IS IT POSSIBLE TO MANAGE YOUR FINANCES AND HAVE FUN AT THE SAME TIME?
What are finances and am I the only who finds finances sometimes stressful?
Finances are well known for being a source of stress for many people, me included, and so it is my objective this month to focus on my finances and investigate if I can find a way of bringing fun to the necessary part of life that involves me looking after my finances.
If I’m able to have fun when looking at my finances will that make it feel less arduous at the time, and therefore less stressful in the future as I continue with this task?
My starting point for this month is to review what ‘finances’ means to me and why I have created an automatic anxiety reaction to the thought of ‘doing’ them.
Point 1: Finances mean money. And money, or more to the point, lack of money scares me. “Money doesn’t buy happiness.” I agree with this statement, money does not but happiness, but it does provide you with many of life essentials such as a roof over your head and food on the table. So whilst money may not buy happiness, I believe it buys peace of mind. And it is for this reason that money scares me, because I fear losing control of it and having none left.
Point 2: Finances mean money management. Money management means responsibility. Keeping track of what comes in and goes out. Being realistic (which can feel boring and restrictive) about what you have, need and can afford. Therefore one must put boundaries and controls on oneself and keep yourself in check! Boring adult responsibility!
Point 3: Finances and money management means doing maths. I have a love hate relationship with Maths. I love the idea of it, and I love it when I get it, but when I can’t get sums / equations to work out I lose hope very quickly, and then my confidence in my mathematical abilities dissipates and I start to hate it, and feel that it is this unachievable language that I’ll never truly understand. This causes a big block and injunction that stops me starting even with the most simplistic income / outgoings / profit / loss record keeping.
Point 4: Income only goes part of the way to easing the anxiety. I have worked hard and had times where (through employment) I have experienced a healthy balance between income and outgoings, including disposable outgoings. Yet I know with hindsight, that whilst these times have eased the anxiety of being responsible for my finances and money management, they have purely served to mask the underlying issue. I don’t like starring down the barrel of my financial gun.
Point 5: Managing my money effectively and managing my money helps me feel in control, on top of things, responsible in a good way and a lot less stressed and anxious. So why when I know this do I dread it, put it off and get stressed about it.
Point 6: Being self employed means there is no where to hide with regards finances (avoiding the tax man is not an option!). The buck quite literally stops with me. If I don’t make it, no one else will and it’s not coming in from anywhere else. Panic!!!!
So me and finances have an upwards battle, which is exactly why I wanted to include it in MY Velvet Evolution this year. To see if my putting into place all the things about FUN and mindset I have already learned and practised this year can help me tackle this particular topic. I have referred back to my Truths of Life and Commandments for inspiration and shall employ the skills of a growth mindset, delegation, asking for help and of course a childlike sense of fun.
So whilst I’m focussing on finances this month, I’d dearly love to hear from you about what finances mean to you, how healthy is your relationship with money and how do you deal with money management?
Wishing you a happy, confident and prosperous month!
Lydia x