Invest in you by paying attention to your finances

People say money won’t bring you happiness.

Money does give you the freedom to do things you love.

It’s important to pay attention to and manage your finances.

Small actions can add up over time

You need to pay attention to your money and your habits and behaviors associated with it.

Basic actions you can take:

• Spend less than you earn
• Track your income and expenses
• Pay bills on time
• Set a budget & follow it
• Pay attention to interest rates if you have loans, credit cards etc..
• Keep minimum cash on hand
• Buy with cash over credit when you can
• Pay yourself first
• Strive for saving 10% from every paycheck and increase it when you get a raise
•  Set up an emergency fund

Check in with your money mindset.

Track your money habits  

• Where are you spending your money?
• What are you buying?
• Why are you buying it?

When you are about to spend money…

Check in with yourself and ask:

• How are you feeling?
• What are you thinking or saying to yourself?
• Is it a nice to have? Is it needed for your basic survival?
• Why are you buying it? Are you filling a need?
• Is it a good choice/decision for you?
• Is it in alignment with your goals?

Final thoughts

Don’t bother keeping up with the Joneses…it only feeds your ego and results in more bills.

Be true to yourself…just because you want it doesn’t mean you need it.

Excessive spending often leads to clutter.

What’s one thing you can do to better manage or pay attention to your money?

 

 

Personal Relationships

As human beings that crave connection, our personal relationships are one of our most cherished things in our lives.

The relationship with our spouse or partner impacts our daily living.

We rely on the trust that has been built over time. There is usually a give and take in our relationship and it’s a place where we often feel loved and supported.

We have personal relationships with our family members and close friends.

These relationships have been built over time with effort and add value to who we are.

Building the relationship

Take for instance the relationship with your children.

For many, there isn’t an instant bond felt immediately at birth.

We develop relationships over time. 

It starts first with getting used to the idea of being pregnant and experiencing the pregnancy and all that come with that.

We get used to the idea and concept of giving birth.

We learn what it may entail.

The birthing process and physical birth occurs as your child arrives.

There’s the moment when you first lay eyes on your child then holding her or him for the first time.

Is it instantaneous, love at first sight?

For some people it may be?  For others the bond and relationship develop as you get to know her.

• Counting her fingers and toes.
• Hearing the noises, she makes
• Holding and talking to her
• Feeding and changing her
• Discovering all the little things about her
• Discovering all the little things about yourself as you take on this new role of mother

Our most valuable and priceless relationships take years and years to build

We need to work on building and maintaining them otherwise they will slowly fade or die off. We see the benefits and value of our relationships measured over their lifetime.

Nurture Relationships

It’s important to nurture your relationships.

Ways to nurture your relationships

• Reach out to someone you haven’t spoken to or seen in awhile
• Set up a date to get together
• Have frequent conversations
• Send a card to let them know you’re thinking of them
• Share what’s happening in your life
• Ask for support
• Share your goals and dreams
• Provide emotional support or validation
• Have compassion
• Forgive
• Work thru disagreements
• Share experiences together
• Admit your mistakes
• Have fun with each other

What relationships in your life do you need to follow up on and nurture?