Change is never easy. It takes a whole lot of courage to pause your tracks on the treadmill and reflect on better, more rewarding ways to enter the future. And through the turmoil and trying times that we’ve all faced this year, my utmost memory of 2022 will be the many clients who have made themselves vulnerable enough to face the future head-on. Clients who were brave enough to take time out and take stock of their lives to visualise what a purposeful and fulfilling life would look like. Clients who tuned in and started the journey of becoming a friend with money instead of being a servant....

Most people I talk to are thinking about living a more versatile and balanced life, and almost everyone I speak to worries about money. The question is: have you taken control of your money? How are you doing around planning for your present and future financial goals so you can live your best life knowing that your money will enable it? October marks a highlight for the financial planning industry with the FPI financial planning week running from 3 – 7 October. The theme ‘Live your today and plan your tomorrow’ is so appropriate for the real challenges we are all facing right now. I...

The last two years have been exceptionally challenging: spiritually, physically and financially. The economy remains slumped, and it is especially now, in this time, that your money mindset can drive positive change – from the inside outwards. I often speak of things you can and cannot control, and I want to remind you to focus your energy and attention on what is in your power to change. It is problematic to earn in the current economy, and many of us have experienced extreme hardships in the wave of crises that have severely impacted our lives. But most of these events are not in our control....

But it starts with how you think and talk – about yourself and about the second half of your life. Mahatma Gandhi clarified the connection of beliefs to destiny in the following poignant way: ‘Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny.’ I have often seen and heard how thoughts create the mindset or worldview of life. Many people nearing or in retirement talk about being old, they feel old, and with this, they share the sentiment...

I have a client who finds herself in this exact dilemma. She has supported her two adult daughters for years – but has now realised that by continuing this habit, she will inadvertently be responsible for her worst nightmare coming true: being reliant on her children to support her in retirement. And this is not the outcome she or her daughters want. Getting out of this habit loop is not easy. My client and many other parents find themselves in a supporting role. And it’s no one’s fault. It is a co-dependent, unwritten contract between parent and child. It makes us as parents feel...

The big lessons are these: if you don’t put action plans in place to make your goals a reality, chances are they will return as dreams again next year; and secondly, don’t try to achieve all your goals all at once. Instead, stack new habits on top of ones you have already mastered. I have found that when I don’t succeed in getting things done, it’s because I go into extreme mode – trying to do too many things, at the same time, in a short timeframe. Without fail, I end up not being able to maintain the pace. So, this year, I chose consistency above intensity. I have adopted James Clear’s...

However you decide to do it, your dreams for the year must be rooted in a solid foundation. If you don’t put action plans in place to make your goals a reality, chances are that they will return as dreams on your vision board next year. Researchers agree that there is a correlation between setting goals and achieving success. But goals are not meaningful if you don’t have an action plan in place that helps you achieve your goals in a specific time frame. You can’t, for example, have a goal of saving X amount towards your investments without having a proper system in place. The key to achieving...

Last week I attended a conference hosted by former singer/songwriter and now owner and full-time speaker of TAP Results – Verity Price. I felt bogged down, my holiday intentions were not going according to plan, and Omicron changed my schedule overnight. I did not really feel like listening to another talk about gratitude. But as I listened, I realised that this was just what I needed to hear. I was reminded that you can just as readily be consumed with everything going wrong as you can be with all the things going right. And just then, I decided to make a mindshift. I do not want to overwhelm...

I’ve had six different conversations about death and money this past week. And for me, it’s a clear sign that many people are thinking about it. Talking about death is distressing, and money may not be the first thing on your mind when you lose a partner. But the uncomfortable truth is that we all will, at some stage of our lives, be single and responsible for managing our own money. My week started by counselling a couple in their 70s. The husband tried all his life to get his wife involved in their finances with no success. She just had no interest. He has a strong balance...

I recently listened to a podcast that has helped me better understand the psychology behind our emotions and actions during the Covid pandemic. Brené Brown chatted to Dr Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist and Harvard lecturer, about her recent Washington Post article “Why this stage of the pandemic makes us so anxious.” She explains the emotional rollercoaster that we’ve all been on, entering and exiting wave after wave of Covid repeatedly. And the fact is, no one really knows how the story will play out. We are confused. My friends, myself included, are still feeling a bit lost. We have not...