Money Musings 💠ENJOY your money 😎
Have you ever saved up for something or really splurged and ended up NOT enjoying a second of it?
Oh I have! 👋
I dream of beaches as I look out my dark and dreary window during the NJ winter. Then sometimes when I finally make it to the sunshine and white sand, my mind is on my to-do list, I’m grumpy and/or I’m stressed that I’m not enjoying this long awaited and expensive vacay. AHHH.
This happens to me with big things like vacation but also with smaller joys too. I look forward to trying a new restaurant all week then gobble up something delightful without even tasting it .
Why is it so much easier to dream of things than to ACTUALLY enjoy them?
Enjoying has become a practice for me. And while I’m still far from an expert, some of the strategies I’ve been trying have really helped (thank you therapy!).
If you’ve experienced this or are skilled at enjoying, I’d love to hear what’s worked for you. Hit reply and let me know!
Take the pressure off. The pressure to enjoy can suck the joy right out of something. Ironic, I know. Sometimes I’m not going to enjoy. I might have things on my mind or am in a bad mood, and that’s okay.
I try to be mindful. I’ll notice the breeze in my hair or the sun on my skin. Focus on a giggling kid or how my drink tastes. This brings me to the present moment and back in touch with my senses.
Buh bye phone. When I have my phone out I get distracted. I doom scroll rather than enjoy the company I’m with. Or I half listen to whatever I’m trying to immerse myself in.
Change it up. Novelty makes things more fun (I wrote about that here). This doesn’t have to be a huge change. It can mean adding some music, making something a game or slightly changing up the routine.
Celebrate. Turn something into a celebration to add magic. Can you cheers to a win you had at work, speak up for yourself or performing a kind deed? You can even celebrate the fact that you are taking part in whatever joyful thing you are doing.
Focus on what’s special. I’ve noticed that with a certain mindset, everything can feel magical. And on the other end, it’s easy to have nothing feel magical. Up the magic of the moment you are in. Think about how special it is - how unique.
MONEY MOVE OF THE WEEK
WORK OPTIONAL CHECK-IN #3 - MAKE A PLAN.
At this point you know where you stand and where you want to be. Woohoo! That’s some major work-optional progress.
Now we make a plan to either
Continue on your current path
Or (in most cases), start to bridge the gap to get you closer to your goal
If the additional amount you need to put towards retirement feels doable, great! Amp it up!
If you aren’t sure how you’ll get there, I’m a big fan of the sneaky increase. Set up reminders to increase your contributions by 1% every few paychecks.
It’s a sneaky way to save more without feeling it too much! Some companies give you the ability to make that increase automatic.
Saving up enough to have your investments pay your bills (for life) is a ginormous goal. If you aren’t where you want to be, you are in the majority. It’s helpful to break down the numbers but it can also be very discouraging when the numbers are so big.
Just because you are putting aside a fraction of what you want now, doesn’t mean that will always be the case. As with any financial goal, something is always always better than nothing and our financial goals aren't linear.
YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
EQUAL PAY DAY FOR BLACK WOMEN.
Today is Black Women’s Equal Pay Day - the day a Black woman must work into the new year to make what white man made at the end of the previous year.
This year, it’s September 21st. That means that Black women had to work 20+ months to earn what a white man earns in 12 months.
In dollars that's $0.58 for every $1.00 a white man earns (42% less).
Last year Equal Pay Day for Black women fell on August 3rd, so the gap grew wider by over 1.5 months in the last year.
The pay gap for Black women is compounded by both discrimination based on race and sex, and has also perpetuated the racial wealth gap Black families face. This gap not only affects Black women themselves but also their families. 80% of Black mothers are the sole or primary breadwinners of their families.
What can we do about it? Closing the tremendous pay and wealth gaps BIPOC and women face will take systemic changes. Changes that come from policy, leadership and our institutions like raising the minimum wage, mandated paid parental leave, and affordable high quality childcare. These changes start with our vote! ✊
Want to learn and do more? Here are more resources: