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Are you Living in the Now, Present, or Future?

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Today on the Thrive For[e]ward podcast, we are talking about short term vs. long term and the three ways that people approach this philosophy in terms of their behavior. Because money touches all aspects of our lives, determining how, when, where and why to spend does have a timeframe.

Your willingness to spend money depends upon one factor: how psychologically uncomfortable you feel when you have to part with your money.

Are you someone that is too focused on one vs the other? Too caught up with living in the now to worry about the future? Or too worried about the future that you don’t enjoy the fruits of your labor?

  • Do you love spending and shopping?

  • Are you frugal and strict about saving?

  • Does spending money stress you out?

There are three ways I like to talk about short term vs long term and all three are not always the best spaces for people to be in – rather a healthy integration of them all.

  1. Do you live for the NOW?

  2. Do you catch yourself IGNORING the present?

  3. Do you live for the FUTURE?

All of these mindsets can create challenges and stresses if you aren’t aware of the behavior surrounding it. It’s key to set short-term, midterm, and long-term financial goals in order to become financially secure. If you aren’t working toward anything specific, you’re likely to spend more than you should. 

We live in a world that a lot of people want to “keep up with the joneses” (stay tuned for our next episode on this very topic!) They buy, do, and create experiences that compete and allow them to be perceived as fitting into a certain class structure.

Personally, I’m a firm believer that we should ENJOY LIFE. But, it shouldn’t be at the expense of our financial security. We need to know that long term we will be ok.

So how are you working on establishing healthy habits to enjoy today and save for your future?

Believe me, you are not alone if you are in one of the three categories. Many of my clients are in various stages. WHY? Because it’s our money story that is so personal and we are coming from different directions and backgrounds. It leads back to behavior and our relationship with money.

But, if you are living in the NOW or buried in the PRESENT you have to be careful that the future doesn’t slap you in the face! What does this mean? That you haven’t planned accordingly.

If you are living for the NOW, chances are you aren’t worried about the future and make financial decisions based on what you want to do now. Remember, no one but YOU can save for your future. If we ignore it and only live for the now the future will slap you in the face.

Buried in the PRESENT means that you are so busy with life that you aren’t even taking the time to understand what is going on with your finances. You are essentially checked out. You don’t have a clue as to what you have, where it’s going and have to manage anything.  If this is you, pull back. Take ownership and responsibility. Take the time to learn to grow. This may also be your check point that you may need to hire someone to assist you.

Those that live for the FUTURE are so focused on saving that they don’t allow themselves to enjoy what they have now. They avoid spending, don’t take trips or have experiences they want for fear they won’t have in the future. IF you have the funds and can afford to enjoy some of what you want now … it’s ok! Allow yourself that opportunity without feeling fear or guilt.

One of my favorite episodes we did was “Learn what Your Emotional Financial Behavior is.” Take a listen to learn what were the aspects of money you learned growing up and how does it affect you today. 

Remember … regardless of where you are in your financial journey, YOU ARE WORTHY OF WEALTH.

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If you are interested in learning more about Forethought Planning and how we can help you on your journey, please schedule an appointment to our complimentary 30 min Wealth Assessment session to learn more about how we incorporate these strategies and others to assist you through the financial planning process. 

Securities offered through LPL Financial, a member of FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Advisors’ Pride, a SEC registered investment advisor. LPL Financial, Advisors’ Pride, Forethought Planning and the guests of Thrive For[e]ward podcast are separate and unaffiliated parties. Any of the parties listed above are not affiliated with Forethought Planning, Advisor’s Pride, or LPL Financial. The views expressed here are those of the participants, and not those of Forethought Planning, Advisor’s Pride, or LPL financial. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. LPL Financial and Forethought Planning do not offer legal services.

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