Clarify Priorities to Live a Rich Life

At Financial Woman, we promote that financial goals and living a rich life are congruent. A rich life goes far beyond money; it’s about a life that includes spending your time in a way that’s meaningful, and also being surrounded by things you love that express your style, both in your home and your wardrobe.

The third step in growing your money is creating positive cash flow, which simply means more money coming in than going out each month. (If you haven’t gotten my free video series explaining the 5 steps to grow money, you can get them here.)  In reality, cash flow is the direct outcome of your priorities, whether those priorities are related to the income part of cash flow or the spending part of the cash flow equation.

I’ll share an example of how my family prioritized this year so we could stay committed to each side of the cash flow equation. My husband and I are both in expansion mode for our companies; for the moment, we have decided to self-fund instead of seeking funding. This means that we are committed to putting revenue back into our companies so they can continue to grow.

I have enjoyed at least one annual ski trip most years since I managed to scrape together the money for my first trip in my early twenties. Of course, this was with a buddy pass from my friend, Brickell, who was a Southwest flight attendant. Following this adventure, an annual ski trip has been a priority for me.

In the past, we have flown the family to Aspen or the Park City area for our annual trip. Air travel is more expensive and unreliable during the holidays and spring break. This year, I decided to explore travel ideas outside of the box to get the outcome I wanted with less expense, while maintaining the pleasure factor. This is the essence of growing your money while living a life you love: clarifying priorities and being creative when it comes to spending for your lifestyle.

As I type this article, we are wandering through beautiful rolling hills enjoying family conversation headed to Southwest Colorado. The icing on the cake is that this area has had more snow than most other ski areas so far this ski season. There are frequently unexpected positives to alternative and focused actions!

While I realize that everyone doesn’t enjoy road trips as much as I do, I would have to ask why not? It involves less stress than air travel, time to listen to some wonderfully inspiring or educational audios, more family time, and almost always less expense. And since we are traveling by road, my son’s friend was able to join us.

This road trip is allowing me to enjoy a wonderful ski trip that I think will compare every bit as good as a more expensive trip, while also supporting my financial plan. It is the perfect example of congruency between style and financial goals. I’ll let you know if I feel the same way next week, so stay tuned.