Show Up for Yourself to be Your Best Self, Because It’s Not About You…

January 1, 2025

Financial professionals attend required continuing education courses to maintain credentials.  However, there are at least two more broad categories of learning opportunities:

1. Cross-cutting planning, business, and subject matter learning opportunities; and
2. Life’s financial challenges that test the planner’s ability and willingness to follow her own advice. 

So, how did I show up for myself over the past two to three years?  Some action items and changes in habits came to me naturally and others were the result of the school of “hard knocks” and embracing humility as a self-described life-long learner.  Below is a list of suggested action items that proved helpful.

1. Read 30 minutes per day.
2. Move/exercise for 30 minutes per day at least three times per week.
3. Reduce snacks and prepare a plate for meals
4. Set aside time to focus on spiritual growth
5. Enjoy the sound of nature and silence
6. Create financial boundaries
7. Reshape social boundaries
8. Embrace your cultural capital
9. Set priorities
10. Tithe/Give
11. Seek accountability in new community and newly discovered resources

This is not a goal-setting list.  Not every line item applies to every person,
This article is not a replacement for personal coach, medical, or financial professional advice specifically designed for your unique circumstances.  However, this list is about vinedressing and preparing ourselves to “bear fruit”.  Check out my blog article “Don’t Make Resolutions.  Be Your Own Vinedresser” for more context.  Think about it:  fruit is not for the vine…it is for others.  Our human capital does not operate in a vacuum.  It feeds others.  Therefore, show up for yourself to get clear on how, why, when, where, and under what circumstances you want to meet your life planning goals and objectives.

What I discovered about myself as I engaged with my clients for my businesses, watched my children successfully transition to young adulthood, established and attained my personal financial planning goals and objectives, and pursued professional growth opportunities was the following:  

• I do follow my own advice, and
• My life, goals, and challenges really are not ALL about me and I must be willing to show up for myself so that I can do for others.  

…And, so it is with financial planning.  The financial planning process likely follows the 80/20 rule:  80% about topics and people that don’t primarily have to do with finances, and 20% financial statements.  For the purpose of this article, the metric is unscientific, but a hypothesis worth examining.  Financial planning is not all about you, your assets, or lack thereof.  In my experience, the process is more likely about what fruit will you bear, who your fruit will feed, and where your seed (gifts, experience, legacy) will be sown. 

So, prepare yourself by taking care of yourself so you are equipped to develop a set of financial planning action steps anchored by what matters most to you.

1. Be curious and eager to learn…so that you can
2. Take care of your mind, body, and spirit…so that you can
3. See the uniqueness of your human capital …so that you can
4. Discover your untapped personal gifts and financial resources…so that you can
5. Engage in financial and life planning for yourself and who you love…so that you can
6. Repeat 1 -4.

Let’s go!

Terry