Welcome to a new week here on the Retirement Quick Tips podcast. I’m your host Ashley Micciche, co-owner of True North Retirement Advisors, an independent financial advisory practice managing $325 million in client assets. I’m a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor, and I started this podcast because I love helping people just like you gain clarity and make a plan for the retirement you envision. 

The theme this week on the podcast is: Can Gratitude Help You Make Better Money Decisions? 

I think we live in a very ungrateful world today.

And I suffer from ingratitude myself. Instead of appreciating the amazing people and things in my life, I find myself always in pursuit of more. Nothing satisfies. I could buy and entire new wardrobe of new clothes and start flicking through my Nordstrom app a week later, looking for a new pair of black leather boots that I’ve talked myself into needing and 100% essential to living a full and happy life.

It sounds crazy when I say that out loud, but that’s more or less the thought pattern that goes on in my mind. Instead of appreciating the season of life I’m in right now with a 14 month old, a 4 year old, and a 7 year old, I often find myself grumbling internally about the never-ending routine of family life - dealing with a baby who can’t seem to work out a regular nap schedule, bribing my 4 year old with candy if he will eat just 4 bites of his dinner, and dealing with the constant cartwheels and handstands when all I want to do is just relax and not have to listen to the noise. I find myself daydreaming about the days when the whining will stop and we can have a care-free vacation that doesn’t involve a u-haul for the stroller, pack & play, diapers and God help us if I forget the pacifiers - which I have been known to do. 

Despite sometimes feeling sorry for myself, I have come a long way in embracing and truly loving the season of life that I’m in. I know that my little kids won’t be little for long, and by appreciating everything about my life today and being truly grateful, I will be happier, be a better mom and wife, and have no regrets about wishing away this amazing time in my life when I am older and they have all left the nest. 

Beyond its connection to happiness and fulfillment, gratitude also has some deep connections to your relationship with money. So this week on the podcast, I’ll talk about:

• How gratitude can keep you from overspending
• How gratitude can help you cultivate more patience...a key ingredient for being good with money is patience.
• On Thanksgiving, I’ll list all the things I’m grateful for. The list is long, and hopefully it will inspire you to think creatively about all the things you’re grateful for
• How Gratitude Aligns Your Values With How You Spend Money
• Practical Ways To Start A Habit Of Gratitude

 

I hope what I have to share with you this week will help you make smart and thoughtful decisions with your retirement. And while I am careful to not lead you astray, personal finance is not an exact science. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for everyone, so I encourage you to disregard anything I say that may not be helpful for you, and to consult your own financial, tax, and legal advisors regarding your own individual situation. 

That’s it for today. Come on back tomorrow where I’ll talking about the connection between gratitude and your spending habits. 

Thanks for listening! My name is Ashley Micciche...and this is the Retirement Quick Tips podcast.

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Tags: retirement, investing, money, finance, financial planning, retirement planning, saving money, personal finance