problem.

When I turned 50, I realized that unless I take action now, having lots of money and poor health is a terrible scenario. Besides, my husband is five years younger than I am and when he retires, we have plans for lots of travel and golf.

Since the beginning of the year, I have implemented three new smart choices in my life and I’d like to share them with you. My goal was to lose weight, feel more focused and calm today…and then ensure a more vibrant lifestyle later in my life with Mark.

Here is what I did:

• I joined a yoga class and am attending classes about three times a week. I notice that I feel much calmer, more focused and feel lighter on my feet.
• I have eliminated almost all processed food in my diet and actually spent 30 days on a special diet plan that changed my life.
• I have created a bedtime ritual (inspired by Smart Women Contributing Expert, Marci Shimoff’s 10:30 Angel Train) where I journal before bed to clear my mind, listen to music,  and read.  In addition, I have begun to listen to one of Hypnosis Guru, Steve G. Jones mp3s, and it’s been fabulous.  I try to stay away from the TV and computer after 9 pm at night.
• I am drinking lots of filtered water with lemon during the day. Here is the formula for how much water you should drink: weight divided by two and add a zero. TIP: If you weigh 150#, then you want to drink 70 oz of water daily! Many times when we feel hungry, it could just be dehydration.

These are my results.  I have lost 25 pounds, I am sleeping so much better and waking up a lot earlier, and I am much more focused and optimistic during the day.

When we get ready to retire some day, having all the money in the world will mean nothing  if we don’t have our health, right? By taking making some simple changes, I find I am more affective at work, and happier and more active at home with my family at night. Plus the yoga class is amazing…my goal is to go five times week.

What steps are you taking today to live happy, wealthy and healthy? I’d like to know! Leave your comments below!

Katana Abbott, CFP, CSA
Founder and Prosperity Coach
www.howtocreateprosperity.com

He gave me a little tip that I want to share with you about how he and is wife pay for their vacations.  He said that they always use coupons for places like restaurants, discount cards for pharmacies, and they make a point to clip coupons from the Sunday paper before going to the grocery store.

He says that this is a two step process:

1. Clip the coupons, use the discount cards, check the internet for printable coupons before going to a restaurant.
2. (and this is the real secret) He and his wife take the money they save (50 cents at the pharmacy, $25 at the grocery store for example) and physically put it into a “piggy bank”.  This way, the money is actually saved for a purpose.

The last time they “broke open the piggy bank” it was for their trip to Vietnam, and they had saved $3000.  He says that he also has a Roth IRA account and saves an addition $20 ever week from his tips to do something special.  Last Christmas, he had saved 0ver $1000 and used this money to purchase toys for the local children’s hospital.

You can see that Kahi not only has a beautiful smile and a loving heart, but he is also making simple and smart money choices.

How we do money is how we do everything.  How do you treat your money?  Do you respect and appreciate it?  Do you keep your wallet organized, save your change and put it in a “piggy bank”, track your reward points from your credit cards?

My husband and I make it a point to watch our money every single day.  The more you pay attention to money, the more you attract to yourself.  I dare you to test this and see what happens.  I have a tracking form that I have been using since the first of the year.  Each day, I track my income, my husband’s income and all income of any kind that comes into our possession.

In addition, I set income goals for myself and reevaluate them quarterly.  It’s amazing what happens when you focus on money and appreciate and respect it.  My friend says she started doing this in January and setting an income goal.  During this time, her income has doubled.

Try this exercise. 

Print out the attached MoneyTrackingSheets.  Keep it on your desk and every day, jot down any money that comes your way.  At the end of the month add up your total and start the next month.  Since we started doing this, my husband found a $20 at the garbage can, I received a letter saying that I had unclaimed money ($4800).  Normally, I would have ignored this thinking it was a scam, but this time, I read the letter and it was from the Michigan Treasury.  I should be receiving this money in the next 90 days.  I want you to track all your income and tell me what happens.

Here is another secret.  Jack Canfield and Jim Carey use this one.  Write out a check to yourself for the amount of money that you want to manifest in the next 30 days.  Put the check where you can see it every day and see what happens.  Let me know.

I know that some people think that talking about money is not spiritual.  That is so untrue.  Money is energy and the more you have, the more you can give and the bigger difference you can make in the world.   Remember, there is nothing spiritual about playing small.

Okay, I am off to get packed.  I am leaving for Kendall Summerhawk’s LEAP event in Tuscon tomorrow and will be posting from there.  Kendall is a Millionaire Marketing Coach who is not over very spiritual, but earning multiple millions while helping thousands of women around the world.  I am meeting my friend, Ruth Klein there and we cannot wait to send you more videos about what we learn.

Here’s your assignment:

• start paying attention to money…remember it’s energy and likes to be paid attention to.
• see how much you can save…and put those dollars into a savings account or “piggy bank” as Kahi says!
• print out the MoneyTrackingSheets and track your money every day
• set an income goal for the next 30 days.  Write out the check to yourself and put it up where you can see it every day.

I will be in touch soon!

To your prosperity,

Katana Abbott, CFP, CSA
The Smart Women’s Coach
www.HowToCreateProsperity.com
(be sure to pick up your free gift)

Feel free to leave your comments below or to share this article with your friends.   See you soon!

Almost 20 years ago when my mother married my step father, they came to me for estate planning and financial planning.  My parents created their own trusts and also set up some assets in joint accounts.  To simplify things we consolidated all the financial assets into a brokerage account with American Express Financial Advisors and I was their financial planner.   Everything was perfect, right?  Well almost.

In 2007, my step father passed away, and some assets were transferred to my mother via joint ownership or beneficiary designation.  Other assets stayed in his trust until she passed away which was January 2010.  Because we had created a trust, there was no probate for my mother.  Everything passed to my brothers and me effortlessly.

The beauty of planning early:

• What was beautiful about this process, is that because the planning was done years earlier when they were both healthy we were able to purchase long term care insurance which protected all my step father’s assets for his children.  Also bought the insurance when they were both insurable and the premiums were very low.

• The second big benefit of planning early was that we were able to focus on spending quality time with both of my parents because all the planning was in place and we could simply focus on them.

Even with the best planning, things can slip through the cracks…

There were two items that slipped through the cracks.

• Even though we documented everything before my step father passed, there was one life insurance policy (and he had many of them) that was still left to his deceased wife.  It was one associated with one of his government pensions.  What ended up happening, is these funds ended up going to my step father’s children instead of my mother.
• The second is the purpose of this article.  My mother had purchased Detroit Edison stock years ago and had set up a dividend reinvestment plan.  This was back in the 70s.  When she married Dale and we moved the stocks to the brokerage account, the dividend reinvestment plan stayed with Detroit Edison and those shares continued to reinvest for 40 years.

Last week, I got on the phone with the Department of Treasury for the State of Michigan and talked with a representative.  After reviewing all the needed date, social security numbers, former addresses and maiden names, we were able to identify these “unclaimed funds” with the State of Michigan.  There was $4800 of Detroit Edison stock in the names of my mother and my step father just sitting there unclaimed.

This demonstrates two things:

• How complicated the estate planning and financial planning process is and that even a Certified Financial Planner can miss something like this.
• The power of compound interest.  I could not believe how much my mother’s dividends had grown over the last 40 years.

The take away here is to do your financial and estate planning as early as possible and don’t try to wing it.  It’s a very complicated process, and having a team in place will make all the difference.

In my mother’s case, since we had a trust and there was no probate, and I have all the needed documents, accessing these funds will be relatively easy.  I still have a trust account open, and will send in a copy of the claimant form, the will, death certificates and the trust document that states I am the successor trustee and they will cut a check to the trust.  This will allow me to distribute the funds without a probate or any attorney fees.

To check if you have unclaimed property, visit your state Treasury Department.  Here in Michigan for example the website is:  http://www.michigan.gov/treasury

I hope you find this article helpful and empowering.  If you are interested in creating your financial and estate plan, I have created a wonderful financial organizer planner with step-by-step instructions for:

• finding your stuff
• getting organized
• and getting smart about your money

It’s actually a 33 page ebook and totally free.  You can pick up your free copy at www.HowToCreateProsperity.com  Just enter your name and email for my Smart Women’s Prosperity System and then make an appointment with yourself to get started even if it’s just one step at at time.

If you are ready for a real breakthrough with your money, beliefs and confidence, I invite you to experience a complementary Money Breakthrough Method Coaching Session with me.  For a limited time, I am offering 10 of these to women who are ready for a huge breakthrough in their ability to attract, create, keep and grow their wealthy.  I am only offering 10 for free.  After that, these sessions are $150.  You can schedule yours at www.talkwithkatana.com  

Katana Abbott, CFP, CSA
Founder, Smart Women’s Coaching Cafe
The Smart Women’s Prosperity Coach
www.KatanaAbbott.com

zip lining above the rainforest and Arenal Volcano

Enjoying the Tabacon Spa

We returned from Costa Rica on March 13, and it was an amazing experience!

We started our adventure in the high mountain rain forests near the Arenal Volcano and zip lined at 650 feet above the rainforest overlooking Lake Arenal and the Arenal Volcano.

The next day was relaxing at one of the top spas in the world – Tabacon where the ladies relaxed under the dozens of waterfalls and soaking pools created from the actual hot spring water from the volcano itself.

That afternoon, we experience the traditional Tazmecal ceremony with a Mayan Shaman with steam bath, chanting, and releasing of toxins and negative emotions.  Amazing.

Visiting Tortuga Island and Curu Reserve

Then there was a stop at the famous hanging bridges and it was off to the beautiful beach resort of Tango Mar – the only resort located directly on the Pacific Ocean in Costa Rica where we enjoyed more yoga only this time to the pounding surf and hot sunshine.

Here we saw many beautiful flowers, and animals including white faced monkeys, howler monkeys, white tailed dear, spider monkeys and the coati which looks like a long nosed raccoon.

The combination of workshops, yoga, meditation, nature, celebration and the wonderful circle and sisterhood created between the women created an experience like none other.

Our yoga guru, Ronda Diegel and I will be planning other yoga/prosperity retreats this summer and two new retreats in 2013, including a couples retreat to Panama at the fabulous Red Frog Beach where Mark and I are owners, as well as our 2nd annual Costa Rica Women’s Retreat.

If you are interested in receiving priority notice for our future Smart Women Retreats, please click here.

White faced monkey resting during hot afternoon

Can you leave your business when you are away?

• How confident are you about leaving your business for a few days, a week, what about a month?
• Do you end up with your nose in your computer and worried about your business when you take a family vacation?
• What would it be like if your business could literally run without you?

Timothy Ferris talks about this in his book, The Four Hour Work Week.  I am heading to Costa Rica to lead a women’s retreat next week, and because I have a virtual team in place, my business will continue to run while I am gone.  Although this trip will feel like a vacation because we will be in paradise, I will actually be working there.   The exciting thing is that with today’s technology, you can work from anywhere and not skip a beat.  For example:

• You can access your website, emails, edit your ezine and social media from anywhere.
• You can have phone calls forwarded and post an away message on your email.
• You can also create  your ezines and blog posts in advance and have then scheduled to go out while you are gone.
• In addition, with the right team and systems in place, you can delegate and outsource projects virtually, wake up and the work has been completed over night.

For the last year, I have been working with a virtual team called Business Mastery Outsourcing.  They handle all my website work, social media, product creation, transcriptions, video, and administrative work.  It frees up my time from the things that drain my energy, so I can focus on the things I do that are more profitable and more fun.  And actually, with my current business model, this is all I need for my business to literally run without me.

Why do you want your business to run without you and to generate passive income?  The answer is so you can have a life:  so you can take time off to be with your family to deepen relationships, to care for loved ones, to take a course, in case you have an extended disability or health issue, to plan for the eventual “retirement” (when working is a choice), to be able to do something extraordinary, to see the world.

So often I hear people say that some day when they retire, they hope to travel, to do what they love, to spend more time with their family.  I believe it’s possible to set your business up now or over the next few years, so you can have that dream lifestyle while you are still young and healthy.  I know because I have done it once.  I actually left my business for one full year and it ran flawlessly without me.  Now I am doing it again only with a whole new business model and YOU can do it too!

What if YOU ARE the business? 

• For example, you are a therapist or you are the plumber?  When you are sick, you don’t get paid.
• In my former business, I was a financial planner, and if I had not found and trained “the right” intern who could learn my business from the bottom up, taught him everything I knew and more and then allowed him to “become the expert” himself and develop a relationship with my clients, I would never have  been able to sell my business for 7 figures.
• Also, creating a system for passive income no matter what type of business you have is the key to creating value.

The real secret here is when you create a business that runs without you:

• you can then have more freedom to become creative
• to flourish at what you love and are great at
• you can take time off to enjoy life more
• to make a difference
• and you never have to retire — especially if you love what you do.
• Plus your business will have value if you decide to sell it.

However, if you never master this art — you will be stuck, drained, overwhelmed, overworked, underpaid in most cases and probably never be able to “retire” or sell your business.

So whether you have a product or you have a service, it is possible for your business to run without you AND for you to create an “Exit Plan”.   Bruce Wright, author of The Wright EXIT Strategy, talks about creating your exit strategy as part of your initial business planning.

So take a moment now to look at your business and write out what is it that is going well and what is it that is not working?

I have a couple of options for you:

• Visit:  www.HowToCreateProsperity.com and sign up for the Smart Women’s Prosperity System to listen to my free audio and be sure to print out the worksheet so you can follow along.
• I will give you some great exercises right there and I walk you through my Six Pillars of Awakened Prosperity System, which is the process I used to create and sell my business. It’s also the system I am using again in my current business.  It will work for you too.
• Watch for your invitation to join the Smart Women’s Coaching Cafe where I will be teaching this process live over the next year.  You will have the support, training and resources plus live coaching from me!  It’s just a few weeks off!

Looking for one on one support?  I have an opening in my private coaching practice for one new client right now.  You can schedule a complementary coaching session where we can discuss your dreams and your challenges.  Just book the appointment here www.talkwithkatana.com and then complete the online form that I send you prior to our meeting.  It’s that simple!

If you have a quick question, feel free to email me at katana@katanaabbott.com.

The good news is that it’s possible to create a business that runs without you because I have done it and you simply need to reach out, follow the system and doing the work.

I believe in you!  Big hugs…

Certified Financial Planner™
Smart Women’s Money Coach™
www.HowToCreateProsperity.com

Last week, I posted an article called, Five Smart Steps to Taking Control of Your Finances, and today, I want to go deep on Step #1:  Pay Yourself First.  We all have heard this statement, but what does it really mean AND how important is it?

Let’s look at some numbers:

In a June 2008 Associated Press survey, it was reported that:

• 78 million baby boomers are approaching retirement and that 66 percent –of these individuals expect to continue working after “retiring” to supplement their pensions, Social Security and savings.
  
• In a recent Gallop Poll – that number is now up to 80%
• Just 59% of workers are currently saving for retirement and one‐half of them have less than $25,000 tucked away, according to the survey.

How much do you think you will need for retirement?

This part is best left to a professional like a financial planner or a CPA since they have access to computer software that can calculate inflation to give you the future values of your needs over time. There are also Retirement Calculators that can give you a general idea like these on my CPAs website.

However, if you are not working with a financial adviser, I suggest that you spend some time getting a clear picture of your current financial situation.  I have created a 33 page ebook that will help you do just that and it’s available to you for FREE as part of my Smart Women Success System.

What you want to do is to complete the worksheets and calculate what you own, what you owe (your Net Worth), plus what you spend and what you earn (your Cash Flow).  The goal is to identify what you will have coming in at retirement vs. what you will need.

If there is a shortage, then you will either need to save more, work longer, get a higher return, or supplement with post retirement income.  I also talk about this in the Prosperity System when I talk about The New Retirement Solution.

If you are looking for one on one help, please schedule a 30 minute complementary Money Breakthrough Method Consultation with me at www.talkwithkatana.com   I am only offering these for a limited time, but right now, you are welcome!

How should you Pay Yourself First?

The smartest way to do this is to be saving in at least two pots — one for your Emergency Fund and one for your Retirement.  Let’s talk about each and let’s start with your retirement plan:

• Most of us have access to some sort of “pretax retirement plan” through our employer.  If we are self employed, we can set up a SEP IRA or simply an IRA or Individual Retirement Account.
• If you are employed, simply make sure that your employer is taking the MAX out of your paycheck each week and investing it into your retirement plan at work.  You will have the responsibility to select how the money is to be invested and will want to get some advise if you aren’t familiar with investments.
• If you cannot invest the maximum, then consider starting somewhere, even if it is just $25 per week.  But start now.  Below, you will see the power of compound interest over time.  The earlier you begin investing, the more you benefit from compounding interest.  At one point, your investment will be making much more money from compounding than you can even add yourself.  Isn’t this exciting!

Check out this chart showing how much you need to save to have $1 million by age 65 at an annual rate of 10%?  As you can see, the secret is starting early.  AND its never too late, you just need to save more or save longer!

         Age                   Daily Savings                 Yearly Savings

20                      $4.00                                     $1,460

30                      $11.00                                   $4,015

40                      $30.00                                  $10,950

50                      $95.00                                  $34,675

Now let’s talk about creating an Emergency Fund:

• The next time you get your paycheck, go to the bank and set up a “Savings Account”.  Before you deposit your paycheck, take 10% or a specific dollar amount, even if it just $10 and deposit into your savings.
• Now, here is the Secret:  Every single paycheck, you will put this same dollar amount into your Emergency Fund (savings account).  You will do this automatically and preferably “electronically”, so you don’t even see it.
• Continue to do this, even if you are paying down credit cards. (this will be addressed in a separate article)

For the Self Employed:

You probably get paid in chunks of money, at various times, and in uneven amounts.  In fact, there are times when you get large amounts, and then times when you have no income coming in. 

Here is the secret for YOU:  Stop Being A Cash Cow!  What this means is spending MORE when you have a BIG balance in your account.  The most important thing you can do is discipline yourself with these three steps:

• Treat Your Business Like a Business and PLEASE make sure you have a Separate Bank Account for your Business.
• Put yourself on the payroll with a specific paycheck, just like everyone else.  And actually write yourself a paycheck and deposit it to your personal account.  Remember, you will then set aside your “specific amount” for personal savings!
• Now cut TWO MORE checks (or electronic transfers)
• Deposit this into your SEP IRA for your retirement.
• Deposit the second one into a Savings Account to pay your Estimated Tax Payment to the IRS.

The secret here is to keep a running cash reserve in your business checking account or savings account, so you can sleep at night.  In addition, it is important to have a business line of credit to help you through the dry spells, even if it is from your credit card.  I have a $50,000 line of credit at the bank at 6%, and even though it doesn’t have a balance, I will keep that account available for emergencies, as long as I have my business.

So I hope this has been helpful.  Whether you are just starting out with your savings plan, or have built up a large nest egg, paying yourself first is a Smart Foundation to creating a life of Financial Freedom.

If you haven’t done so yet, be sure to pick up your FREE Smart Women’s Prosperity System and print out your copy of my signature 33 page Financial Organizer Planner eBook.  And be sure to share it with your friends!  My dream is to help thousands of women around the globe live with Awakened Prosperity – a life of health, wealth and happiness!

Big hugs…

Founder and Prosperity Coach
Smart Women’s Prosperity Institute™
Creating Wealth While Making A Difference!
www.HowToCreateProsperity.com

Click here for free gift!

By Guest Blogger, Jill Jordan – Personal Branding Coach

It may be hard to think that you can get what you want out of life sometimes – especially when you or others around you may be going through some very challenging times — but it is possible. If you dream it, you can achieve it (to borrow the age-old line).

These are times for cutting back. But when you cut back, it doesn’t always mean that you have to do without. You can get what you want, and get what you need on a more limited basis right now. And sometimes you’ll find you will be happier for it because it’s more rewarding to have to work for something now. We all need to feel valued and our work is worthwhile!

Many successful people – no matter what industry they’re in – create a personal vision board. This board helps you visualize what you want, and can give you the inspiration to get there. In my coaching work, I oftentimes suggest that my clients create one for themselves. It’s similar to putting your goals on paper, but instead it’s more artist and obviously, much more visual.

While I was giving this advice to others, I hadn’t actually finished mine. It hit me that I couldn’t possibly be giving this advice and not be doing it myself. So, I finally finished my board, hung it right above my desk – in order to see it throughout my day – and guess what happened? Yes, within days, one of my visions came to be. I wanted to speak at a particular company so I cut out their logo and placed on the vision board. I “saw” myself speaking to this group. Last December it became a reality.

One of my clients put a picture of a new digital camera on hers…she ended up getting what she wanted as a Christmas gift. There’s no right or wrong way to do it – just start keeping some things that inspire you and then arrange them on a board and look at it every day. Place pictures of the things you want to achieve, and inspirational words that resonate with you.  You can even do this project with friends or co-workers — make it fun.  Inspire others.

Another small thing you can do that won’t cost anything is to just change your attitude. If you find yourself thinking a certain thought that isn’t positive – stop! Stop and turn it around to something positive. Do this just once a day and see how it helps you feel better internally and then that will just radiate outward.

The path to a glorious and fulfilled life is yours for the taking. Go out and build your glorious life today!  Visualize it!

To learn more about Personal Branding Coach, Jill Jordan, visit www.GetAheadByGettingKnown.com PLUS click here to Downloadher Branding Worksheet and then tune into Smart Women Talk Radio on Tuesday, 2/28/12 at 11 AM EST.

One day it hits you like a rock. You’re knee-deep in financial quicksand with no savior in sight. Maybe it comes as a declined credit card purchase, or a minimum payment higher than your bank balance. Maybe it’s just the realization that you really are mortal and will need funds to support you when your working days are over. The bad news is you’ve got to dig out of the hole before you can build for the future. The good news is that with commitment and time, you can gain control of your finances.

Start with these five sensible steps:

1.   Pay Yourself First

• Start a cash reserve fund with the intent of building it over time to at least three months worth of fixed expenses – rent or mortgage payments, utilities, auto payments, credit cards, food, and gasoline. Start today, even if you can only save $10 a week in the beginning.
• If your employer offers a retirement plan, enroll immediately. Since women outlive men and often take time out of the workforce to care for both children and aging parents, it is important for women to save more than men.
• Saving $4/day at age 20 at 10% could potentially build to $1,000,000 by age 65.  Wait until you’re 30 and you will need to save $11/day. At 40, you’re up to $30/day and by age 50 it’s $95.  So get serious and start now!

2.   Respect Money and Control your Debt

• Pay your bills on time, and pay off your credit card every month, if you can. If you are in debt and able to make only minimum payments, stop spending and get help immediately.
• Buy a small journal and document every penny you spend for one week to identify your “spending leaks.” Typically, leaks are things like late fees, movie rentals, over priced coffee, fast food, and anything else you don’t need for survival. These are the dollars you will use to begin paying off your debt and building a cash reserve.
• Find your stuff, get organized and take charge of your finances with my signature financial organizer planning system.  www.HowToCreateProsperity.com

3.   Assess Your Current Career Path

• How is your income affecting your life and your finances?
• Are you passionate about your work, or is it “just a job”? Would you still do it if you won the Lottery, or had a magic wand? If not, then why are you still doing it?
• Are you utilizing your unique talents and skills?
• Are you earning what you are worth?
• Stretch – take charge of your career, and you’ll take charge of your income.

4.   Create a Game Plan

• Write down your goals for the next 12 months.
• Make your goals clear, measurable, and time-specific so you can track your success.
• Tape the list to your mirror, on your refrigerator, or on your bedroom wall, where you can read them and focus on them every day.  We really do attract the things on which we focus, so keep your focus on what you want in your life!

5.   Find Support and Hold Yourself Accountable

• Surround yourself with positive, supportive people.
• Hire and meet regularly with a financial planner.
• Find a life coach or mentor.
• Read self improvement books and learn how to be smart about money.
• Get help on the internet with a virtual community or forum group.
• Take a tele-class or seminar focused on money, career or starting a business.

 Money and financial growth consciousness doesn’t come in flash. It may take months – maybe even years – to gain total control of your finances. But if you consistently follow these steps, that day will come. And when it does, celebrate!

Action:

What is the one area above that is worrying you the most?  What is one thing that you can do today that will have the biggest immediate effect on your health, your wealth and your happiness?  How would this change your life?  Share it below.  Thank you!

This made me think about the story of many years ago, when Alfred Nobel’s obituary was also printed erroneously in a French newspaper after his brother, Ludvig had passed away.

Alfred Nobel was the inventor of dynamite, and in this erroneous obituary, the newspaper stated:

“The merchant of death is dead. Dr Alfred Nobel, who made his fortune by finding
a way to kill the most people as ever before in the shortest time possible, died yesterday.”

Alfred was horrified when he read this. He later became obsessed to change the legacy of “how he would be remembered” in the world. He started by changing his will and leaving most of his fortune to establish the Nobel Prize. His goal was to make sure no future obituary writer would have any doubt as to his yearning for peace and progress.

Eight years after his devastating obituary, Nobel died and his famous will was unveiled, laying the foundation for what today are considered some of the most prestigious prizes in the World!

Assignment: Ask yourself, “How do YOU want to be remembered?”

Take a few minutes now to write your own eulogy. Close your eyes and imagine you are walking into a funeral and everywhere you look are the faces of those you know, respect and love. It’s your funeral..How to you want to be remembered? What do you want them to say about you?

Now take a few minutes to really spend some time writing out this speech. Print it out and look at it for a few days. Now you have the basis for creating some very powerful goals and daily affirmations. This document can also be a good foundation for creating your own personal mission statement!

Want to learn how to write your own personal mission statement? Would you like to clear about your purpose? How would it feel to have unbreakable confidence about who you are and your ability to make a difference and get paid well at the same time?

I invite you to take my new home study course, Get Clarity Now: A 5 Step Roadmap to Purpose and Passion with Prosperity. Enter the coupon “clarity” and receive $100 off!

To your health, wealth and happiness,

Katana Abbott, CFP, CSA
Founder and Prosperity Coach
Smart Women’s Prosperity Institute™

Do you believe this?   Open your wallet right now and take a look at how you treat your money.

Is your wallet in good condition with your dollar bills organized and lined up by denomination or is your wallet scruffy, with the dollar bills and old receipts just stuffed into it?

What feelings come up when you think about money?

Are they feelings of joy, gratitude, ease and flow or fear, worry, doubt and embarrassment?

Now think about other areas of your life and notice what’s happening here.

How you do money is how you do everything.

I teach a course called, Secrets of Successful High Earners:  Going to the Next Level in Life where I take women through a five step process to step into their power and take charge of their money and their earnings.  The impact of these teachings goes far beyond money.

Former workshop graduates reported that the most common results of the workshop were – in this order – significant weight loss, better financial habits, more leisure time, improved health, increased optimism, and enhanced relationships.

This is pretty powerful stuff touching all areas of life!  Feeling great about your finances gives you a sense of confidence, clarity, happiness and peace of mind like nothing else.

We all know that money does now buy happiness, but your relationship with money and how you treat it, think about it and what you do with it will determine where you live, where your children go to school, where you vacation and how often, what you eat, what type of health care you receive, how you enjoy “retirement” and what type of legacy you leave when you are gone.

The average American spends more time planning their family vacation than planning for their retirement.  I want to help you create your ideal life, one of health, wealth and happiness.  It starts with getting smart about money.

Creating true prosperity is an art, and over the next few weeks, I will be writing about how to take charge of your finances, get organized, clear the clutter, and how to create, keep and grow your wealth.

Today, I want to introduce you to several very special FREE gifts in the Smart Women’s Prosperity System:

• My 33 page signature Financial Organizer and Planning System ebook which will help you find your stuff, get organized and see where you stand financially.  It’s the same system I used for 20 years with my best clients.  I highly recommend you print this out and use it.
• My Master Class on “Creating Wealth While Doing What You Love” audio and workbook.  This program includes my signature system; The Six Pillars of Awakened Prosperity that helped me retire at 48 financially independent and it will work for you too.

This is what I suggest you do now:

• Click here to pick up your gifts.
• Schedule time immediately to listen to the audio with the workbook printed out.
• Plus make a date to work on your finances using the Financial Organizer Planner.

These products will only be available for free for a short time, so please pick them up now and share them with your friends!  If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at katana@katanaabbott.com

To your prosperity,

Katana Abbott, CFP, CSA
Founder and Prosperity Coach
Smart Women’s Prosperity Institute