As we have just finished up Thanksgiving and moved into the Christmas season there are a couple of things I wanted to talk about.  One is the fact that this isn’t necessarily a happy season for some people.  During this time of year families tend to gather and in some cases that brings drama, conflict, tension, etc; also during this season grief tends to show up a little “extra”.  As a result I see people over spend-I mean it IS the holidays right?  Our social media feeds are heavy on the advertisements, all of the television commercials are showing us something that is going to fix every problem we ever have, and let’s not forget all the sales, specials and coupons available!

Let’s just stop right here and take a breath.  First, there is nothing wrong with shopping and/or buying IF you can afford to do so and that’s what you choose to do with your money.  BUT, I will be bold enough to tell you that whatever it is you are buying is NOT going to change the family dynamic and turn all that drama, conflict or tension into a Hallmark Christmas movie!  It’s not going to bring that loved one back that you are grieving.  All it is going to do is make you false-happy for a few minutes and then bring regret once you get over the “shopping high” and realize you’ve wasted your money and now have more stuff to do something with.

I’m not going to take up your time by pretending to have the cure-all answer for whatever it is you are going thru this holiday season but I will say this:  if I were going to recommend anything at all it would be to spend time in prayer first, then spend some time Journaling and based on what you get from those two things-take some action.  That comes is all different things and ways so I’m not offering a step by step guide but as you dig deep to find the root cause THEN you’ll know how to start digging those roots up and getting rid of them.

Again, if you have the money and want to spend then by all means do so.  Life is short and I want you to enjoy every second but not at the expense of burying yourself in debt and having to make monthly payments that keep you bound to a creditor.  Be mindful of your spending and if buying for yourself think it thru.  Is this something you have room for? Is it something you are going to have to (and are willing to) maintain? Does it align with what is important to you and your goals?

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and I am excited to see where the action you are taking now takes you in 2023!  Be sure and check out the Solutions/Resources page for more offers that can help you reach your financial goals.