You were a good child and listened to the advice. Not only did you take it, but you ran with it. You did well in school, got a degree or two, and have worked hard at your job. But, um… where is that good life that you were promised?
It’s not here.
You’re surviving alright, but this is not the deal you signed up for. This is nothing like the success you were told was in store for you if you just followed the program.
The pay off to all this hard work is not at all like it was portrayed by the adults selling us on this dream or what it looked like when we were kids. Everything is crazy expensive. The grind is never ending and never enough. You’re doing a little better than paycheck-to-paycheck living, (well, there are some months that you go into some debt), but c’mon, is this really it?!
You’re beyond exhausted and frustrated at this point. With good reason.
This economic system that we’re all working in service to is just absolutely f*cking brutal.
It sacrifices our sleep, sanity, and health for the “honor” of having the world’s highest GDP. Big whoop! (clearly, sarcasm). It’s a system designed so that a few can have a sh*t ton, while the many just get by, to varying degrees of comfort.
It totally and completely sucks for the vast majority of us, especially when we’ve worked so hard for so long. It just doesn’t make sense to be struggling this much.
But if we’re not destined to be the next Jeff Bezos, can we still live the good life that we imagined (actually, more like, were promised?)
Yes, absolutely.
But it won’t be easy. The problem as I see it, has a two-pronged solution.
- Get financially healthy as individuals. Meaning, become financially fit to get the most from your money.
- Get a healthy financial system as a country (eh, maybe even world).
The first one means that each of us does our own work to develop the financial muscles we need for smart money flexing. It requires that we get and stay organized, track our spending, win at the game of credit, and get our relationship with money right.
That’s the simple one. Although to be fair, simple isn’t always easy and this one’s rough for most. (So totally understandable if you’re not there yet).
The second one is much more complicated, but equally important. To makeover our financial system, we’ve got to get political. A healthy financial system that doesn’t just measure quantity, but concerns itself with quality – of our health and well-being and that of the environment – is going to require a massive shift in our policies. It’s a hefty undertaking but there’s no way around it.
Until we change the rules around money and the economy though, the best thing we can do is get really good at this bad game.
At times like this, when the race for the White House is in full swing, it’s easy to blame everything on the failings of government. Oh sure, it’s plenty their fault. But let’s not see ourselves as total victims. Even as I urge you to get eyeball deep into politics and elect those that will help clean up the mess that’s been made of our democracy, I beg you: don’t hand over all your power. Take all the personal responsibility you can. With not even that much effort, you can dramatically improve your finances – and by extension you life – by using a simple method like the S.A.V.E. System to become financially fit.
So as Super Tuesday is upon us, be sure to get to the polls and then to your tracking!
Much love,
Chelsea