Hello, my name's Santasha Nabananga Bamblet. I'm a proud yr
the Order Kerney Whoalbury and a waddery woman. And before we get started on She's on the Money podcast, I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land of which this podcast is recorded on a wondery country, acknowledging the elders, the ancestors and the next generation coming through as this podcast is about connecting, empowering, knowledge sharing and the storytelling of you to make a difference for today and lasting impact for tomorrow.
Let's get into it.
She's on the Money, She's on the Money.
Hello, and welcome to She's on the Money the Podcast Millennials who want financial freedom.
Welcome back to another one of our Money.
Diary episodes where I get the absolute privilege of sitting down and talking to one of our incredible She's on the Money community members all about their money story. Let's jump straight into it because I got a message this week and it sounded a lot like this. Hi, team, I'm twenty two and have ADHD. I have a lot of anxiety around money, and I believe it's because of the way my mum spoke about money as she was unfortunately put in a financial pickle after she split from
my dad. I would love to talk about how ADHD and how you grew up around money affects you. I also worked in stuperanuation for nearly four years and recently quit due to my mental health to embark on a new journey.
Which has also affected me financially. Money Darist, welcome to the show. Hi, Oh my gosh.
I am very excited to speak to someone who also has ADHD. I feel like we're basically going to have some very fun similar anecdotes. But let's jump straight into the questions because I'm excited for this one. As always, at the start of every episode, I ask this question.
So I'm dying to hear your answer.
Money Doarrist, what grade would you give your money habits if I asked you to give them a grade from A through to F.
I did think a lot about this. I'm gonna give myself about a C plus.
A C plus all right, we can talk about that one later. But now my favorite question, money Dores, can you tell me a little bit more about your money story?
Yes? So, I was diagnosed with ADHD in December last year, so it hasn't even been twelve months yet. My whole life is making so much more sense now. But when I was nine, my parents split up, so as part of that, my mom purchased my dad out of our house.
Queen behavior, I get it, Mum.
Yep. My parents have two very very different outlooks on money. I guess you'd say Mum has definitely been more conservative, trying to save where she can. She's still paying off the house, whereas Dad is someone that just spends it willing nilly and yeah, doesn't really stave or anything like that. So yeah, two complete polar opposites. And I think, especially with interest rates and stuff rising at the moment, Mum can be a bit stressed about the mortgage payments.
For good reason.
It is very stressful, Oh yeah, especially when she's got me and my younger brother that live at home, so like, we do help out where we can, but yeah, she sometimes will project that stress onto us, which you know, completely understandable, she's just venting, but it does sort of give me a bit of anxiety.
Creates tension for sure, yeah, for sure, and then you probably end up in silly arguments over not what you're actually talking about yep, relatable.
Yeah, that, as I mentioned in my entry, Yeah, I've worked in superannuation for nearly four years. So I quit in August and I was working full time, so I was working in the contact centers across a few of the different superannuation funds. So I've got quite a lot of knowledge on superannuation. So I started there just before I turned nineteen.
Oh, very cool.
So yeah, got on.
It really early obviously.
Side note, I always promote the contact centers at superannuation funds because I'm like, guys, if you don't know about super, call the contact center because you're already paying the fees for it.
It is free. How many people.
Were calling you and being like I don't really know much about Super, did you get to have these awesome conversations with people where they went away and went, oh my gosh, it makes so much more sense now.
Yeah. So I started off on the phones because I started just before COVID hit. So it was really interesting seeing the difference before and after COVID, especially with people with drawing their ten thousand tax free.
Ah.
Yeah, you would have gone through so much of.
That, Yeah, and the investments dropping and all that. That kind of stuff. So yeah, it was really busy at that time. But yeah, I noticed like afterwards as well, people came to us with questions and had a better understanding of their SUPER, which was really good. But it was also really good because I became a trainer and a coach, and then I became a team leader within
the contact center. So yeah, it was really nice. And I was training people that didn't know much about their SUPER and then they could share what they had learnt as well, which was really nice.
Oh how cool. I love it. So tell me a bit more.
Obviously, you've just quit your role in a contact center for superannuation after four years. What do you currently do for work and how much money do you earn?
So I'm currently a studio coordinator at a Polarates studio.
Oh very cool.
Yeah, and I'm actually studying my certificate in Polarates. So I finished that in a couple of weeks.
Oh exciting. That is a very big pivot, isn't it.
Yeah. So I'm currently earning about thirty dollars an hour during the week, and then I get weekend rates which is about thirty five an hour, and I do between twenty to twenty five hours a week, like my pay will kind of fluctuate each fortnight. But it's definitely a big job because when I was working full time, I was on seventy five thousand, including super But we're making it work.
So what planning did you do before leaving? So obviously you left because of your mental health, as mentioned in your submission, which I think is so important, and I'm really proud of you for making that decision because it can be something that so many people just stick to irrespective of whether it's the best decision or not. So how did you make that decision and what kind of like budgeting or planning did you do for this move?
Look, honestly, it wasn't the way that I would have lacked it to have gone, because I do my Plati's course one weekend a month, So the plan was originally just to be sort of doing that and then I would quit once I'd finished my course. And from about February to August, I was working at the party studio as well as working that full time job, so I was working heaps. Yeah, was pretty much just trying to
put away any money that I could smart. I also had a bunch of annual leave so I didn't take any unless I had to for UNI, like a unique exam or something, and then, yeah, I pretty much just got my lumps from that when I left, because when I did leave, it was sort of I just had had enough and I just couldn't hold on anymore. So I gave it six weeks notice, which was more than what I.
Had to That's very kind of you, Yeah, especially when you're like, I'm already overwhelmed, but I'm still trying to do the right thing.
Yeah, exactly. So I gave six weeks notice, and so I pretty much had six weeks to sort my stuff out, and I've pretty much used up all of the money that I did have, but we're making it work. My partner, he's really good with his money, so he's very generous and helps me out when I need it, which is really nice.
That's very kind.
Yeah, very lucky.
I'm just so pervy, Like it's not she's on the money. If I'm not grilling you about your financial circumstances, is that and.
What's that mean? How does that work?
It's like questions that I feel like I can only ask on the podcast, of course, Whereas like you know, if you and I met in public, I'd be like, oh, you're a Plarti's instructor.
That's nice. How much money do you want? So it's inappropriate Victoria.
But what happens once you finish your training and you become like a fully qualified pilarates instructor, What does your annual salary look like? Then?
So it kind of depends on how many classes you teach. So I'm not one hundred percent sure of what the earning is at my studio. I have a rough idea it's normally anywhere between like forty five and fifty five dollars per class. When I was looking it up, you can earn anywhere between like forty five and I think one hundred and ten dollars per class. So yeah, and then obviously it depends on how many classes you're teaching.
So I've already put my name down for a bunch of covers in December and January, which is really good because this year I'm not going away, so I'm just gonna each heap and save as much as i can. Yeah, yeah, I'm smart, Yes, So that's pretty much the goal. And then it'll just depend on how many classes I'm.
Teaching and how far forward are we thinking with this? Like, I feel like this is a career that I feel like. I have a lot of friends who have gone into being pilates instructors, and they're like, I'm going to spend a few years just doing you know, casual classes.
And then I want my own studio.
Is this something that you've thought about or is this something you're like, Victoria, you are getting way ahead of yourself here.
No, I have thought about it.
I feel like you sound very intelligent. I feel like you've got a game plan here.
Thank you. Yeah, so I'm actually studying at UNI to be a dietitian is a goal.
Oh how fun?
Yeah. So I'm studying a Bachelor of Health Science majoring in nutrition and Exercise science, and then I'll have to go on to do my master's and dietetics. Long term goal is to open my own business, so no one steals my idea. I'll keep it nice and short and sleek.
I know, don't tell me I'm in though, Like, I know you're based near me, so like let me know when it opens. And I'm also bringing back business Bible content for you so we can like build your business together.
We love it. Yeah, it's just gonna be like a health center. It's pretty much the goal. Fun.
I love this.
I was like, I feel like she's got bigger plans with this.
Yeah, so hopefully part of it is that it will have, you know, a gym, and then a polity studio is part of it as well.
I mean, I love it. I'm so excited to this. I'm so glad.
I asked right back to the structured questions, my friend, I want to know what is your big money goal? What are you currently working towards.
Currently, it's just making sure that I can pay for what I need to pay for. But you know, as I do start teaching more and all of that kind of stuff, I think it's just like having a saving slash an emergency fund. I did sort of have that and then I've had to use it, but that's what it's there for. Yeah, so just rebuilding that back up.
Now, how I guess that leans into something you know, you saying, Look, I'm just really trying to make sure that I can pay for what I need.
And that makes a lot of.
Sense at this point in time, because obviously there's a number of, like I guess, financial stresses going from earning seventy five thousand down to you know, thirty dollars for about twenty to twenty five hours a week, which makes sense, right, But as a fellow neurospicy gal, I don't think historically when my salary has decreased, I've been oh, okay, I'm just going to make sure that I can pay for
what I can pay for. What I did was bury my head in the sand to pretend it wasn't a problem, and that's how I ended up in such significant financial debt.
So what does that look like for you?
Is there something where you know, you mentioned that you were diagnosed in December last year. Is this medication driven? Is this therapy driven? Is this how you've always been? Because I'm like, that's not neurotypical behavior. Yeah, no, so I am on medication stunning same. Otherwise I wouldn't be a functioning member of society.
Oh me too, I would be laying in bed asleep all day. Yeah.
It's good, isn't it. It's avoidant yep.
But I think too. I do work with psychologist who also has ADHD, so that's been really good. But I think also I also do have anxiety, so it sort of like depends on the day, like are we going to be ADHD today or are we going to be anxiety today?
And sometimes you're both and it's really fun because I also have diagnosed anxiety depression and ADHD, which is just like a really big ball of fun and medications. But yeah, sometimes they like work against each other. So how do you track towards these big money goals when clearly there's you know, a lot in the background working against you, if we could say it that way.
So for me, I'm religiously checking my bank accounts and my calendars seeing what I've got coming up, what I need to pay for, and it's really just a ball of anxiety of me trying to sort it out. So I don't get to an appointment and I'm like, ooh, sorry, you've already serviced me, but I can't afford it. So yeah, I do try where I can to plan ahead, and sometimes that does mean you know, moving an appointment a couple of days till that's after my payday. Yeah, so
my partner sometimes helps me out. So in that circumstance, I'll you know, just ask him for a little bit of a loan and then I'll pay him back when I get my next pay.
So to be honest, I just yallowed it all the way to get so hearing that I think. I'm just like, hold up, hold up, hold up. You said you're a C plus and now your C plus is.
Starting to fall apart here, so I'm just like.
Okay, we're probably going to have a little bit of an argument at the end of this episode, but that's okay.
We haven't got around to my impulse buying.
Oh that's okay, that's so fine. But the fact that you're so.
Measured in going look, I actually just make sure at this point in time that I can pay for what I need to and then the next step is an emergency fund. Like girl, you've got your head screwed on, and I feel like that is a very good position to be in.
Thank you.
You mentioned impulse spending. I need to go to a break, but I really want to hear about that. So let's get the break over with it, and then we can jump straight in. I don't go anywhere. Guys, All right, money diarist, we are back, and I want to ask you straight off the bat, do you have any investments.
If so, what are they?
So I do have my super I looked it up the other day and it's about twenty five point five thousand.
Hey, that's pretty good for your age. You're only twenty two.
Yeah. So I do make an effort to put fifty dollars in every month. I've been doing that since pretty much I started working.
Yeah, and you did that work just before you turned nineteen. Yeah, queen, you're going to be like greach Riach. I love this.
Well. The goal is to just be that grandmar that can just pay for everything.
And that's what I want to be too, Like I want to be rich Nana, like ten out of ten.
Yeah, I try and put fifty dollars in there.
A month, and that's above and beyond your compulsory super contribution.
Yeap, So that's on top of it. So that is a personal contribution. And then I wasn't claiming the tax.
I was about to say, are you keeping track of that for your accountant?
On my own accountant?
But you can be your own accountant when you do your tax returns.
Yeah, So I don't do the claiming the personal contributions tax because I'm at the threshold where I can get the government co contribution.
Oh, you're smart, smart, and if.
I claim that section two ninety, I'm not eligible for the government co contribution.
Okay, so you're going to have to break that down because a few people listening, I'm going to be like, Victoria, what is she talking about? Tell me a bit more about what happens with the government co contribution and how that works and why it cancels that tax only because I know you know.
Yeah, So with the government co contribution, depending on your income, if you voluntarily put in one thousand dollars, you can get up to five hundred dollars back. You don't necessarily have to put in one thousand dollars. It's just they'll only match up to one thousand dollars. You've got to be an under a certain amount, and then there's different brackets under that amount is to how much they'll co contribute. Yeah, so yeah, you can't be claiming the tax back on
that and then get the government co contribution. So yeah, if you've been putting money in your super once you do your tax return, if you're eligible, they'll just automatically put it in your account.
Money win.
And that's basically fifty percent back. And if you're on a normal quote marginal tax rate. That's thirty two point five percent. That's an instant money win.
Yeah.
How good is that? I'm obsessed.
You're teaching my community and they're going to go away and just be richer because of you.
Money weed.
We love that.
I am obsessed, especially because obviously a lot of people in our community are like me. I just don't have the funds to contribute more to Superannuation. I feel like sometimes fifty dollars can be really reasonable, Like it can be a really reasonable amount to contribute to super. You are actually having an impact, and look, you can get some cash back as well. And I feel like people need to know this stuff because otherwise you don't have as much motivation to do.
It, exactly. And look, I've even just said to friends, like, even if you can just do five dollars, which is, you know, less than a cup of coffee.
Still going to get two dollars fifty back exactly.
Yeah, if you can just do that, because it's also compounding interest, so you know, whatever interest it makes that gets reinvested and it just goes around in this big circle.
So yeah, obsessed, obsessed. All right, next question is, my friend, do you have any debts. If so, what are they?
So I do have three point one thousand in personal loans to family, and then I do have my hex step, which is about seven point four thousand at the moment, but I have already started to pay some of that off because I was earning over the threshold when I was working full time.
Oh very cool. So talk to me more about these three point one thousand dollars in personal loans. What were they for, how did you, I guess, accrue them, and what's your plan for them?
So pretty much, my old laptop decided to just back touch on fire the day of my UNI exam.
Oh no, It's always that way, isn't it.
Yeah, And I do UNI online, so I really needed my laptop. Yeah, And I didn't have the money sitting in my bank account for a new MacBook Air.
Most of us don't, so that's very relatable.
Yeah. So I got lent some money to go and buy a new one the same day as my exam, and it was very stressful. And then there was just some other loans. I think I can't remember off the top of my head what it was for. But the plan is pretty much, once I'm earning that bit more money is just to make monthly payments.
So yeah, nice, I like that to be honest. When you said, oh, I have a personal loan, I was like, oh, okay, is this way we're going to start talking about your impulse spending? But that actually just sounds like an essential cost that you didn't really have any choice in. Yes, well, let's talk about your impulse spending, my friend. That's not a structured question, but I want to know more about it.
What does that look like for you? And how now you've been diagnosed, does that make a bit more sense.
Yes, So I'm really bad, especially at Kmart. I would go to the shops for one thing. I would walk around and buy lots of stuff.
You know, that's kmart strategy, right, Like they're not silly, they know how that works.
I know, but I'd start, Why.
Do you think they put the check out in the middle of the store, so you have to boil from one side of the store for one thing to the other side, and by the time you get back you have an armful of stuff.
You picked up a basket. I know.
My problem is though mine's in a shopping center like my local ones. So I'll start at Kmart so it is mine.
It's a slipretty slope.
Yeah. I will just pick up things and I'm like, oh, yeah, I totally need this, and I really don't.
But you convince yourself you do, so it must be kind of valid.
Yeah. Well, the amount of books I have that I haven't read.
Oh yep, you need to go in a book ban. I've put myself in a book van and I'm not allowed any new books until I read at least five of the ones I I already have. And like, that's not even me saying I need to read all the books I have. I told myself five and I still haven't done it.
Yeah, I've just started to try to like take photos of the ones I see now that I like, yeah.
Put a folder on your phone and be like you can have these later.
I've got a folder of all the books I want. There's like over two hundred books in there.
Oh my gosh.
Yeah, and you're not even going to read two hundred books in a year. So like, I think that's a smart thing to just have a folder and be like, these are on my wish list.
Yeah.
I sometimes have to go to office works for work to print stuff. That's a dangerous game as well.
What are you buying at office works?
All the pens and the highlighters and the sticky notes?
Same.
I feel like you're keeping West Farmers in business because the people who own Camut also own office Works, and so like you're in a very committed relationship with them.
Makes sense. I think for me, like a lot of it too, is I convince myself that it will help with my anxiety or my ADHD, and then it just sits there and I don't use it.
Yeah. See, I used to do exactly the same thing. I'm like, do you know what if I get a whole new pencil case, I get some new highlighters, I'm going to be so much more organized at UNI because I'm going to be able to take the most elite notes, and then I'd play on my phone the whole lecture.
So yeah, yeah, exactly it. So now I'm pretty much go when I don't have a lot of time to walk around, I pretty much only have the time to go in, get what I need and then leave smart. I try not to go to the shopping center unless I really have to, and if I do have to, I will take my partner with me because.
He can control it.
Yeah. He's very much like if I find something I like and I'm like, oh, I really like this, and he's like, okay, well are you actually going to use it?
And I'm like no, but that's not the point.
Yeah, so he knows me very well and he's like, no, it's like not that expensive, like you know, you'll probably use it a lot, Like it's fine, you can buy it.
So yeah, that's quite helpful.
I feel like this is where my tip of putting twenty four hours between you and your spending really comes in. And I feel like you're already halfway there with your folder for books and your wish list. It's like, in the future, maybe we can take a whole heap of photos of all the other stuff that you want and go, you know what, I do really want this. I'll make a point of coming back tomorrow if I still want it.
And if you're anything like me, you forgot you took the photo and you've just forgotten the whole thing the next day.
Yeah. I normally even try and leave maybe like two weeks in between.
I have not that level of self control. So that's impressive.
It's either I'm buying it right then and there, or I'm sitting on it and thinking about it for ages. So yeah, but also my partner doesn't like going to the shops. He absolutely hates shopping, so if I have to go and get something, he's someone that will just complain the whole time.
Kind of helpful for getting out of the shops quickly, though, exactly.
So that's why I take him with me.
It's kind of like going shopping with the toddler, like they just sick of it after ten minutes.
Yep. So I get what I need and then we have to leave because otherwise he's complaining and I get annoyed.
So just to like loop this back, your impulse spending hasn't contributed to your personal debts. It's obvious kind of probably stopping you from building up an emergency fund and yeah, being exactly where you want to be, but you seem incredibly self aware of what is going on and what that actually looks like. But you're also in a position where you've dropped down your income significantly. So talk to me about I guess the impact of your impulse spending.
Is it just frustrating, is it something that's actually holding you back, or is it something that you're like, no, this is like for me just like another mental load or what does that look like?
I think it's definitely more of a mental load. But I think also at the moment, because I actually don't really have the money to go and do shopping and do that impulse spending, it hasn't been as bad as of late because for me, it's like the things that I actually need to pay for, you know, if that's just my psychologists appointment or whatever. To me, that's more important than you know, whatever I'm about to pick up at the shop. So I just keep in trying to
remind myself of that. But yeah, when I was working full time, it was a real issue, and I would go to Kmart and I would spend like three hundred dollars in one go.
Yeah, then you're like, where did this all go the week after because you forgot what you bought.
Yeah. I've been really bad recently with buying new like Douna covers and sheets.
Oh but if you have a good looking bed, do you want to make it?
That's the theory never worked out.
Have you ever been like, wow, I thought Victoria would help me and instead she's just enabling me.
Yeah, my bed is currently not made.
Oh mine is never made.
Don't worry, because we have this rule in our house that it's like last out has to make the bed, and so that in theory makes a lot of sense.
But I'm always the last out making the bed.
Are you joking?
I love that, absolutely not. So that's probably a reflection of who I am as a person. Next question, money diarist, I want to know what's your best money habit.
I would say putting that fifty dollars each month into my super but also I do so try and look at my yearly expenses. I mean the fortnightly and weekly ones are a bit different, but definitely those like ones that come up every you know, three to twelve months, so I can sort of try and put a portion away each pay so that when it comes up it's not a massive bill.
You are so calculated with this. I love it. This is not neurospicy behavior.
It's the anxiety in me.
Yeah, okay, all right, So they're kind of like working together.
Because so, yeah, I foot pops up, then I'm probably gonna have a panic attack because I'm like, I don't know how I'm gonna pay for this.
Yeah, that's Fair.
The thing is that I will sit and plan it all out, but I'm not necessarily someone that then will follow through with it. Yeah, Fair, So I make myself feel good by planning it out, but not so good is not following through.
Totally understand that.
All right, next question, I feel like we know what you're going to say, but I'm gonna ask anyway, what do you think is your worst money habit?
Yeah, the impulse shopping yep.
Fair saw that coming a mile off my friend.
But yeah, as I said, like with the income at the moment, it's been a bit different. But yeah, when I was working full time, I would always just spend money and then I'd be like, oh, just worry about it later, and then later would come and it would never end. Well.
So no, but I feel like you've learned a lot.
Like I feel like you are relatively self reflective, especially for the situation you're in. Like when you wrote in and said, look, I really want to talk about you know ADHD and what that means, because obviously ADHD is really significant and does really impact your money story. I fully was like, Okay, cool, she's going to come and
potentially have some personal debt. Obviously, she's just quit her job, and I made a lot of assumptions about the money story that I was diving into, and I feel like you've really impressed me. You're like, no, no, no, Like I'm really managing my impulse spending. I have this really good folder on my phone. It's meaning that I'm not impulse spending on books as much. Like I even try to put two weeks between my spending. Like I can't
even do that, babe, Like that's impressive. You have some really clear money goals, like you've already told me, Look, I want to start my own business at some point. Do you think that you are potentially putting a lot of pressure on yourself when it comes to finances and what you're trying to achieve and in the timeframe given your income, Yeah, I would say so You're like, yeah.
Yeah, no, And it comes back to as well, you know, the difference between mom and dad and their view on money, and then how that's sort of come out in me.
But yeah, I think I do put a lot of pressure on myself, especially when all you're hearing all the time is, oh, you know, like you're not really going to be able to afford a house and all this stuff, and it's like, I'll make it work, Like I know I'll be able to you still get stressed about it, and you still put all this pressure on yourself, especially being you know, twenty two. I don't know when I'm going to be able to afford to buy a house.
But you're also only twenty two, Like you're still a baby, You're still at UNI. The fact that you've already basically had a whole career in stubranuation and now you're writting. You know, you're a studio coordinator, you're about to step into being a full time per instructor. I feel like you have so much ahead of yourself, And when I look at this situation, I go, you're putting so much pressure on yourself even though you're killing it at the moment.
Like even the idea that your big money goal when I asked about it, wasn't like, oh, I want to buy a house or I want to do this thing that kind of is a little bit unobtainable at this point, you were really realistic about that. You were like, actually, my big money goal at the moment is paying for what I need to pay for and making sure I've got the money and I really want to build an emergency fund, and I'm like, Slay, that's exactly where you need to be.
Yeah, I think for me, it's just been such a difference earning so much for my age of course, and then like moving into this but at the same time, like my mental health has been so much better.
I was about to say, how's your mental health?
It's a lot better because where I was working like fifty five hours a week plus UNI plus my Plarti's course, plus trying to like see my friends and all this kind of stuff, and it just wasn't obtainable at all, and I was just consistently anxious. So yeah, I think I knew when I first started at that job it wasn't a forever job for me. I had the party's job, and I was like, you know what, I live at home still, Like now I just need to start taking care of myself and just focus on moving on and
into what I actually want to do. So yeah, it's definitely been a lot better.
That makes me so happy, Like, I'm so proud of you that you made those decisions, but also you've just got this air of reflection about you that most twenty two year olds don't have. Let's be honest, like at twenty two, I was in a mountain of debt, pretending it didn't exist, like partying until the sun came up. Like it was a lot at twenty two, and I just go wow, Like you have so much ahead of you.
The fact that you're already thinking about superannuation, you have a really good super fund, you're making additional contributions, you're aware of what that means, You're like, you know, leveraging your government co contribution. Like everything just makes sense here and can just see such a bright financial future.
It makes me so happy.
Even though I guess you overlay it with going we'll v I'm still really stressed about it. I still struggle with ADHD. I'm still anxious. Like all of those things they make sense, but I just feel like there's a lot of pressure you're putting on yourself, which is very ADHD of you. Yeah, I was gonna say, like, you're putting a lot of pressure on yourself to be the
best of the best. But at the same time, I'm like, do you think that your friends look at you and go, wow, money, Darist really has her stuff together.
That's a really good question that I don't know if I can answer.
No, we know they do.
We know your friends are looking at you going money Darrest has got it together. They don't see this side of you, do they. They don't see you going, oh my impulse, spending's out of control and I'm really stressed about this that the other they're probably looking at you going, holy moly, she had this really cool job. She's now stepped more into Pilate's like she's following her dreams. Like if you or my friend, I'd be like, she's living her best life and I'm envious of that. Yeah, no
one knows who you are, so it's fine. You can have a few tickets on yourself here. No one's going to be like, oh my gosh, I can't believe x y Z said that, because they don't know who you are.
I know, I think that I do question myself a lot, and I'm very lucky that, like I can be so open with my partner.
Yeah, that's what you need, and.
I mean sometimes you know, he's very lucky with his finances. He doesn't really have to pay for anything, and he still lives at home with his parents, and you know him and his investing is crazy.
See, you're going to be a rich power couple.
That's the goal.
I love it.
Yeah, but he's very good in reminding me and like bringing me back down, you know, grounding me and saying, like, you know, you've done this for this reason. It's just short term and I just need to keep telling myself like it's short term pain, long term gain.
Yeah.
All right, I have two more questions for you. Yes, So the first question I want to ask is actually around ADHD when you were diagnosed last December. What was the thing that finally made the most sense.
I think the not being able to like stay focused on a task. I would get distracted so easily. And then I remember the first day I took my medication and I sat in front of my computer and worked for eleven hours straight, and I was so focused.
Isn't it crazy?
It's actually insane.
And I'm not saying this because, oh my gosh, medication is great, but like it's kind of like, because you have ADHD, you already are quite intelligent, and you already are like wanting to do that eleven hours of work, right,
you just don't have the ability to. And the second you're given the ability to do that, you're like, holy moly, I can smash the whole day out, Like that's literally meah, and it's wild that you then do it, like and then you've just got to make sure that once you do start medication, you're caring about your well being and making sure you're still going to pilarates and still eating lunch. Because once you get that focus, it's kind of like gifted back to you in a way.
You're like, oh, this is all I care about now, which is not good sometimes as well.
Yeah, I think like even the hyperfocus around the things that you're actually really passionate about, Like the things that I just did not care for, I would leave to the last minute, and I would only smash it out when it became like they absolutely had to do it. But I could sit there and hyper focus on something that I was really enjoying and sit there for like five hours.
Yeah, and it would be confusing because you're like, why can't I just do the exact same thing with my uni assignment that's due. That would take a lot of pressure off me. Am I going to do that? Absolutely not? Why wouldn't do that?
Yep, that's pretty much it. I don't know if you know this, but you know that voice in your head that's like talking to you all the time. Yeah, that's not a thing for normal people. No, I know, blew my mind.
I sounded insane when I was like, yeah, yeah, but the voice in your head that doesn't stop you know that one They're like distracts you.
They're like, Victoria, are you all right?
And I'm like, yeah, don't you all have that voice in your head?
My partner will be laying there, I'm like, what do you think about it? He's like nothing. I'm like, how are you thinking about nothing?
How do you think about nothing?
It's insane. I think that can put a lot of pressure on yourself as well, because is that's going all the time.
No, I totally get that.
And it's conflicting with what you know. So yeah, it's trying to tell you something different to what you know, and then that can get really confusing and stressful as well.
No, I totally agree. All right, last question I've got for you. At the start of this episode, you graded yourself a C plus. We have now had a really beautiful conversation. I feel like I've learned so much about you, but I want to know after this conversation and like a little bit of self reflection, do you think you're still a C plus? If so, why, if not, what do you think your grade is?
I think I'm gonna give myself a B plus. All right.
That feels like a good upgrade.
Yeah, there's still room for improvement. But yeah, I think that I was not giving myself credit where credit.
Was due exactly. I feel like you're putting so much pressure on yourself. Tell me what it would take to get from a B plus to an A plus, Like what is that journey looking like?
I think just having that financial freedom of it not being a stress, so having that emergency fund, having that savings, and not needing to watch every dollar go in and out of my account.
How good is that?
Because you're on the tractor doing exactly that, Like you don't even need to make behavioral change. You already told me that was your big money goal. And with you, you know, about to graduate from your Polarates course, you're going to be like a full proper Pilates instructor.
I'm so excited for this for you.
Thank you. I'm excited as well.
Oh my gosh, money, Darrest, I'm so sorry, but this is always have time for today.
It has been an absolute pleasure getting to know you.
Thank you so much for sharing so much about yourself and your journey with our community. I know they are all so incredibly grateful.
Thanks for having me.
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