How Much Longer Can You Afford to Wait?

There is a common theme in what I’m hearing from many of my clients, that they have been working hard for the last 20 years, yet they now feel that they don’t have much to show for financially, and now that retirement is looming on the horizon, that sense of time is running out is becoming overwhelming!

This is one of the enormous yet silent fears around money for many women in their 40’s and 50’s. The sense of uncertainty and insecurity is chewing away their confidence about the future. Some have finally decided to take actions while others are lost at how to break out of that cycle. Here I would like to offer some tips to start changing the course for your future:

Breathe – the next time you catch yourself fearing or worrying about your financial future, before anything, take a deep breath. Notice the tensions in your body, let it go! Always, be gentle with ourselves no matter how grey the situation may seem.

Awareness – the first step to change! Whether it’s a passing thought or a sleepless night, take notice each time these emotions come up to start tracking how much time and energy being spent on these worries. For some, the silent worries have become a pattern that you may not even be aware of the amount of energy being zapped away from your daily lives.

Clarity – for many women, while they are uncertain about their financial future, they can’t quite articulate which areas of finance they are particularly worried about. In other words, if you were to make changes or improvements, where would you start? For example, is the worry based on the fact that not enough money have been put aside in order to live the lifestyle that you desire in retirement, or is it the fear that if your husband is gone tomorrow for whatever, you are not sure that you can continue to maintain the same lifestyle on your own?

Reach out & Lean In – the one thing that women are naturally good at is the nurturing support they are able to provide for others. Yet, in the area of money and finances, we somehow shy away from it. Pain and suffering are often a direct reflection of our stories. So, what money stories have you been living by? What if we could help each other find the narratives in our head so we can break free from the chain?

Compassion – we are always the most critical of ourselves. In the area of money and finances, many women often feel that they are the ONLY one having a problem. So, we tend to blame ourselves for not being smart enough or good enough to handle money wisely.

Let time be your friend! Leverage it by taking actions TODAY! Determine how many more years you are willing to work until you retire, and work backwards to come up with a plan of actions. Remember, the sooner you start taking charge of your finances, the more time you have to work with. It’ really that simple. Procrastination ends today!