Did you grow up going to church? Do you belong to a church community now? In the past, I would have avoided those questions. I would have made any excuse not to talk about church or religion. The truth is, I did grow up going to church, I do belong to a church community now, and I’m no longer ashamed to say it.
Continue reading “Faith and Money: Letting Go of the Shame”Slow FI And The Evolution of Friendships
Lately, with summer having been in full swing and COVID-19 restrictions becoming more and more lax, I have been spending a lot of time with friends. Not surprisingly, I have also been spending more money when it comes to friends. But spending money with friends has been easy because of the joy it brings. Rather than worrying about spending, I’ve found myself reflecting on how far my relationships with my friends have come since I’ve started taking a slow path to financial independence (FI). I’ve noticed how my friendships have changed and evolved. Some friendships have ended, and that has been hard, but for the most part, my friendships have changed for the better since slowing down my journey to FI.
Continue reading “Slow FI And The Evolution of Friendships”Setting Better Boundaries To Enjoy The 9-5
How are you with setting boundaries? If you’re like me, patiently working a 9-5 while saving up in investments to one day downshift or retire early, are you content in your day job? If you’ve been reading the blog, you know I’m on a slow journey to financial independence (FI). I’m taking steps to design my life in a way I can enjoy it now, before reaching FI. When it comes to work, the only way I have found to not go crazy at my 9-5 waiting for my retirement day is to figure out a way to enjoy the ride. For me, the biggest factor in enjoying the ride has been setting better boundaries at work.
Continue reading “Setting Better Boundaries To Enjoy The 9-5”The Power Of Experimentation
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about experimentation, mostly as it relates to financial independence (FI). So many of those who have reached FI in the past have stated, after the fact, that they weren’t necessarily happier after attaining this milestone. They spent so much time getting to FI that they didn’t think about life after FI. One of the big reasons I decided to take a slow path to FI, in addition to wanting to enjoy more of life along the way, is to take time to figure out what I want to do after I reach FI. This is where the power of experimentation comes in.
Continue reading “The Power Of Experimentation”Vacation Spending: Lake Willoughby, Vermont
Last weekend, Mr. Dink and I took a much needed mini vacation! We’re nearing the end of summer here in Vermont, and until last weekend, no vacations had been had so far this summer in our household. We’re all about spending intentionally over here, and so today I’m sharing all of our spending details from our weekend trip to Lake Willoughby, Vermont. And if you ever find yourself in that area, you’ll even find some recommendations sprinkled throughout this post!
Continue reading “Vacation Spending: Lake Willoughby, Vermont”Lessons Of A House Fire
A house fire is something I don’t wish on anyone. It’s something I can honestly say that I thought would never happen to me. But in the summer of 2017, a house fire turned our lives upside down. Now, 5 years later, I’m sharing our major lessons learned, and who knows, maybe even some silver linings.
Continue reading “Lessons Of A House Fire”The First Time I Chose Me
Do you remember the first time you went against what society, your friends, your family thought you should do or were telling you to do? Do you remember the first time you chose to do something that you wanted to do, even if it made you feel really uncomfortable? Did it make you feel just a little bit freer?
Continue reading “The First Time I Chose Me”Have You Ever Tried Meditating?
I know, I know. This is “supposed” to be a personal finance blog. But hear me out! I know there are TONS of thoughts out there about meditation. I don’t think I’ve ever met two people who feel the same way about meditation. Even I, as a neuroscientist who has read the research on meditation’s beneficial effects on the brain, was skeptical for the longest time. But after giving it a try in 2015 when I had nothing else to lose, I can honestly say it has done wonders of good in my life. If you’ve never given meditation a try (or you’ve only given it a little bit of a try and sworn it off), this post is for you.
Continue reading “Have You Ever Tried Meditating?”Flipping The Script At Work
My 1-year anniversary at a job I am actually really enjoying was this week! In honor of this milestone, and based on something I heard on a recent podcast, today I want to talk about the potential power behind flipping the script at work.
If you’re still working a W2 job like me, do you avoid telling your boss that you don’t want that coveted promotion? That you actually have no interest in climbing up the ladder? If so, you’re not alone. I’m right there with you. But if you think you have to hide these thoughts from your boss, I’m here today to suggest another way.
Continue reading “Flipping The Script At Work”How Slow FI Helps Get Me Through Tough Times
I don’t know about you, but I find the news especially hard to take these days. I have pretty good boundaries when it comes to my intake of news, but regardless, things have felt really rough lately. Upon reflection, I think that the principles of Slow FI and my journey to financial independence are the main factors getting me through.
Continue reading “How Slow FI Helps Get Me Through Tough Times”