The Non-Financial Financial Post Plus Me Shirtless as Click-Bait
During this time of year most of us are still working hard to keep our resolutions. And for many of us, having a more balanced life was at the top of the list. Heck, we even mention on our homepage that when people strive for balance, they live their best lives. But who are we kidding, there is no such thing as having a perfectly balanced life. There’s just too much shit in our daily lives to have complete balance. And here’s my story about it.
I’ve always tried to prioritize my physical health. Eat healthy, hit the gym, repeat. The results showed. This is me about two years ago:
Well last year, we decided to finally start our home remodeling project. It was a big undertaking that involved us moving out, knocking down walls, adding new flooring, updating our kitchen and bathrooms, and the like. And since I wanted to be involved in the seemingly millions of decisions that had to be made in a project like this, it was very stressful and a huge time suck. It was a full-time job on top of my full-time job and parenting 8- and 6-year-olds.
At first, I was still committed to prioritizing my health. But things got out of balance quickly. I just didn’t have the time or energy to keep up my routine. I wasn’t cooking and skipped the gym most days. The result:
Goodbye pecs, hello man boobs.
What I’ve realized is that sometimes we can’t have balanced lives. Shit always finds a way to mess with that equilibrium. So, it really isn’t about achieving a “balanced life,” rather “balancing life as best we can.” Certain things will have to be prioritized for a season. The things we want to do or should do will not get done. And we have to be ok with that. We must give ourselves the compassion that we would give our friends if they were going through something similar. Then we continue the balancing act until things sort themselves out. This year, I restarted my journey to a healthier lifestyle. Hopefully later in the year I won’t hesitate to be shirtless again.
What does any of this have to do with financial planning, you ask? In some respects, nothing. No numbers. No formulas. No market-beating strategies. Just a guy with man boobs. But in another light, everything. Because this is what real financial planning is all about. Financial planning should not be about making money for the sake of making money. It’s about using our money to do the things that make us happy. Because, for better or worse, money is simply a tool (one of many) that we can use to bring more balance to our lives. For me right now, that means selling stressful home projects and buying healthy activities. It involves buying a new pair of running shoes, a basketball and putting the new kitchen to good use.
Rebalancing our lives is like rebalancing our investment portfolios: it’s not a one-time thing. We must continuously see what is getting neglected and resolve to adjust it.
Ready to start putting some balance into your financial life planning. Click below to schedule a free intro call today.
