Being a mom helped me find my FI
Happy Mother’s Day to all you mom’s out there. I hope it was a great day for you!
Being a mom is my favorite thing. EVER!
I’ve grown in ways I never could have imagined.
Ways I would not have chosen on my own.
Because these ways were uncomfortable …
forced me to draw and redraw boundaries
to say yes when I wanted to say no
and no when I wanted to say yes.
I have to make choices as a mom. Making informed choices means I know my boundaries.
Creating healthy boundaries fosters …
healthy individuals (for parent and child).
healthy relationships.
clarity.
Being a mom isn’t always easy. I’ve cried, been frustrated, yelled … cried some more.
But mostly, my heart is overflowing with love and gratitude for the two little humans in my life.
Being a mom has taught me that,
of the main sources of capital I have available to spend …
My TEAM …
Time
Energy
Attention
Money
(all credit to the amazing Carl Richards for this conceptualization of capital)
It’s the TEA in TEAM that my kids value most.
Having TEA with my kids …
Spending my time
my energy
my attention …
On them.
On my relationship with them …
It has paid more dividends than those sitting in my investment account.
Focusing on TEA provides clarity on how to use the fourth source of capital – money.
Choosing to spend more on TEA with my kids requires the ability to maintain boundaries and clearly see what jobs money can do and what jobs it can’t do.
Don’t give money a job it can’t do.
Money matters. I am blessed to have been able to always cover their basic needs. And more.
Beyond those needs that money so necessarily fulfills ….. TEA nourishes deeply and soulfully.
I have an intentional spending plan for my TEAM …
A budget
(A budget is nothing more than a set of boundaries drawn with clear priorities)
A calendar
A vision board
Dreaming sessions with my kids.
These are tools that keep us clear and intentional with how we spend our resources.
Together, these intentional spending plans for TEAM are creating true FI for us.
The one informs the other.
I want to emphasize …
As I continue to lean into TEA time with my kids, I have more clarity on how much money I need to support our most heart felt dreams.
That clarity gives me peace of mind to design a work schedule that supports that enough-ness … nothing more, nothing less.
I’m not giving money a job it can’t do. I’m using it as a tool … the right tool, for the right job.
This mindset frees me ….
To see how a cup of TEA nourishes me more than money-beyond-enough ever could
from a work schedule that drains my cup,
from a belief that more money will bring more peace, security, joy … (fill in the blank).
Becoming a mom taught me how much I value spending TEA to foster deep relationships
This cup of TEA brought me clarity on where money fits into my life
And these lessons have laid the foundation for me to design and find my own FI.
While I am often “late” to the game of getting things “right” with my kids I give it my best every day. The same is true for FI. You may feel “late” but you can’t be late to the present moment. Start in this moment.
