How to Take Advantage of Hard Times

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind. Between the worry of the health and safety of our loves ones, to our own mental state and wellness; finding ways to adapt to the new way of living at record pace has given us little rest. We especially think of those who have been affected and are struggling with their health, work, families and inevitably, finances. We think of the medical professionals and facilities who are working tirelessly to work against this, and we hold up all those who are at the forefront of the struggle. There are no words to express our admiration and gratitude.

It’s undoubtably a rocky time, and we call out to our community to use this time to grow, nurture, and love without boundaries. Build yourself, your ideas, your family and your life. To guide you with authority and empathy, we’re sharing a few points that we’ve held dear to get you on your way.

With the rat race starting to slow right down – its a golden opportunity to get off the wheel and review where you are going. There is no better time to reflect on what is important to you and your journey. Jot down a few points that come to mind, and think through where you are in relation to where you want to be. Encourage your family members to do the same – draw close to one another and grow as a unit in this time.

Clean out cupboards, and sell or give-away unwanted or unnecessary items and “clutter”. Use this time to get back to the basics – allow space in your home. Keep your home clean and open – embracing minimalism and the essentials.

The book, ‘Minimalism’ by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus looks at the journey of life and how it can be simplified with less. It’s a great read, and one of Jacques’ favourites.

We’ve also included this great chat between Greg McKeown and Tim Ferris about essentialism living and working with clarity.

When there is hardship and suffering around us, it is only natural to start questioning things and looking at who and what matters. Life is short, and as hard as these thoughts are – anything can happen during these times and we encourage you to let go of bitterness, hurt and anger to let forgiveness and restoration in your relationships move in.

We found a wonderful podcast by Donald Miller from Storybrand who takes us through setting a personal and family mission that will guide you and your family to living richer, more fulfilling and meaningful lives. Once you’ve got your guiding principles, living with clarity and minimalism is a whole lot easier.

Many of us are working from home. Whilst we’ve got this time indoors with our families, let’s keep building better versions of ourselves and our dreams. It’s a difficult time for a lot of us, and it’s not easy to face change. Let alone see our loved ones, colleagues and community struggle. We urge you to try and keep positive in this period – taking time to reflect, be grateful and read.

Our top three book choices for you:

A great idea is to sit and read a book with your family. ‘Smart Money Smart Kids: Raising the Next Generation to Win with Money’ by Dave Ramsey could be the conversation starter that gets your kids ready for their future. Who knows? This time together could be what sparks you or your family member’s big idea.

Where can you cut out unnecessary costs? We had a team brainstorming session to share how we’re all working our budgets during this time, and there were many great ideas that came up. From planting your own herbs in the garden, to cutting out luxury foods, finishing everything you have in the fridge and pantry before topping up, cancelling unnecessary subscriptions, cutting out comfort expenses such as entertainment and take-out, as well as finding new ways to make a bit of extra money on the side. There is comfort in the fact that we’re all having to zip up tight and be clever with our spending.

We have a developed an effective budgeting tool that you can use for free here. It will be the go-to tool to help you manage your money over this time.

From us, we hope you keep safe, healthy and positive. Let’s get through this together. Share your lockdown tips with us!

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