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Developing
a lifestyle that works for you
By
Ute Lawrence
There
is much to be said for ordering our physical environments and
creating supportive, inspiring spaces. Being surrounded by “stuff”
we no longer need can weigh heavily on our ability to focus.
As
I discussed in my previous column, it’s important to clear
our homes and offices so we can build a rock-solid foundation,
or root system, to help facilitate growth. It gives us a new
perspective and the freedom to welcome new things into our
lives.
Part
of this process involves taking a deep look at our financial
environment. Too many people are burdened by financial
commitments and lifestyles they hang on to for the wrong
reasons. If you lose sleep over financial worries, a time-out
is required to get them in a state of repair, or at least
develop a plan to do so.
Worries
about money take up an inordinate amount of time and emotional
energy. You cannot have a clear mind and good health with
extreme stress about monetary concerns. Once you have a plan,
follow through. The purpose of having a plan is to learn to
manage your money instead of letting money manage you.
The
first step is to pay attention. How healthy is your financial
environment? Don't know? Hmmm . . . maybe it’s time for a
close look.
There
is power in knowing the details. This means knowing exactly
how much money you earn and how much you spend. You might find
out your life is consumed by your lifestyle or that things are
better than you thought.
The
late Thomas Leonard, who is considered to be the father of
coaching, posed the question in his book, The Portable Coach,
“How much energy does your lifestyle consume? Is your
lifestyle too big? What amount of time and money do you need
to sustain it?”
If “living large”
has become a driving force, it is standing between you and the
life you want. Simplify. There is nothing wrong with having a
lifestyle, as long as you make sure it does not have you.
Choosing lifestyle over life is about having more rather than
becoming more -- and being glorified for the role you’re
playing, not for who you are.
To
get a life means there is room to enjoy. You can have a really
big life and a big lifestyle, but only if the lifestyle is not
costing you excessively in time, emotion, space, risk,
pressure, adrenaline. And that’s how more becomes less.
It’s
really amazing how more and more people I talk to are no
longer willing to uphold a lifestyle that is driven mainly by
material possessions, objects that are used to validate their
success. They realize that most of their pleasures in life
come from the simple things, such as watching a sunset and
being with family and friends – real friends, the ones who
hang out with you because of who you really are.
To
create a financial environment that will support, not drain
your energy, several things need to happen. Write down, to the
penny, how much you earn, how much you spend every month and
what you are spending it on. Just knowing is very liberating.
Then take an honest look at your scenario, since this will
determine if you are living within your means.
Ask
yourself, “Do I need to cut expenses?” Start with the
big-ticket items. If you have debts, make a plan immediately
to reduce them. Hire a financial coach to help you, if
necessary. Use credit cards only as a substitute for carrying
cash, not as a substitute for having the cash in the first
place.
Most
important of all, the result of knowing your true financial
status will allow you to take the appropriate actions to build
up the financial side of your life, either by increasing your
income or decreasing your expenses, or both. You can then
start building a reserve. Once you have built up your reserve
– always having six months of living expenses in your bank
account, enough to take a trip on the spur of the moment, or
pay for emergencies – you’ll
find a huge cloud lifting off your shoulders.
On
I lighter note, I recently read a quote by Will Rogers who
claims:
“The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half
and put it back in your pocket.”
Ute Lawrence is the CEO/President of
Performance Enhancement Centre and founder of the Power of One
Discovery series. Ute is an inspirational keynote speaker and
workshop leader. For questions and suggestions or to sign up
for our free newsletter, please visit www.powerofonediscovery.com
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