Treat yourself well. You're the only you you've got.

Everyday I see people struggling to get by.

Of course I do. I work in the restaurant industry and it's a breeding ground for two sorts of people.

1 - Young people that are joining the workforce instead of going to college for whatever reason.

2 - Older people that have failed in whatever occupation they previously attempted and find now that they are left with little recourse but to serve food for a living.

As a trainer, when I encounter the first type I always encourage them to continue getting their education and not to give up on their dreams.

The second type however, is probably more prevalent and more difficult to understand.

They are just getting by.

Source: Pixabay.com

Try telling someone who is just getting by to try eating a steak for dinner instead of a hot dog and see the kind of looks that you will get. They don't want to eat hot dogs..... they just have to because they can't afford steaks.

These same people can afford to go out to the bar though after work.

They can afford to spend money on clothes but not to feed themselves correctly.

They might sit in a horribly uncomfortable chair at their house because they feel that they can't afford to buy a better one.

They're not budgeting their money correctly. They're not placing their own comfort at the top of the list.

I think pretty much everybody in the world knows that money doesn't grow on trees.

It's difficult to come by wherever you are.

In the restaurant industry this is especially true. We bust our butts everyday making sure that food gets out quickly, and you better believe if it's not out quickly we will hear about it right away from an angry guest.

We also work on a ranking system, so you better not slack off.

We work long hours. Our feet hurt. Our backs hurt. Our entire bodies are constantly in pain.

So why not buy yourself that comfortable pair of shoes when you know you're going to be on your feet all day? I ask this of so many servers who are wearing $20 Walmart shoes. They can't afford to buy expensive shoes even though they can afford to buy liquor and take girls out to dinner.

Why do you sit in a lawn chair you bought from the dollar store every night for hours at a time when you could save up $200 and buy a chair that's not going make you feel terrible?

They can't afford it.

It's about budgeting.

The things you want and the things you need are sometimes different but we often times get confused about which is which.

You probably don't need to take that pretty girl out to dinner and spend a hundred bucks. You might need a new pair of shoes though.

Priorities, my friend.

Treat yourself well.

You're the only you you've got.