This applies to much more than money, and I haven't yet figured out how to give this as advice to others. I also don't really feel that I have earned the right to give it, so anyone reading, take it with a grain of salt or more. What has helped and humbled me the most is being intentional around 3 things more than anything else. Life boils down to being intentional with what we really and truly can control, which is very finite, and I believe starts with these three things:
1. What comes out of our mouth (what we say matters, we should say less, do more, and above all be intentional with what we say. This is a daily struggle for me to do better, and maybe I'm failing at posting this, but I think it's important because it has helped me.)
2. What you put into your mouth (what we eat and drink and the choices we make regarding how we treat our bodies starts with hydration and nutrition. Yes, I fail at this every day too, and am working on it the same as everyone else. We can all be more intentional here.)
3. What we take out of our wallet/pocket/bank, i.e., what we spend. To some degree, what we earn/have is abstract or out of our immediate control. Debate is open here, of course, and this is more about the fact that what we spend is absolutely a choice. Wealth is not about what you earn, but about what you keep. Building action items around that is abstract and certainly simple, while being incredibly difficult. We seldom like the choices we have, and that doesn't make them any less of a choice. This is easier for me to say, and I want to recognize that I have failed at this at times in my life, and I am growing in this area as well. I have certainly had privileges, help/assistance from others, been through tough times, made lots of mistakes, and I am still out here doing my best to make the best choices I can on a daily basis. I can't in good conscience lead by example; I can share my practice.
I like your advice, Travis. Being able to look at your money objectively and without judgement is the only way to start.
This applies to much more than money, and I haven't yet figured out how to give this as advice to others. I also don't really feel that I have earned the right to give it, so anyone reading, take it with a grain of salt or more. What has helped and humbled me the most is being intentional around 3 things more than anything else. Life boils down to being intentional with what we really and truly can control, which is very finite, and I believe starts with these three things:
1. What comes out of our mouth (what we say matters, we should say less, do more, and above all be intentional with what we say. This is a daily struggle for me to do better, and maybe I'm failing at posting this, but I think it's important because it has helped me.)
2. What you put into your mouth (what we eat and drink and the choices we make regarding how we treat our bodies starts with hydration and nutrition. Yes, I fail at this every day too, and am working on it the same as everyone else. We can all be more intentional here.)
3. What we take out of our wallet/pocket/bank, i.e., what we spend. To some degree, what we earn/have is abstract or out of our immediate control. Debate is open here, of course, and this is more about the fact that what we spend is absolutely a choice. Wealth is not about what you earn, but about what you keep. Building action items around that is abstract and certainly simple, while being incredibly difficult. We seldom like the choices we have, and that doesn't make them any less of a choice. This is easier for me to say, and I want to recognize that I have failed at this at times in my life, and I am growing in this area as well. I have certainly had privileges, help/assistance from others, been through tough times, made lots of mistakes, and I am still out here doing my best to make the best choices I can on a daily basis. I can't in good conscience lead by example; I can share my practice.