Episode description

Ready to rest and fresh your family and financial goals? This year we’re exploring how to have a rich life!

Okay, that’s a pretty bold statement – have a rich life.

Let first back track on how I came up with this theme for the season and then we can talk about what a rich life looks like.

Even before we wrapped up this last season in November, something had been nagging me about the podcast.

Besides Simplify and Enjoy, I also write and run Couple Money which is focused on helping married couples get on the same page with their finances. I’ve really loved it.

As we were paying off debts, stashing and growing our financial cushion, and eventually becoming a CoastFI family, it’s been fantastic to hear from you and other families on the milestones you’re reaching.

Between the two, I’ve been writing and or podcasting about personal finance for over 12 years and it’s been incredible.

However as important as getting your finances squared away, it’s just one piece of the puzzle. So I took time off throughout last year including one in October where I just disconnected from the work. I allowed myself to explore and read other topics besides finances to see if I could add something to this podcast that would help you and other families have not just an amazing year with your finances, but really allow you to enjoy things.

The first think that clicked for me was a quote from Cal Newport. It served as a jumping-off point for me as I looked at 2023 and what I wanted to do.

Do less. Do better. Know why.

Instantly, I knew I wanted to dig into this. Initially, I thought about how it would in with podcast.

Do less. Families are stressed out because they’re doing so much. There’s always this list of a million things you need to do to get your money straight. Or here’s how you work, be a FT parent, and have a side hustle. It’s too much noise and nonsense. I want to keep things simple and flexible so you can build and design your life as needed.

Do better. With time and energy freed up because we’re no doing a ton of things, how can we use that to create something special? Let’s put energy into building up our relationships, levelling up on skills with work, and taking on a projects and hobbies that are meaningful to us.

Know why. Productivity culture almost elevates being busy like it’s a virtue, but the real challenge is having and knowing your purpose for what you’re doing. This definition can then be used so you can gauge when you have enough.

If you’re ready to jump into the year and knock out some goals, here are a few of my favorite resources and includes what we covered in the podcast.

• Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint
• Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money
• More on Cultivating a Deep Life: Mindset
• Our Financial System That Help Us Hit CoastFI
• How Reading – Not Scanning, Not Scrolling – Opens Up Your Mind

If you’d like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families.

We’re families looking to support and help one another out.

Hope to see you there!