What if wealth was part of well-being?
Imagine your life is like a big jigsaw puzzle, with the pieces having labels such as: health, happiness, love, family, relationships, spirituality, friendship, peace of mind, financial freedom, harmony, fun, adventure, laughter – the list could go on and on.
Whilst most of us strive to have all the pieces together, if we are honest, perhaps some of the pieces may be missing or are a bit ratty around the edges? We live in a very fast-paced and busy would and we often go through the motions of day-to-day life and somehow, another week, month, year goes by and we questions ourselves, “What did we achieve?”
As the theme for this month’s article is women’s well-being, I would like to share thoughts about a topic that is dear to my heart. In my long financial planning career, I have seen many women (and men too) who struggle to get a grip on their financial well-being. They may have every aspect of their lives on track, but go off the rails when it comes to money. It tends to slip through their fingers or they delegate the running of the household to their partner.
The sad thing is, when the partner is no longer there, through divorce or death, they not only have the emotional pain, loss and sadness to deal with, they also have no idea what to do about the financial aspects of life.
Recently I saw a new client who had been procrastinating for three years before taking the big step (in her mind) of taking ownership of her financial situation and asking for help and direction. At the end of our first meeting, I could visibly see the load lifting from her shoulders. Her body language changes from defeat and being overwhelmed, to sitting up straighter and leaning in to listen more closely. She actually made me laugh, as half an hour into the meeting she commented, “I don’t actually feel sick and I thought I would.” I guess for many, seeing a financial planner may have the same fear as a visit to the dentist.
We are now working with her, piece by piece, to help her overcome her fears and underlying belief that she doesn’t deserve wealth. We are putting that limiting belief where it belongs – IN THE PAST – and moving forward in the direction of her dreams.
Another client just this week almost bounced out of the office after her second meeting. She was determined to make a change in her life and received a gold star for doing the homework I had set. Armed with further insight about her situation, I was able to give her the good news that she can retire in seven years, if we follow a structured plan, making sure that she has fun and enjoys the journey.
Written by Kath Orman. Originally published in Holistic Bliss Magazine, Issue September 2019.
