You’re A Slave and You Don’t Even Know It… Break Free.

I was once fined wrongly by my HOA.  After the dance of letters and threats back and forth they played the ultimate trump card:

“Failure to pay this fine immediately will harm your credit score.” 

Oh no, not that! What bugs me is, at this point many people concede. I mean, no one can afford to have a bad credit score, right? Car loans, student loans, credit cards themselves, all would be too expensive or impossible, and how bad would life be then? We’re even told to use credit cards to build our credit scores. Really???

Well how about this: What if you don’t borrow money?

I don’t. I have, because I believed the credit score lie. But once I realized that, I got out of debt and beyond my mortgage I am debt free. So, I wrote the HOA and said, (spoken like Dirty Harry) “Go ahead. Hurt my score… I don’t borrow money so have at it.”

At first I heard nothing. I like to pretend I could hear them grumbling, “But, but, but….” Then I got a letter saying they consider this matter resolved. Hah! That’s called victory. Freedom!

http://www.dictionary.com defines “slave” as:

2. a person who is entirely under the domination of some influence or person.

I believe in this respect most of us allow ourselves to be slaves and don’t even realize it. Here’s a little test. Do you ever change  or compromise your values or actions based on…

1. What other people think? Peer pressure?

2. Unhealthy relationships?

3. Career and success?

4. Need or desire for money?

5. Addictions – tobacco, alcohol, drugs, sex/porn, gambling, food? 

6. An ideology you know is failed but have too much stake in?

7. Your credit score?

8. Beliefs or echoes of something someone said or did years ago?

I have a friend who used to smoke because he considered it rebellious. When someone pointed out that he was now a slave to this deadly product and the companies who manufacture it, his rebellious spirit turned against smoking, he quit and never smoked again.

Now, some things which control us aren’t bad. The need to support one’s family is controlling, but a good thing. Honoring one’s marriage influences certain choices and actions, but that’s good. Dressing appropriately for certain event’s helps my career, and that’s good.

So, my Virtuoso Tip: Choose, intentionally and be very aware of anything you allow to influence or dominate you.

Here on the precipice of the new year why not take a moment and list everything, good and bad, which strongly influences or controls your actions? Then ask yourself, “Is this something I want to control me or not? Perhaps one or more of your 2016 goals could be to rid yourself of negative controlling influences, and confirm and grow good ones?