If you don’t plan your life, someone else will

And the same is true for your money

Here I am with my daughter Gabi and my vision board. I’m so excited to gift you my new Vision & Money Journal, so you can design your year with intention.

Every year, I ask myself the same slightly uncomfortable question: Am I living my ideal life? Or am I living a life shaped by other people’s expectations?

I was talking about this recently on the Life Chapters, Money Choices podcast with Michael Avery. We were discussing vision boards and why I take them so seriously. Because this question sits at the heart of it.

“If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much” – Jim Rohn

It may sound dramatic, but pause for a moment. Work demands. Family obligations. Social pressures. Other people’s timelines. It’s very easy to realise you’ve been reacting more than choosing.
And the same is true for your money.

If you don’t decide where it goes, something else will. Subscriptions that renew automatically. Debt that gathers interest. Small daily habits that become patterns. Money is always moving. The question is whether it’s moving towards what matters to you.

That’s why I vision board.

Your Life, by Design

For me, vision boarding is about choosing your life intentionally.

I spend almost a month thinking before I create anything. I reflect on what I want the year to look like. I look at my Wheel of Balance – work, health, relationships, learning, play, purpose, give-back, money. I ask myself what needs attention. What needs less. What needs courage.

I don’t rush that part. Once I’ve chosen my direction, everything else begins to align.

Life first. Money Alongside.

The vision board becomes my accountability partner, and it keeps me anchored. I always write my goals next to it, because the board on its own doesn’t change anything. The follow-through does. The systems do. The financial planning does. It answers practical questions: How will I fund this? What systems need to support it? How does my financial plan enable what matters most to me this year?

If you’d like to hear how I connect vision boards to values, real habits and financial systems, I unpack this fully in my conversation with Michael. You can listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hns-NX6ZoI

I’ve created a beautiful Vision & Money Journal that you can download complimentary from my website. It guides you through the thinking before the creating. It helps you let your highest values guide you, rather than other people’s expectations. And it connects your vision to practical goals and money decisions.

I’ve created a beautiful Vision & Money Journal that you can download complimentary from my website. It guides you through the thinking before the creating. It helps you let your highest values guide you, rather than other people’s expectations. And it connects your vision to practical goals and money decisions.

A vision for your parents

When you’re reflecting on your own year and what matters most, it may also be a meaningful time to think about your parents and the chapter they are in.

Rather than assuming everything is in place, consider creating space for an open and thoughtful conversation. You could use some of the same reflective questions from this Journal to begin:

• What does a good life look like for them now?
• What kind of support would bring them peace of mind?
• Are their plans aligned with how they want to live this chapter?

These discussions are not always easy, but they are powerful. They help prevent rushed decisions in a crisis and allow time to honour their wishes. More importantly, they allow your parents to feel seen, supported and secure.

I wrote an article about how to approach these conversations. If this is something you’ve been meaning to do, you may find it helpful.

Read the article here – https://www.skywaysmagazine.co.za/wisdom-for-the-ages/

Always remember, when it comes to your money, be inspired, be brave, and be on purpose.