It’s May, and we’re thinking about all things Mom. At one point in all our lives, mothers are the one fount of all wisdom, they knew everything there was to know about life. But what has that got to do with your financial journey?
Perhaps a lot. Financial health and wealth is a pursuit as old as humans, and we are always looking for the new, best advice from the freshest website, newest TED Talk, Google… But what about going back to basics and thinking of it as, well, something to grow?
We’ve jotted down four ways motherhood, that ultimate amazing act of making something grow and creating new life, can change our mindsets about wealth creation.
1. It’s not just about the physical
Imagine getting nothing but food, water, clothing and a place to sleep from your mother growing up – no physical affection, relationship, intellectual stimulation. In fact, studies have shown that babies cannot survive without those things. Moms know that the physical is only one aspect of the complex miracle that is a human being, and accordingly they’ll try promote learning, emotional wellness and intimacy even as they tell you to eat your veggies.
Similarly, financial wellness is so much more than just your bank balance. Don’t just throw money at it; spend time, encourage better thought processes around it and develop a deeper relationship with your financial advisor. Getting the most out of your wealth means making sure you are physically, emotionally and aspirationally equipped to thrive – that’s part of our goal in working with you.
2. In fact, it’s more about balance
If you jot down a list of your ideas of financial health and wealth benchmarks, and try to create a budget and balance your cash situation, and think about all of the other financial needs you have, you may well feel overwhelmed. It’s a lot to deal with and consider! Just imagine how a new mom feels…
The best approach is to take it one bite-sized chunk at a time – doing what you can now, as and when it occurs to you. Keep a notebook ready and when you have questions or ideas, scribble them down and then review it at your next meeting with your financial advisor. This is the only way to balance what’s happening now with what you’d like to have happen in the future. Becoming a mom doesn’t happen over night – you have several months to prepare, and even after that you have a lifetime of moments to test, try and enjoy!
3. … And patience
Ah, patience… that hated and most misunderstood word. This one’s for you if you are the kind of person that puts an extra R1000 into your savings, goes to see your financial advisor to chat and reads Rich Dad Poor Dad, then sits back crossly wondering why your finances haven’t completely turned around yet.
Some things take as long as they take. A baby learning to walk is a matter of time and development, and mothers know that getting impatient is not helpful, but at the same time being supportive and staying there is important even as you wait for the big day to come.
There is nothing you can do about the markets, about the election results, about the Rand. There is very little you can do about the amount of time it takes for an investment like a bond to fully mature.
So wait.
Enjoy the journey.
True financial wealth is similar in some ways to a child – incredibly needy and requiring almost constant attention at first, unable to exist apart from you, then slowly growing up to become an entity in and of itself that is some day self-sustaining.
4. How much you’re nurtured now determines how much you thrive later
The idea of self-sustaining wealth may seem like a pipe dream to you, but it happens. And just like well-nurtured children, wealth that comes after the right nurturing tends to last and last well. This includes nurturing yourself, ensuring the kind of internal wellness that won’t make you sabotage your fortune before it happens by getting ready now.