Dear friend,

Why is it that some people cope with crises better than others? Are they less emotional perhaps? Or could they have developed a skill the rest of us haven't?

Perhaps.

But Insider Secrets discovered this week, the most likely reason is actually forward planning. Those people who plan for the bad times, in the good times, are much better equipped to deal  with the lemons life throws our way from time to time.

The obvious things to consider are insurance policies, a will, power of attorney agreements, an anti-nuptial and the likes.

Then yesterday, Insider Secrets also recommended you buy a house valued at 75% of your pre-approved home-loan. That way you can plan ahead for interest rate hikes.

Here are a few less obvious suggestions to help you plan ahead...

Dealing with people...

If your boss has a temper for example, agree on an appropriate action when he is calm and is in a good mood. Tell him his behaviour is inappropriate and the next time he bursts into a rage, you'll say the word "CALM" for instance. That way, he knows he needs to simmer down.

If your husband spends his time on the golf course and in front of the TV watching sport... Plan some family quality-time activities months ahead and book them in his diary.

If your children sometimes throw a fit in the shops because they want a toy. Tell them before you leave home, that if they ask for something and you say "no", and they start crying and shouting, you will walk out the shop that very moment and they won't have any treats for that week. Then stick to it if it happens.

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Dealing with money...

Ensure you have a budget that you work against every single month. Plan it before you get paid. Deduct from your income, all your necessary expenses and bills like your home-loan, your utilities bill, your car payments, school fees and the likes. Then deduct a pre-determined amount (say 10% of your salary) for savings. Then deduct the amount you need for a long-term objective, say a holiday. Then only break the rest down into day-to-day expenses.

Dealing with responsibility...

When you're faced with a difficult decision, do the right thing. Create an image of the ideal you - by writing your own eulogy. That's right. Think about what you want people to remember you for. How would you want them to describe you? Go big, make the image as extreme as possible. That's who you want to strive to be everyday. When you're contemplating a white lie or small trespass of your ideal image. Think about how it could tarnish your image when you're not there anymore to defend your actions.

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To your Success,

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