A message I sent out to my subscribers today, which I would like to also share with my other readers and followers. A bit of #FinLitFriday on the blog.
Hand on heart: 💌
No sales, special offers, this one is purely a gift from me to you.
Unless gifts give you the guilts, then consider it a non-spammy distraction from today’s retail mania. If you even spot this message in your clogged up inbox it will be a holiday season miracle.
Between the companies and personalities I haven’t heard from in ages and the newsletters I look forward to, it seems as though everyone has something to sell this week.
No thanks, next please, thank you.
How did one day of pre-Christmas retail marketing morph into week-long (and in some cases month-long) discount, buy one, get one, limited time offer madness!?
I was mentally flip flopping all week:
- Do I choose the ‘can’t beat ’em, may as well join ’em’ route and get in on the revolving door of time and price sensitive offers?
- Do I keep quiet, give you some peace in amongst the shouty and flashy messages and save it for next week?
But here’s the thing, tomorrow is my birthday for real. I’ll be 33 years young. A third of the way into my thirties. A quarter of the way through my life (I plan to live large and for a long time – hoping the Universe is tuning in).
In the event I don’t, I am packing in as much adventure, joy, creativity, growth and family as I can in the present tense, in no particular order.
You see, since I stopped giving a hoot about too many things (around the tender age of 24) and started living as I meant to go on, some crazy ish began to happen.
I moved across the world to Australia (for what I thought would be one year, became almost four) without knowing anyone in that part of the world. Well, except for some random Irish stranger I had met in a pub in Ottawa, Canada a couple of months before my departure.
Spoiler alert: this is the inspiration behind my upcoming book, ‘Marry An Accountant‘. Not a pitch just a bit of background for you.
As I was saying, he followed me there and ‘psych’ no he didn’t sweep me off my feet. I popped the question to HIM on leap day in 2012, he said, “oh, yes baby!” or something along those lines and then we were off to the races. Literally, we used to go to horse races for fun. Anywhoooo.
After that I convinced him to move to Ireland and England so I could become more cultured, study other Europeans in their natural habitat and pretend to be one of them.
In between all of this travelling, gallivanting around the world and sipping espressos on cute wicker patio sets, I had negotiated a remote work arrangement with my Australian employer so I could work from wherever.
Expat life? Tick.
Foreign husband with a great accent? Tick.
Freelance work and a steady income? Tick. Tick.
Are you thinking:
Ok great Amy, loving your life highlights, now where’s my gift I need to get back to my Black Friday online shopping…
Stick with me. What I’m trying to paint a picture of here is, I’m good at getting what I want. It’s not because people feel bad for me, I blackmail them or pray to the good luck gods every day.
It’s because I think about what I want, make a vaguely organized plan of action, don’t fully calculate the risks involved, seek out opportunities and make that shit happen. In between loads of self-doubt, second guessing, false starts and unpredictable obstacles…I keep on investing in myself!
But the difference between my 20-something and 30-something selves (besides an increased level of confidence and commitment due to our two young children)? WISDOM.
Life in Australia in 2012 versus life in Canada in 2018:
The only beaches we’ve been hitting lately are covered in building blocks and toy cars.
That’s right. I am older but I am also wiser.
I don’t know everything and I won’t pretend to. But I’m wiser to the ways of the world and myself, compared to a decade ago. As an endlessly curious and risk-taking individual by nature, this added level of knowledge and experience has helped me to improve my confidence, become less afraid of failure and realize I can figure things out if they go awry!
So what do I mean by investing in yourself?
MONEY and TIME. One is finite, the other is not.
You better believe I got a few deals this week on things we had already planned to buy: Christmas gifts and family travel to Europe, mainly. But the only reason I went to the shops today was because I was attending a Creative Mornings breakfast and it was -25 with the windchill outside! So we parked underground, I bought a few Santa gifts and called it a day.
But I am also using those dollars saved to invest for future me. I’m currently on maternity leave and am saving a portion of my income each month. It could be in the stock market or through topping up our mortgage. As long as it outpaces inflation and it’s in line with my values and our family goals, I will consider it. Therefore, it won’t be sitting in my savings account or under my mattress – that money is growing nowhere fast!
In terms of time, I’ve also been busy ‘creating’ from my home office and attending professional development events with my baby, while our toddler is in daycare. As the primary caregiver in our family (for now), the best investment I can make in myself right now (besides looking after my health as number one) is to use my time wisely. It makes me happy and again, it aligns with my values and our future goals.
So now it’s your turn: Are you thinking about your money and your time and how you currently use (or misuse) them both?
If you’re saving because of all of the deals this week, what do you plan to do with the ‘excess’? The imaginary cash you didn’t have to spend because you got a bargain? If you are going to ‘treat yourself’ will you also put a bit aside for future you? Why or why not?
Not to get all negative (I prefer realistic) on you during the festive season but in case you don’t have a close friend or family member who will keep it real for you, this is the permission you may need (wrapped up as a written gift from me to you): INVEST IN YOURSELF!
Put it towards your pension, your tax-free savings account, a business you’re starting, an educational course, anything that will either buy you time in future and/or increase your net worth. Not clothes for your kids, a treat for your pet or an item for your loved ones. This is all about YOU.
Because you and I both know the retail marketers aren’t factoring in how much the money you spend this week will impact your future (holiday home, school fees, family vacay, small biz dreams, right????)
Go show them who’s boss and put a little bit away for yourself!
Today, not tomorrow – tick, tock.
Sending you lots of holiday love and a little bit of investment magic,
Amy x
P.S. Feel free to forward this post to others you know are trying to live their best life, you can sign up to my newsletter here or by clicking the image below.
P.P.S. You know I’m not an accountant or financial advisor, so always check with a professional before you decide where (and when) to invest your money!
Notes From Another Land 