Being Intentional

Congratulations! By reading my blog, and seeking advice from a financial coach at all, I feel as if you are already taking the first step to money success: you have decided to be intentional! You may not yet know what that intention will have you start with, but you are thinking about it. It could start with wondering if you have another blue top buried somewhere, rather than rushing right over to the store or your favorite online boutique to replace the one that got a stain on it today. You are intentionally considering if you need to spend that money to get the outcome you desire: a blue top without a stain to wear. Celebrate this first step! 

Being intentional about money doesn’t need to be super complicated. I actually like to keep things as simple as I can and keep the more complicated tasks for only once a month, a few times per year. Sometimes clients get concerned when I tell them that I will be showing them how to use a shared spreadsheet for their spending plans. They don’t want to spend all of their time nerding out on their money... Usually, my clients are already overwhelmed with their to-do list and they don’t want to add another task to it! 

Don’t worry, I’ve got you! 

The spreadsheet may take a little while to get used to, but once you get it dialed in, you will be so surprised what a little intentional time spent on your money will do! It will REDUCE the amount of time you spend WORRYING about your money. You will already know what’s coming up, and what to do the handle it - we will have talked about it together!

So, cheers to you! Taking that first step, learning more about money. Being curious. Being intentional. What will your next step be? Perhaps you keep reading and listening, perhaps you want to hit the 2x button and get to your destination faster? If you want help speeding up the learning curve, schedule a Q&A call with me!

A Shift in Perspective Can Help Your Money

I’ve always been a little disappointed with the view from my home. I can see a beautiful sunrise, but it’s mired with multiple utility poles and more lines than I care to count. As a person with the desire to seek beauty, I still appreciate it, but I rarely would share a photo with others because of these flaws. This year, my husband and I blazed a trail from our yard down the very steep bank to the river’s edge. Suddenly I have this gorgeous view, unmarked by phone and electrical lines - the same property, the same sunrise, just slightly down the hill… a change of perspective.

“Sometimes we get so caught up in the situation we are in that it’s hard to see the way through.”

Sunrise… meh

Try as I may to hide those lines, there they are along the left, cutting off the best of the view.

Sunrise: Ethereal

Sometimes we get so caught up in the situation we are in that it’s hard to see the way through. As a coach, I often see my role as helping a person become an observer of their situation financially and that is rarely black and white. Your bad day at work led to some “retail therapy”, shift from shopping to feel better, to taking a walk in nature or meditating. Your overscheduled weekend made it harder to plan meals for the week leading to a night of takeout and another night eating at a restaurant that wasn’t on your spending radar. Shift from paying for conveniences to taking 1 hour to plan for those days when convenience is needed.

We often don’t consider how our mood or time management effect our finances, but they do. I like to help my clients step back and see the root of why their situation is how it is. Sometimes it is a simple fix, sometimes it needs more digging, and slower action. My journey has definitely been the “more digging and slower action” plan. Helping my clients discover their values around spending helps them feel better about their money and increases their likelihood of success! 

Schedule a free Q&A call with me and we’ll see what a shift in perspective could do for you!