Month: June 2020

Categories
Financial Freedom

Three Ways to Find Joy and Thrive in a Pandemic World

Yes, we have all heard it before – it’s tough, the economic reality will keep getting tougher and most of us are accepting that working from home could be the new normal into the future.

With so much change in such a short space of time, it’s easy to become lost in anxiety and find it harder to enjoy life as we once did. This is why it’s important to adopt new habits and techniques to get back the joy in your life and decrease anxiety – whether it’s about money, your future, health, or relationships.

While different things work for different people, here are three things I have found to be effective at bringing back the joy in everyday life and help make the new normal feel good.

1. Order your groceries online, every week in advance.

I do this now and it’s a revelation. Not only does it stop any worries about contracting the virus but it also saves valuable dollars. I am finding I am spending between $50 to $100 less every week on food shopping because I am ordering intentionally and not picking up random things I see at the supermarket. It’s a double win and brings me joy!

2. If you are at home a lot, identify the little things that bring you a lot of joy, and keep them stocked.

For example, I love a good bath, but it’s also where I get my best work ideas. I order bath bombs from Lush every month, and buy a new candle a month to really create an environment of luxury and relaxation. While it’s not a huge spend, it is a luxury, and I would much rather have these little treats than spend money randomly on coffees and things that don’t create moments for me to stop and relax. Figure out the little things you are into and invest in them. Create moments on a regular basis for you at home.

3. Spend 10 minutes every day scrolling through your contact list on your phone, and send texts to people you know and care about.

It won’t take long, but sending out these positive intentions feels great, and it’s also good to see the responses. It creates a lot of joy for people to know they are being thought of, and it feels good to spread joy, and receive it. Share the love!

While not all of these are about money, they are about investing in yourself, relieving anxiety, and sending out love to people you know. All three are great ways to help you create new habits and find joy in our changing world.

Until next time,

Vanessa

Categories
Uncategorized

3 Ways to Change Your Life After COVID-19

There is no denying that the pandemic, and the economic fallout from it, has impacted pretty much all of us in one way or another. It has been a shock on a grand scale, and I don’t think we have been close to feeling the full impact yet, as government support is still propping up a large number of us from our economic reality.

While it is easy to focus on all the negatives that this situation has caused (and there have been many) I do think many of us have seen the silver lining in the slowing down of our world. Less traffic, less commuting, more time with our families.

But there is also an opportunity to use 2020 and all that has happened as an impetus for something bigger – to really reinvent yourself and change your life for good. In my talks I give, I talk about unlearning money habits, and reinventing your life. Now is the perfect time to look at how you have spent money in the past, how that has changed during COVID, and what you want your life to be like moving forward.

One thing many people are doing is assessing where they live. Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide have experienced net population losses to regional Australia, and this is a trend that I believe will only grow, as people assess their cost of living, vs their life style and time they get with their family.

While the opportunity to earn higher salaries may not be as great in rural areas, there is also a much lower cost to living – things like housing and education are a fraction of what they cost in the city.

This type of life change can literally change your whole life outlook. We have for so long valued being busy, rushing from one thing to the next, filling our lives with so much that there is no time to think about bigger things – like what you really want from life and the relationships you want to have.

While it is not easy to change everything about your life, it is also hard to stay in the same holding pattern, especially when there is so much uncertainty around the future and Australia’s economic prosperity. Sometimes it is better to take the bull by the horns and make a change while you still have choices. Here are three questions to ask yourself to see if you could benefit from a total life change.

1. How much of your money goes on simply living? Rent/mortgage and school fees, et cetera?
2. Would you like to slow down the pace of your life, and not go back to being as busy?
3. What things are changeable in your life, and what needs to stay the same?

If your answers indicate that a change of place, cost and lifestyle might be in order, it is time to think seriously about joining the 1.2 million Australians who have moved out of cities to regional Australia in the past five years. It could be your chance to change your life for the better as a direct result of the pandemic.

Food for thought.

Until next time,

Vanessa