Sweet inspiration for Spring!
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Kim Potgieter
Eventually, you need to follow your own advice
You will know how much I find my purpose in our life planning meetings – I love seeing how clients can transform their lives through simple shifts in perspective and action.But, change is difficult, and I often think I sit on the easier side of the table in life planning meetings – I get to give the advice.
It would not be honourable, however, to expect clients to follow the Retire Successfully philosophy and I did not. In fact, all staff at Chartered are encouraged to live to the philosophy as much as clients are.
Of late, I have needed to apply advice I give clients in my own life. Here are my three examples:
Moving on
As a family, we have been planning for some time to move closer to work and my two children’s schools. Leaving home just after six every morning to escape the worst of the traffic is disrupting the balance in our lives. At the moment, selling a home is no easy thing – for a year we have had no offers.
This year we embraced brave advice I gave a Chartered client many years ago. This client wanted to move to Port Elizabeth, but could not sell their Pretoria home, and this was causing them huge stress and anguish as they wanted to be closer to their daughter. My advice? You have enough money to cover owning two properties for a few months, so instead of the stress eating at your health, move to PE, lock up your house in Pretoria and leave agents to sell it.
Brave, but yes!
They set off to the Friendly City, settled happily and sold the Pretoria house in a few months. So I am doing the same! We have bought a new house closer to Chartered, hopefully to alleviate the stresses of traffic, but are leaving our current house unsold. Here’s wishing the move will result in a quicker sale …
Free yourself to fly
I always encourage you to tick off bucket wheel items – don’t wait seize to the day; don’t put life on hold. Recently, I shared with a client that we were spending our family vacation at the Serengeti. She inquired if we were going on the hot air balloon ride – no, I said, it is far too expensive. She told me to follow my own advice … I am happy to report we did so and it was more spectacular than I had ever imagined.
Choosing the challenge
Finally, Dr Wayne Derman’s presentation a few months ago stirred me to take the challenge of giving up sugar and carbs to improve my health. Often in life planning meetings when I get to health, I quote Dr Derman on the importance of exercise – I am good with this because I love exercise … but with not eating sugar (I always say do as I say, not as I do). I am happy to report I am 8 kg down since giving up sugar and carbs and am feeling good; but, wow, it is a daily battle! How I enjoy a scrumptious slice of cake …
Can I encourage you to be courageous about change this Spring? There is so much richness to be found on the other side of a difficult decision!
Best wishes
Kim