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This I believe

  End of January 2007, I kissed my life in upstate New York goodbye. My kids all grown up in South Florida and Seattle, my body aching, my future in a dark storm cloud looming directly over me, I realized nothing made sense any longer. I signed over the apartment lease, gave the cat and plants new homes, divided my stuff between Salvation Army and storage, and drove out of state for a year of reflection and regrouping.   That really was the plan: a twelve-months’ sabbatical with exposure to new places and people, to recharge the battery, come back to Upstate and put all that newness in place for the next stage in my life: the golden years! As I crossed the border into Pennsylvania and waved New York goodbye, I knew I would never live there again. In one flash, my neatly planned sabbatical became a pilgrimage. Destiny: unknown, Goals: keep breathing Obligations: one and one only: connect with my core and find out what it wants, without the comfort of income, ruts to...
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Does your money respect you?

  Do you have a mutually respectful relationship with your money? You probably give money much more importance than it gives you. Maybe your money is constantly demanding your attention, like a jealous lover, stressing, pushing, seductive, and illusive.   But what about you? Do you receive the same care and concern from your money? What does money give you in return?   Peace of mind? Stability? Harmony? When is it your turn to decide and guide the relationship? If you were king or queen of your money, what would your domain look like?   This is my money whisper for today : Take charge of your money affairs and let your money court you for a change.     August 2010  
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He who turns his back to the crowd is often at the head of it. Old Chinese saying

       Old Chinese saying     What is the point of all the Holiday shopping and sharing? Why do we bother? What do we want to accomplish with all those gifts and stocking stuffers? When did the Holidays spirit turn into a dangerous spending spree? Can you initiate the discussion with your family and friends about meaningful spending and truly celebrating the people in your life, without the money hangover in January? Can you be the voice of reason? Are they maybe waiting for you to make the first move? The discussion should not be about being cheap or breaking with traditions. On the contrary: you are generous and thoughtful, you love traditions and you want to celebrate the people around you. The conversation may be about the meaning of friendship and how to express that without spending crazy money, about how you want to share the spirit of giving with the important people in your life. Invite them to ask something from you that is ...
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Getting to know you

 Isn’t it funny how couples spend lots of time finding out about each other’s preferences in food, clothing, and hobbies but not about how they can afford them? Many couples decide to move in together or to get married avoiding the most important conversation of all: money!! Setting up a household account is not enough. You want to share your money history, your money personality, your financial goals and expectations. Define, describe your role, your participation in the marital money dynamics.   What is the perfect time for couples to have the money conversation?            After the 5 th date?                                    Before the wedding planner?                ...
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EQ versus IQ

  Emotions versus Intelligence   How do your emotions measure up when you manage your money?   There is scientific proof that, when people make financial decisions they favor emotions over mathematical precision, by 75% and in some extreme cases by 95%. In other words, financial success depends more on your ability to understand and control your emotions than the ability to add and subtract numbers.   So when you build a spending plan (or a budget as we used to call it) and you fail, it may not be the math, but some emotions steering you in another direction.   My money whisper for today is: Recognize your emotions when you work with your money numbers.   August 2010
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Be generous and control your wallet

 Many people feel exhausted, physically and financially spent and overdrawn after the Holidays. The stress is relentless; the schedules have been on overload for weeks.   Why do we do that? Who tells us to celebrate by spending money like mad? What is in it for us?   Wouldn’t you rather live the Holidays in good spirit, relaxed and inspired and start the New Year rested, without the money hangover? Think over and beyond your wallet. Think about you and January when you shop this “Black Friday”. This time of the year is about celebrating friends and family, showing appreciation for colleagues and neighbors and sharing the Holiday spirit with the people around you.   Make this a priceless Season!  Share yourself, your friendship, your time, and attention. Be creative. Think outside your wallet and invite the people who have you on their list to do the same.   I prefer to picture my loved ones enjoying the season without having to run around like c...
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