Financial Conversation Podcast

As we wrap up the third season of the podcast, we're also saying goodbye. Taking the lessons we've learned from the podcast, we reflect on why we're no longer continuing the show and give you a hint at what we'll be up to elsewhere. Thanks so much for the support, we really appreciate it!   --   This may come as a bit of a shock to you, but this is the final episode of the Financial Conversation podcast. The show will live on via this website and iTunes so you can still listen to all of our past episodes and learn as much about money as possible. The three of us will also be around the web sharing tips, tricks, and advice about personal finances and life on our own platforms. In this week's farewell episode, we're taking about the history of the podcast, including some of our favorite moments and episodes, as well as why we've made the difficult decision to end the show.

Have you ever thought about why you want to improve your finances and save money? This seems like an obvious question but trust us, sometimes it's so common to get caught up in the motions and the habit of doing something that you forget why you're even doing it in the first place. When it comes to your finances, you always want to keep your why in mind so you won't make unnecessary decisions or sacrifices that don't end up helping you reach your goals. Since this season is all about saving money, we want you to look at your reasons for wanting to save in the first place. For many of us, our core reasoning is to reach financial independence/freedom one day. This may be a hidden goal of yours that you haven't even considered but let us tell you why it's so important. Defining Financial Freedom It's pretty safe to say that most people probably don't want to work forever. As you age, you'll most likely realize that you may not be able to work forever even if you wanted to because your energy levels are likely to decline. Since we all can add retirement to our financial wellness bucket list, it's important to prioritize saving so you can become financially independent. Becoming financial independent is very similar to financial freedom because it means you're basically free to do what you want with your money for the most part and you won't have to work to support yourself. In other words, you'll have enough savings and passive income coming in to support your lifestyle so that working will be an option and not a requirement. Financial freedom sounds like a dream, but saving and investing your money can help you get there. 5 Reasons To Seek Out Financial Freedom 1. No debt to worry about - Reaching financial freedom means you'll be free from money worries like debt. As glamorous and some things seem, no one wants to be in debt forever and spend several years of their life paying off their stuff. 2. Feel more secure - When you have enough money saved and invested to become financially free, you'll feel much more secure and at peace whenever you think about your finances. You won't have to worry about being unable to cover an unexpected expense, or not being able to make ends meet if you get injured and have to take time off work. 3. You'll only have to work if you want to - Have you ever woken up one day and just been not in the mood to do any work? When you reach financial independence, you won't have to work anymore unless you want to. You can pick up jobs to stay busy, but you won't really need the money which will be an amazing feeling. 4. Freedom to do what you want - Another motivation for seeking out financial freedom is that you'll have the freedom to live life on your own terms and do what you want with your money. If you value traveling, you can spend more time doing that or making more memories with your friends and family. If you want to pick up a unique hobby you'll finally have the time to commit to it. 5. Retire early or take mini-retirements - Another huge reason to seek out financial independence is the fact that you can retire early or take several mini-retirements throughout your lifetime. You don't have to wait until you're 65 to become financially free. You can develop a plan that allows you to save and invest aggressively so you can retire early than that and enjoy more of your youth. Or, if you'd rather take a mini-retirement and stop working for a year or two to explore, becoming financially by saving enough money to cover your expenses during your mini-retirement will allow you the opportunity to make that decision. In This Episode, We Discuss: 1:45 - Financial Independence 16:10 - Mini retirements 27:00 - Early retirement examples Related Links to Check Out: Financial Freedom Definition Frugalwoods Mr. Money Mustache Our Next Life Value Based Spending: The Easiest Way to Save Money The Road to Financial Wellness This episode was brought to you in part by Audible.com. You can listen to any audio book for FREE with a 30 day trial using our link!

Are you looking for a way to save more money and still be able to spend on the things you enjoy? If so, you need to practice value based spending. In this week's episode, we'll be talking about what value based spending is, how it works, and why it lets you enjoy your money while still pursuing financial goals. What is Value Based Spending? If you've never heard of value based spending before, it's basically a way of allocating your money based on what you truly value and enjoy. Instead of a traditional budget where you might be tracking every penny you earn and spend, with value based spending you simply make conscious decisions about what to spend money on. This can be a lot more freeing than living with a bare bones budget, which is what a lot of people start with when they first begin budgeting. But after a while, a bare bones budget with no room for spending on fun can lead to feelings of deprivation and burn out. On the other hand, value based spending can also help you avoid spending money just to spend it. For example, maybe you used to put money aside in your budget for eating out every month. But, after some self-reflection, you realized that eating out is not something you care about and you'd rather spend money on other things. Instead of continuing to include that in your budget, you can instead put that money toward other things you do care about. Basically, value based spending is just about not getting caught up in spending money just to spend it. But instead, it's about spending only on your necessities and the things you care about. How to Get Started with Value Based Spending To get started with value based spending you have to commit to making a mindset change. It's definitely different than traditional budgeting. For some, that means giving themselves permission to spend money on things other than the bare necessities. But for others, value based spending means learning that it's ok to stray from the norm. Self-reflection is a must to figure out what your values are. You also have to be ok with explaining your values and sticking to them when others may be trying to get you to stray. It can be difficult to stick to value based spending if you are easily influenced by society's expectations, advertisements, and peer pressure. Value based spending is not something that everyone has committed to practicing. But, if you truly give value based spending a chance, you'll likely find that it's good solution to both saving money to reach your financial goals and being able to spend money on things you enjoy. In This Episode, We Discuss: 1:10 - Value based spending 14:10 - How you started value based spending 25:45 - Impulse buying Related Links to Check Out: The Importance of Defining Your Values Minimalism and Money The Importance of Tracking Your Spending This episode was brought to you in part by Audible.com. You can listen to any audio book for FREE with a 30 day trial using our link!

We all shop from time to time whether it's an activity you like or not. When out shopping, I'm sure many of us can relate to an awesome deal we spotted on a particular item. If deals and sales make you happy, you're not alone. There's nothing wrong with wanting to stretch your dollar and save money on regular purchases. However, what stings is when you purchase an item that you think you got at a deal price only to find out you didn't really save any money on the purchase after all. If this has ever happened to you before, you probably fell for a sales trap from the retailer. What's a Sales Trap? A sales trap is when a retailer promotes a sale in an attempt to reel you in to make a purchase. Only, the 'sale' is not really a sale because you won't truly save money on the item if you buy it. It's a tricky concept to grasp at first, but it's very common and the more you know, the better you can protect your finances. Since we're talking about saving money this season, this week, we decided to record an episode highlight 5 common retailer sales traps you need to avoid at all costs. Why Do We Tend to Get Excited Over Sales and Deals? To understand the 5 common retailer sales traps and how to avoid them, first, we need to address why we fall for the sales traps in the first place. To sum it up, most people get excited when they see sales and deals in the store, but why is this? We found some great research that explained the big hype surrounding retailer sales but to sum it up, finding a sale generates excitement for consumers because they feel like a smart or savvy shopper. The consumer becomes more confident with the shopping experience when they come across a deal especially if they're on a budget and trying to get more bang for their buck. The research we found from the Association For Consumer Research also indicated that as a consumer, you can even feel partially responsible for taking advantage of the discount which shifts your perspective to an emotional standpoint. When you become a shopper who buys items based on emotion rather than need and practicality, you're bound to develop some dysfunctional shopping behaviors or in other words, fall for common sales traps and regret your purchases later. Better Ways to Get Excited About Saving Money If you want to avoid becoming an emotional shopper and falling for retailer's common sales traps, consider getting excited about other methods that are sure to actually save you money. Here are a few things you can to to save money more effectively. Start by saving 10% of your income. Set up automatic transfers from your checking account to your savings account so you can save money to meet a financial goal. Adopt a frugal lifestyle or adopt some minimalist traits so you can begin to live well on less. Take advantage of free activities and events for entertainment to save money Price match. If a store you like has a price matching policy, use it to your advantage to purchase food and other items for less. Now, we still haven't address the giant elephant in the room. If you want to know what the top 5 common sales traps are and how to avoid falling for them and wasting your money, you're going to have to check out the episode below. We had so much fun revealing each sales trap and sharing examples and experience from our own lives in order to help you save money so listening in is definitely a must! In This Episode, We Discuss 1:10 - What are sales traps? 7:30 - BOGO traps and how to avoid them 15:35 - Shopping trends

You may not realize it, but there are right and wrong ways to save money. For example, when you go shopping and get things on sale, the cashier may tell you, "You saved $50 today!" But in reality, you haven't actually saved $50. What you've actually done is spent money on whatever it was you were buying. Of course sales and discounts can be a good way to save money on things you truly need and were already planning to buy. But, the truth is, many of us get caught up in these sales tricks and end up spending money on things we may not need or have purchased at all if they weren't on sale. When we do this, we aren't saving money the right way. We are actually throwing money away on useless clutter. Make a List One of the easiest ways I've found to make sure I'm not falling for marketing ploys and ending up spending more to "save" more is to make a list of the things I actually need before setting foot in a store. Once I'm there, I try my best to only go down aisles that contain the things I need, and to only go down each aisle once. This way I'm not tempted by things I never go past and I'm only tempted once by the things I do have to walk past to get items from my list. Even when clothes shopping, making a list can help. Keep your list visible and only look for things you have written down. Think it Over If you do find something you want that isn't on your list, add it to the bottom with the date next to it. Then, take time to think it over. Wait a few days before buying that item. Decide if you still really want or need it. If so, feel free to buy it without guilt. If not, you'll have saved yourself some money. Save Your Savings The next time a cashier tells you how much you saved, go home and transfer that amount to your savings account. This act of actually saving your savings from shopping can be a good way to add to your emergency fund, vacation fund, or even just a general savings fund. Be Mindful One final exercise to try and save money the right way is to be mindful while you're shopping. Don't be in such a rush that you don't take time to think about things before you buy them. Try asking yourself the following: Would I buy this if it weren't on sale? How often will I use this? How long will this be valuable to me? These questions can help you determine if something that's on sale is actually a good buy or just a waste of money. Check out our episode for more tips on how to save money the right way. In This Episode, We Discuss 1:15 - Saving: right vs. wrong 12:30 - Examples of how to save money the right way 23:35 - Save your savings Related Links to Check Out: Your Time is Your Money Why You Shouldn't Skimp on Self-Care Overcoming Shopping Addictions Unroll.me This episode was brought to you in part by Audible.com. You can listen to any audio book for FREE with a 30 day trial using our link!

Can money buy you freedom? We think so. We're sure you've heard that money can't buy you happiness but freedom is much different from happiness. Happiness can be a temporary emotion and it's never really wise to base your emotions on money and what money can buy you. On the other hand, what you do with your money can help provide you with freedom. When you manage your money properly and save up for your goals and the future, you'll be setting yourself up for a better quality of life. This week on the podcast, we're discussing how saving money can be used as a tool to help you gain freedom. The First Step, Defining Freedom If you want to use money to gain more freedom, first you need to define what freedom means to you. Freedom means something a little different for all of us. Generally, however, freedom means you have options and can make your own choices without letting factors like money hold you back. If you want to quit your job to pursue something you're more passionate about, having money saved up can provide you with the freedom to make that decision. If you're in a bad relationship but you're financially stable, you'll have a better sense of freedom needed to walk away without worrying about finances. Freedom could mean being able to travel when you want or take time off work for health reasons instead of stressing out about not being able to earn a paycheck. We may not realize it, but money is a lead cause of stress. It can really make you feel trapped especially if you're dealing with issues like debt, having a low income, paying too many bills, etc. Saving money means you're prioritizing your freedom (whatever that looks like) and giving yourself more options so you can live a life you truly want to live. Buying Back Your Time One of the big ways saving can provide you with freedom is that it helps you buy back your time. Time is one of the most important assets we have in life because once it's gone, we can't get more of it. If you've ever fallen for click bait on the internet and watched a video or read an article that wasn't interesting to you in the slightest, you've probably gotten mad at yourself for wasting time that you can never get back. Time is so important and we all need to make sure we're spending the bulk of our time on what matters most to use. Once you figure out how you want to spend a majority of your time, you can start to use the money you saved to "buy your time back" from activities that aren't as important or valuable to you. Some people want to retire early and live a life of more freedom. Others want to cut out time-consuming responsibilities like landscaping, cleaning, running errands, and working overtime. Whatever you preference is, you can save money to meet those goals whether that means investing aggressively or outsourcing tasks. Ready to learn how to start saving money so you can gain more freedom along with the mindset shifts you need to make in order to be successful? Check out these week's episode. We'll be giving you some motivation and practical tips you can start putting to use ASAP. In This Episode, We Discuss 2:00 - Why people think they can't spend money at all while saving 5:45 - Saving is hard, but it's worth it! 11:50 - The problem with instant gratification 13:15 - How saving money has given us freedom Related Links to Check Out: The Road to Financial Wellness The Importance of Defining Your Values How to Practice Delayed Gratification How to Save Money on Travel Afford Anything This episode was brought to you in part by Audible.com. You can listen to any audio book for FREE with a 30 day trial using our link!

For most people, saving money isn't something they consider fun. In fact, some people consider saving money to be a sacrifice that takes away their ability to spend money on things they enjoy. That's why people tend to put off saving money instead of paying themselves first. But, the truth is, spending all of your money is not going to help you reach your financial goals. If you struggle with saving money, try some of the easy savings tricks we discuss in this episode. Make a List of Your Priorities If you're working on multiple financial goals, like paying off debt and saving money, or investing and saving money, it may be difficult to decide how to divvy up your money. When faced with this situation, many people opt to put off saving any money at all because they can't decide the best way to prioritize their goals. To beat this common problem, make a list of your priorities. Sit down and decide what is the most important think for you to accomplish first. Or, look at it as a trade-off. This trick can work especially well for impulse shoppers. Instead of immediately buying the item you want, take a minute to ask yourself if you'd rather spend the money on this item, or if you'd rather put your money toward your financial goal, like paying off debt, or even something else fun, like saving for an up-coming trip. Move Money into Savings Immediately Do you ever find yourself with a surplus of money in your account? Maybe you got an extra paycheck during a three paycheck month, or you sold some clutter from around your house. Instead of letting that money sit in your checking account or wallet, tempting you to spend it, move it into savings immediately. Natural spenders may feel inclined to wait until the end of the month "just in case", but if you really need the money back in your account for an unexpected expense, you can always transfer it back out of your savings account later. This way it's not as readily accessible for impulse purchases. Keep the Change Find out if your bank has a program that automatically transfers your "spare change" into your savings account when you use your debit card. Many banks offer this service and it can help you save a few extra dollars each month. If your bank doesn't offer this service, you can do it yourself if you spend mostly with cash. Instead of putting your coins back in your wallet when you make a purchase with cash, put it in a jar or other container in your home. When the container gets full, take it to your bank and deposit it in your savings account. Try a Savings Challenge Another great way to make saving money more fun is to participate in a savings challenge, like the 52 Weeks of Savings Challenge. Even if you don't make it all the way through a savings challenge, you'll still have a good chunk of money to put towards your savings goals. Find out about even more savings tricks in this week's podcast episode. In This Episode, We Discuss 1:35 - Little ways to save and avoid the pain 7:35 - Debt rollover 9:45 - Savings challenges and shopping bans 15:50 - Finding a frugal approach to pricey habits Related Links to Check Out: Automating Your Savings to Get Ahead Financially Budgets are Sexy: Use This Chart to Save $1,000 This Year Afford Anything: Take the One Percent Challenge Kayla Sloan: Save More Money This Year With Savings Challenges Cait Flanders: Shopping Ban 3 Free Ways to Indulge in Self Care This episode was brought to you in part by Audible.com. You can listen to any audio book for FREE with a 30 day trial using our link!

Do you have a budget? Does the word 'budget' make you feel uneasy somehow? Last week we talked about tracking your spending and how important that is. The next step is using the numbers you track to develop a realistic budget. This week, we're talking all about budgeting and how it can help you save and reach your financial goals. If you've never created a real budget before, have had issues sticking to your budget in the past, or are simply questioning whether or not you need a budget in the first place, this episode is a must-listen because there is no one set answer to any of these situations. Determining the Purpose of Your Budget Some may argue that budgeting is not for everyone, but we beg to differ. The word 'budget' often has a negative connotation attached to it but a budget is simply just a spending plan to tell you how to spend your money so you can reach your financial goals. Have debt? Need to save more for retirement? Want to take a vacation or start paying more of your bills on time? Using a budget can help you make the most of your money and improve your finances. A budget doesn't have to make you feel deprived but the truth is, your income isn't unlimited and you can't spend a ton of money on whatever you want. If you do, you won't have any money left for the important stuff. Budgeting helps you plan out what you'll spend money on whether it's a necessity or something fun. We'd actually highly recommend you include space in your budget for wants and fun expenses to make it more convenient. Just take a look at what your values are and align your spending with the expenses that are most important to you. Commonly Overlooked Budget Categories There are so many different ways to budget and we explain some of the most popular methods in this week's episode. Some people like to assign an amount to specific budget categories while others like to take a more value-based spending approach or dedicate a percentage of their income to a specific category like 10% to their retirement fund. When you're just starting out or revamping your budget, you'll probably use budget categories. Here are a few commonly overlooked categories that you should consider including. Annual Expenses - It's common to forget about annual expenses because you don't have to pay them each month. However, when the big bill pops up once a year, it could throw you off track so try to budget ahead for the expense by breaking it up into 12 payments that you pay yourself each month. When the time comes, you'll have the entire amount in full no problem. Car-Related Costs - Car repairs and maintenance can add up. If you drive a lot and know you're going to need an oil change or some maintenance, budget for that expense by giving yourself a monthly car spending allowance. Even something as low as $20/month can help you if you need a tune up or another service. Gifts - If it seems like you have those months where you get hit with a ton of gift expenses for events, birthdays, and other celebrations, include this expense in your monthly budget so you're not making those purchases on credit cards with no intention of paying the bill off quickly. Household Items - How much do you spend on toiletries and household items each month? Be sure to create a budget category for this so you can get the items you need when you need them. Guilty Pleasures - As we said earlier, don't neglect fun from your budget. If you have any guilty pleasures that truly add value to your life, create a budget category for them if you can afford it. For example, you could set aside $25/month for coffee at your favorite cafe if that's what you like. Being honest with yourself and setting a budget category for guilty pleasures can actually help you avoid overspending so you can save more money overall. In This Episode, We Discuss 1:45 - Who do budgets help? 10:45 - The difference between finance tracking and budgets 13:45 - Different budget methods of budgeting 23:50 - Big bad budget mistakes This episode was brought to you in part by Audible.com. You can listen to any audio book for FREE with a 30 day trial using our link!

If you're just getting started on your financial journey, you may think that creating a budget is the first step you should. However, the three of us truly believe that tracking your spending is actually the first step. The truth is, you can't create a realistic budget that you can stick to if you don't know your numbers. In fact, all of us started with tracking our spending before we ever attempted to create our first budget. This week on the podcast we're talking about how and why to start tracking your spending. Read on for more about why it's important to track your spending and the show notes from this week's episode. Why You Should be Tracking Your Spending As mentioned, tracking your spending should be the first step you take to get your finances in order. It should be done before you ever even start with budgeting. Why? Because most of us don't actually know where our money is going! So, how can you expect to create a budget and spending goals for different categories if you don't know what you've been spending in that area already? For example, you create a budget and decide to only spend $200 on groceries. But you can't seem to stick to it for the life of you! It's probably because you were spending much more than that on groceries before you started your budget. In order to create a more realistic budget, you should keep track of what you spend on groceries, and everything else, for at least a month. This way you can see what "normal" looks like before you create a budget. To get an even more accurate picture of your spending, try tracking your spending for 2-3 months to get an average. You can then use the average to create a realistic budget. How to Start Tracking Your Spending So, how can you get started tracking your spending? There are several different ways to go about it. How you track your spending may depend on how you spend your money currently, if you use cash or credit for most of your spending. You can go old-school with a pen and paper to keep track of your spending. This can be especially effective if you spend cash and don't usually get receipts. Keep it in your purse or wallet so you can write down your purchases right away. Another idea is to create and use a spreadsheet. You can input you receipts from cash spending and spending with credit/debit cards. The spreadsheet could have several categories, similar to what you'd use in a budget, to help you add it all up at the end of the month. Online tools and apps are another popular way to track your spending. You can use a system like Mint or Personal Capital to pull in and categorize transactions from your bank account or credit cards. Then you can manually add transactions for cash spending or make other adjustments as needed. The key is to find what works for you and use it! In This Episode We Discuss: 1:15 - How did you start getting your finances in order? Did you start with budgeting or tracking your spending? 7:20 - How payment types (cash, credit) affect tracking your spending 21:50 - Did tracking lessen or increase your stress level? Related Links to Check Out: Should You Shop with Cash or Credit? Mint Personal Capital  

Last season was all about self-care and being the best you can be. We had so much fun recording our self-care season and hope you've gained a lot of clarity on your personal and financial goals and values from listening to the episodes. The next step is being intentional with your money and using it as a tool to improve your life. The Importance of Saving Money Saving is one of the most important aspects of managing your finances and one of the best ways to get ahead and start building wealth. Saving is important because it's crucial that you set some money aside for yourself. Paying for bills, debt, and other expenses can become draining if you don't have any money left over for your own wants and needs. We understand that saving money can be difficult for some people as it was for some of us in the beginning stages of our financial journey. Shocking studies reveal that the average American lives paycheck to paycheck and can't even afford a $500 emergency. Failing to save can easily put you into debt again and again preventing you from ever getting ahead financially. Even if you consider yourself a money-saving pro, this season is still great for you especially if you're looking to increase your savings rate to meet various different goals, make frugal living work for you, pay off some existing debt, or explore your options for financial independence. Yes, we're going to be diving into all those topics and more this season to help you find saving less threatening and more of an exciting opportunity to do more with your $$$. This week, we're opening up that conversation by talking about automating your savings. Why Automate? Automating your savings is similar to driving with cruise control on. It's easy and smooth, but you still have to know where you're going and have a solid plan in place. Automating your savings can help you take action but still remain laid back so you can dedicate your time and energy to other tasks. Automating is not the best solution for everyone, but when done correctly and with the right intentions, it can help you save for purposes like: Your emergency fund (that $500 emergency won't be able to put you in the poorhouse) Travel and vacations Retirement College Large purchases And more Ready to find out if automating savings is right for you and how you can use this practice to save more money long term? Check out the first episode of season 3 and let us know if you'll be automating your savings this year. In This Episode We Discuss: 1:10 - Are you for or against automation? 7:50 - Avoiding Temptation 15:40 - Discussing Digit (Now $2.99 per month) P.S. During the episode we discuss Digit, a savings app that helps you save money automatically. At the time we recorded this episode, Digit was a free service. But recently, Digit announced they will start charging users $2.99 per month. While this is a small fee for the service, we did want to make you aware of the price change if you were interested in signing up for Digit. This app could still be a good option if the $2.99 fee is motivation to get you to save more money, but you can also consider automating your savings on your own, too!

The importance of effective communication is undeniable. But, how do you know if you are actually an effective communicator? In this week's episode of the podcast, we discuss the importance of communication, how to be a good communicator, and how to solve communication problems with the people in your life. Being able to communicate effectively can help avoid miscommunications and help you get the things you truly want in life. Here are 5 keys to communicating effectively. Don't Talk, Listen You may be surprised to learn that the first key to communicating effectively is to practice good listening skills. Unfortunately, many of us don't practice  good listening skills most of the time. Rather than listening and comprehending what people are saying to us so we can then process and respond appropriately, we are simply waiting for our turn to talk. When you do this, there may be repeats in the conversation, plus your conversations will never be deep or meaningful. Next time you are communicating with someone verbally, don't think about what you'll say when it's your turn to talk. Instead, focus on truly listening to the other person while they are talking. Speak Simply and Clearly When it is your turn to talk, make sure to speak simply and clearly. Use common language and don't use niche terms or abbreviations. People often use complicated words or niche terms in an effort to sound smart or sophistated, but all it really does is turn people off. Simple word choices with clear meanings are the best way to communicate effectively. Get to the Point Similarly, don't beat around the bush. Get the point quickly, but also without leaving out anything important or relevant. The best conversations are those that have the right amount of details, but not so much that they drag on and on. Especially when asking for something you want, be clear and get to the point. Use Good Body Language Another important thing to do to be an effective communicator is to use good body language and understand the body language of those with whom you are speaking. Make yourself open to the conversation rather than crossing your arms or legs or turning your body away from the conversation. Make eye contact and make an effort to seem alert and interested. Being able to read the body language of others will also help you to have a good and effective conversation. You'll be able to tell when they are becoming bored or uninterested in what you have to say. Take the Emotion Out of It The biggest flaw most people make when communicating is allowing emotion to take over. Like anything else in life, when emotions take over the conversation can take a turn for the worse. It's difficult to communicate effectively or receive a message effectively when your emotions are running high. With loved ones this can also cause one or both parties to say things they don't really mean. If you can't take the emotion out of the conversation, try coming back to the topic later. For more tips and specific examples, check out this week's podcast episode. Don't forget this is the last episode of this season. We'll be back soon to cover our new season about saving more money. In the mean time, you can check out all of our episodes so far in our podcast library. In this episode we discuss: 1:50 - How important is communication? 11:50 - Clarify! 13:20 - Have you gotten anxious from miscommunication? 14:40 - Passive aggressively agreeing to jobs or tasks 20:20 - Solving communication problems Related Links to Check Out: How to Ask for What You Want How to Say No (and Why It's Important) Find all of our episodes here!

Do you ever feel like a yes man or woman? Do you feel compelled to agree with every request, task, or option you receive even when you're really not on board? Many people find themselves doing this because they either just want to be polite or easy to work with. If you're a people-pleaser, you probably say yes often as well as a result. This week on the podcast, we're discussing what happens when you don't ask for what you truly want and how it can hold you back. Why We Don't Ask For What We Want The truth is, many of us have trouble asking for what we want whether it's at work or in our personal life. We do this for a number of reasons but here are three of the main motivating factors. You Want to Seem Compliant If you strive for order and structure, it's natural that you'll want to seem compliant and want everything to run smoothly. Society teaches us at a young age that putting ourselves first is wrong and our wants and needs are not as important as the next one. We're always taught to consider others first and make them happy. If you happen to want something that doesn't quite fit into that selfless mode, you may start to feel wrong or guilty when it comes to asking for what you want so you hold back. You're Afraid of How Others Will React Fear is another factor that can prevent you from asking for what you want. If you value what others think about you and how they perceive you, you'd probably be afraid of how they will react when you ask for something that different. Even if you say you don't care about what others think, we all do to a certain point which is why you probably wouldn't leave the house in pajamas and with your hair a mess. You Don't Know What You Want Finally, the third main reason why you may not ask for what you want is because you don't even know what you want, to begin with. If this sounds like it may resonate with you, you most likely either don't know what's possible or just don't know how to reach your end goal or why you're trying to reach it. What you want or think you want may be too vague. For example, there are a ton of people who enroll in college each year because they claim they want a good job, but haven't really narrowed down what they want their 'good job' to help them achieve in life and what that job would include. There are many students with undecided majors because they have no idea what they want. If you find yourself not knowing what you want or not realizing what's possible, you need to determine your values and envision the life you want so you can seek out opportunities that will support your end goal. The Benefits of Asking For What You Want There are so many benefits to finally being able to ask for what you truly want. While many fear that risk won't be worth it or that they'll experience backlash for being blunt and authentic, it's usually not the case. By being firm and asking for what you want, you can: Become happier and more satisfied Be able to take care of yourself better Have less stress and anxiety Gain more respect from others Communicate better with others Improve your overall quality of life Ready to start learning how to define what you truly want and ask for it without fear and guilt? Listen to our podcast episode. In this episode we discuss: 1:20 - Putting Yourself First (and not being rude about it) 6:00 - Evaluate your goals and your job to find common ground 16:30 - If you don't ask for what you want, then nobody will know what you want 22:10 - Asking for what you want - a raise and knowing your own value Related Links to Check Out: Why Being Busy Shouldn't Be a Badge of Honor What it Means to Live Authentically How to Let Go of What You Don't Want to Create More Space The Grass Isn't Always Greener When You're Self Employed Ted Talk: Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are by Amy Cuddy Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges by Amy Cuddy You can also listen to the audio book for FREE with a 30 day trial of Audible.com!

Are you sick and tired of feeling overworked, overstressed, and like you have no free time? Do you constantly find yourself overcommitted and juggling how to fit just one more thing into your calendar? We are tired of this too! That's why we are talking about how you can say no (even to family and friends) and why it's important in this week's episode of the podcast. It can be so hard to say no. You may find yourself feeling guilty, especially if you say no to friends and family, or if you say no to taking on more work and earning more money. But saying no can become easier over time and it's actually very important to learn to say no. Read on to find out the do's and don'ts of saying no and why it's an important word to have in your vocabulary. Do Take Time to Think it Over One of the biggest reasons people say "yes" to things they don't really want to do is because they feel pressured to answer right away. This is especially true if you are asked in-person, but it's become even more common via other forms of communication as well. With the constant connection people have to email, text, and social media these days, we've become accustomed to getting an answer right away. This is the biggest reason you'll end up doing things you aren't passionate about or don't value - because you felt compelled to answer right away. When you feel that pressure, you often don't have time to clearly think over your decision to decide if you really want to say yes or no to a request. So, next time you are asked a "favor" or a request is made of you, take the time to think it over. You can still let people know you received their message with a simple, "Let me think about it!" answer. Don't Drag it Out While taking time to think it over before answering is a great way to avoid yessing yourself into an overbooked schedule, you shouldn't drag it out. Take the time you need to think about a request, but don't avoid answering altogether. You can't simply ignore a person or their request, because they probably won't forget about it. Then when they ask again, you'll feel guilty and may end up saying yes even though you'd already decided you should say no. Don't Over (or Under) Explain When you do decide to say no, be careful about tacking on too long of an explanation. You may feel like you need to a valid reason (or 10) as to why you are saying no. But the truth is, you don't need to do this! Giving several reasons why you have to say no to someone won't make you feel any less guilty. Instead, just offer a simple explanation that we've found to work most of the time: "No, I can't help with XYZ, because I wouldn't be able to give it my full attention right now." Leave it at that. There's no reason to over apologize or over explain why you are saying no. Do Offer an Alternative One way to still be helpful to the asker is to offer an alternative when you say no. For example, offer to help at a different time when it's more convenient for you, or offer to point them in a direction to someone else who might be able to help them instead. If it's someone asking for your help for a charitable organization, perhaps you could offer a monetary contribution instead of donating your time. Offering an alternative isn't something you must do every time you say no. When you offer an alternative, make sure it's something that's easier or less complicated for you. Don't Feel Guilty This may be the hardest tip, but when you say no, don't feel guilty! Remember, why it's important to say no from time to time and there's absolutely no reason why you should feel guilty. Why It's Important to Say No There are several reasons why it's important to say no. One reason is because saying yes to every opportunity that comes your way means you can't dedicate your entire focus on doing the best job possible for everything you've said yes to. You won't be able to provide your 100% focus to anything if you don't say no to some things. Another reason to say no is because you have to put yourself first. If you are constantly saying yes to everything and everyone else, you'll lose sight of your values and priorities. When that happens, you might realize one day that you are on a completely different life path than you set out to achieve. It'll take a lot of work to get back to your original path, so it's easier to just say no to the things that won't help you get there in the first place. Finally, saying no isn't a bad thing. In fact, saying no could be a good thing. When you say no to doing things you don't want to do, you are able to yes to so many other things like: Taking care of yourself Having a day off Spending time with family and friends Relaxing and recharging to the best you can be For more tips on how to say no and why it's important, listen to our podcast episode. In this episode we discuss: 2:05 - How to say no and not feel guilty 6:20 - Saying no to friends and family 10:30 - How Chonce has gotten better at saying no 22:45 - Changing your mindset - What are you giving up by saying yes to everything? 27:00 - If it's not a "hell yes", say no! 28:30 - When you say yes, you are still saying no to something else! Related Links to Check Out: Why Balance is Elusive, and How to Accept it The Importance of Defining Your Values Why Being Busy Shouldn't Be a Badge of Honor How to Let Go of What You Don't Want to Create More Space The Power of No: Because One Little Word Can Bring Health, Abundance, and Happiness by James Altucher and Claudia Altucher You can also listen to the audio book for FREE with a 30 day trial of Audible.com!

So many people strive for the perfect balance in their life, but will they every find it? We've talked about finding balance in many of our episodes in the past but in this one, we're discussing why it's really difficult to achieve and why you should accept the fact that life will not be perfectly balanced all the time. The Truth About Work-Life Balance If you're struggling to find the perfect work-life balance, you're not alone. Many workers find it hard to balance their jobs with their social and family life. It leaves them feeling overworked, stressed out, and frustrated. Sometimes work-life balance gets so bad that you need to consider taking another job. In order areas, it all depends on how well you can prioritize and manage your time. If you are taking on way too many responsibilities, saying yes to everything (especially things we truly don't want to do), and putting a ton of pressure on yourself, it's no wonder why you feel like you can't balance. When you say yes often and prioritize everything, then nothing actually becomes important. Instead, make deliberate choices about what you want in life and how you want to spend your time. Does It Ever End? Whether you're a fan of 'balance' or not, you have to realize that your ideal vision of the perfect balance may not ever be realistic. Therefore, you may never get to your end goal if you simply seek more balance. First, you have to ask yourself what balance means to you and what you can actually control. For example, you can't control emergencies that throw you off schedule or a random phone call from a family member who you haven't talked to in a while. You can't schedule out or anticipate everything. There are going to be some days when things are just all over the place and you'll need to embrace the chaos and move on. In many ways, the idea of achieving the perfect balance can be very flawed. Balance is often not the end goal and it can't be because while it can be influenced, it can't be controlled 100%. When people say that want more balance, they are usually craving a specific end result which is in fact not balance at all. Your end goal may be to spend more time with your family, stop working at a certain time each day, enjoy your hobbies more, and just protect your overall quality of life. These are the things you should focus on instead of trying to equally distribute your time and energy to all the various different aspects of your life. Rethinking Balance We challenge you to rethink balance. It's usually not what you truly want in the end. While you may achieve a more balanced schedule and obtain more time to enjoy your life outside of work, the "balance" you achieve will go out the window as soon as a disruption pops up and throws your day off. Achieving the perfect balance long-term is nearly impossible. Plus, a balanced life may not even make you happy or fulfilled in the end. What you really want is more time to focus on what's important to you. It's not guaranteed that achieving balance will actually protect what is most important to you or give you the end result you want. Instead of working so hard to achieve balance - which is something that looks different to everyone - create the life you want that revolves around your values and interests. For more tips and advice on balance and how to find a new perspective on the popular concept, be sure to check out our episode. In this episode we discuss: 1:45 - Let's talk balance! 13:00 - Have you considered NOT balancing? 22:15 - Finding a new perspective on balance Related Links to Check Out: Why Being Busy Shouldn't Be a Badge of Honor How to Stop Being a Perfectionist This episode was brought to you in part by Audible.com. You can listen to any audio book for FREE with a 30 day trial using our link!

Have you found your purpose in life? It can be difficult to figure out what your path is, but once you do, it can help you feel so much more fulfilled. The truth is, none of the three of us have all the answers. We're still working on using our gifts and figuring out our purposes too. Plus, your purpose might change over time, making it even more difficult to pursue. This week on the podcast, we're discussing things we are doing to try and figure out our purpose and what we think it might be at this point in our lives. How to Find Your Purpose Since we're all still in our 20's, we're still working on finding our purposes and the best ways to use our gifts. But, what we've discovered so far is that finding your true purpose takes time and quite a bit of self-reflection. There are several things that go into it, a few of which we've already discussed this season and last season, such as: Knowing your values Living authentically Ignoring those around you Practicing gratitude Cultivating an abundance mindset It's not as if you'll wake up one day and be able to exclaim, "This is my purpose!". Plus, you may even find that what you once thought was your path in life is no longer fulfilling to you. Thus, your path and purpose may change over time. It's pretty rare that people discover their path in life at a young age, and sadly, some people never discover their purpose. Even after "growing up" and entering into the "real world" after college, many young adults still don't know how to use their gifts or what their purpose is in life. This could be part of the reason why so many young adults change jobs and move locations several times in pursuit of happiness and finding their life's purpose. Of course we all want our live to have meaning and provide value for the other humans on the planet, but sometimes finding your purpose isn't as cut-and-dried as all that. Sometimes "finding your purpose" may mean nothing other than finding a job you mostly enjoy and don't suck at. #thetruthhurts But that doesn't mean you should stop looking for ways to use your talents and gifts. Why It's Important to Find Your Purpose We know it sounds cliche, but finding your purpose is important for so many reasons. It can help you live a fulfilling life free of the pressures of society and keeping up with others. It can lead to greater happiness for you and those around you. And, finding your purpose can help you attract work and other opportunities that don't make you feel suffocated. In this episode we discuss: 1:45 - What are your thoughts on your purpose? How can you use your gifts to find your path? 4:45 - The "quarter life crisis" 10:00 - Trying new creative outlets to find your life's path 11:30 - What has helped you find your purpose so far? 22:00 - Chonce's story of helping people 29:15 - Asking people to weigh in on your gifts and talents 30:15 - Your career doesn't have to be the way you use your gifts Related Links to Check Out: How to Let Go of What You Don't Want to Create More Space What it Means to Live Authentically The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho You can also listen to the audio book for FREE with a 30 day trial of Audible.com!

What does creativity mean to you and do you practice it outside of work? Work can take up such a big part of our day and become a huge part of our identity which can create an issue. It's easy to become obsessed with earning the most money and becoming the best team member that you forget about having hobbies that you love and embracing your creative and playful side. This week on the podcast, we're discussing how you can give yourself more permission to be creative and go after fun things that have nothing to do with work or being the best. But first, here are a few things you should know about creativity. Being Creative Can Actually Make You Better At Your Job Saving all your creativity and energy for the job can actually turn out to be a bad move. Ever had a 'creative block'? That's probably because you've been overworking yourself and forces creativity into your job to achieve certain results instead of taking the time to experience it first hand and pull from personal experiences. Having a creative outlet and a hobby that excites you and allows you to relate, explore, and create can be very good for your wellbeing and mental health. Creativity allows you to express yourself and learn more about yourself. Whether you like to paint, draw, make crafts, sew, fix things, etc. these creative tasks can add to your identity outside of the workplace and even improve your overall mood. Creativity Can Be Freeing I know we just listed a few creative activity in the previous point, but creativity doesn't look the same for each person. What seems creative and fun to you probably won't look exactly the same for the next person. The cool thing about letting go and embracing creative and playful activities and hobbies and that there is a broad range of options you can explore. There's no right or wrong solution which can make being creative feel pretty freeing. Creativity allows you to escape limitations and the boring status quo. 8 Easy Ways to Embrace Creativity While creativity can mean anything for you, we've included just a few easy ideas of ways you can start being more creative in your everyday life just to get your wheels turning. By no means do you have to limit yourself to these ideas. In fact, we'd love if you could respond in the comment section with some of your favorite hobbies and ways to feel creative after listening to our episode and takeaways. Write in a journal. Start your memoirs. Capture the most amazing parts of the entire year. Make a small token gift for someone. The next time a birthday or holiday rolls around, consider making something small and special for someone in your life as opposed to going to the store and picking up a generic gift. Use an adult coloring book. This can be a fun and relaxing way to relieve stress as well. Do a DIY project in your home. Don't take on anything stressful, but if DIY projects excite you, feel free to add your own creative spin on the finished product. Try a different type of art. Try your hand at painting on a canvas or creating pottery. Mend your own clothes. Challenge yourself to learn something new. This will help you save money too no doubt. Work on improving the visual appearance of your food. If you love to bake, you can try decorating a cake or improving the presentation of the meals you prepare. Some food looks too good to eat but culinary art is just another way to embrace your creativity. Create something meaningful. If you've ever wanted to write a book or create a gadget that will make your life easier, stop hesitating and start taking action. Don't let money or recognition motivate your efforts. Instead, let your creativity drive and motivate you throughout the entire process. In this episode we discuss: 2:30 - How have you tried to embrace creativity? 3:42 - What does it mean to be creative as an adult? 10:15 - Kayla's childhood belief - "No such thing as an imagination!" 12:00 - How do you make time for embracing creativity? 19:20 - Using TV as a cop out or time filler instead of something creative 22:50 - Creativity doesn't blossom in boundaries 27:10 - The importance of finding clients or employers that allow embracing creativity in the workplace 29:10 - Letting fear hold you back from embracing creativity

Have you ever found yourself caught up in the trap of automatically responding with "busy" whenever someone asks how you are doing or what's going on in your life? We have, and we're tired of the scripted nature of this conversation. It seems as if no one is actually asking these questions to find out a genuine answer. Instead, these have become part of a standard and scripted greeting. Plus, whenever you say "busy" as you answer, it always prompts the person to tell you that it is a good thing because it equals success. But, we're here to tell you that being busy isn't the same as being productive or being successful. In fact, we've come to believe that it's actually a negative thing. That's why the topic of our podcast this week is how you can stop being busy and break free of the idea that it is the same as being successful. Why "Busy" Doesn't Equal Success As we said before, being busy is NOT the same as being productive or being successful. And yet, may people proudly share how "busy" they are all the time when talking with friends and family or posting on social media. Because of the positive reactions of our friends when we share our busyness, it's become a big trap to feel like you always have to be busy in order to be successful. But the truth is that when we're too busy, we are actually being less productive. We aren't able to focus on the task at hand, and we might end up multi-tasking. There are even times when being busy can lead to things slipping through the cracks, being forgotten, or being rushed, resulting in poor quality. This is a big issue at work and at home. You don't want to be so busy that you lose track of things at work or in your business if you're self-employed. Nor do you want to carry that mindset over to your home and your family. If you've ever been on the other side of someone who's too "busy" to pay attention to you during a meal, activity, or conversation, you know how annoying, frustrating, and even hurtful it can be. How to Stop Wearing "Busy" as a Badge of Honor So, how can we stop wearing "busy" as a badge of honor when friends and family ask about our lives? On the show, we joked that it would be a good experiment to tell people how things are REALLY going when they ask us in a scripted greeting. But in all reality, the best way to stop wearing busy as a bade of honor is to stop over-scheduling ourselves, stop saying we're busy, and break the idea that it's a good thing. Here are a few ideas for how you can begin implementing this in your life: Don't say you're "busy" when people ask how you are doing. Use a different word choice and strive for authenticity. If you do answer that way, remind people that there is such a thing as "too busy" when they praise you for it or suggest that being busy is a sign of success. Schedule down-time for yourself so you have time to not be busy on a regular basis. Learn your values and stick to them when you are asked to commit to something that you don't want to do or don't have time to do. Once you put these things into practice, you'll truly see that being constantly busy and stressed is not a good way to live your life over the long-term. In this episode we discuss: 1:15 - Why we always say we're "busy" when people ask how we are doing 2:00 - Why busy isn't really a good thing 5:00 - Making a mental shift to recognize that it isn't a badge of honor 7:15 - The difference between busy and productive 14:50 - Do we ever get sucked in to saying yes so we can seem busy? 19:15 - What do you value spending your time on? 20:40 - Finding meaning outside of busyness 22:15 - When your hobby becomes your job 30:07 - Finding an identity outside of work Related Links to Check Out: What it Means to Live Authentically Getting into the Practice of Gratitude The Importance of Defining Your Values Parkinson's law about work Essentialism by Greg McKeown You can also listen to the audio book for FREE with a 30 day trial of Audible.com! Chonce's new hobby: Latch hook This episode was brought to you in part by Audible.com. You can listen to any audio book for FREE with a 30 day trial using our link! Like It? Subscribe!

How often do you show gratitude? Being grateful is a habit everyone should adopt because it can change your entire outlook on life. Sometimes we get comfortable with our situation and start to take it for granted which can lead to unhappiness and feelings of inadequacy. This week on the podcast, we're discussing how to embrace gratitude and make it a regular habit. Each of us has our own experience and opinions on showing gratitude so there's more than one way to integrate the habit into your life. How Gratitude Can Change Your Life Having gratitude provides many benefits that can change your entire life for the better. First, it's been proven that gratitude can improve your quality of life. The 'you only live once' mantra really comes into play here because you don't want to spend all your time complaining about how things aren't good enough, being envious of others, or making a mental list of everything you don't have. Gratitude improves your quality of life by allowing you to be more positive and enthusiastic about your present and the future. You'll also be less stressed and have a lower risk for mental illnesses like depression. Bring grateful also forces you to work with what you have and embrace your current state instead of worrying about having more and more things. When you think about it, it feels pretty good to be grateful and live in the moment and embrace the imperfection of everyday life. Finally, being grateful allows you to put things into perspective and be realistic. There's nothing wrong with setting goals and wanting to improve your life but starting with a mindset that includes gratitude can help you get there faster and stop bring so hard on yourself. 3 Quick Ways to Become More Grateful Realize that you haven't really been showing a lot of gratitude lately? You're not alone. It's easy to lose sight of what you should be grateful for each day and only be reminded during certain holidays or on birthdays. It's important to get into the habit of being grateful each day because special days like holidays come and go and they aren't the only time of year that you should be grateful. Here are three quick ways to help you get back on track: 1. Write down or make a mental list of everything you have to be grateful for. Even the simplest things can make it on the list like having clean water, a roof over your head, your health, a job (even if you aren't crazy about it), etc. 2. Tell someone who plays an important role in your life 'thank you' and make sure they know how grateful you are for them. This could be your significant other, your sibling or parent, a coworker, a trainer at your gym, or even a staff member at the office you work at. If someone makes even the smallest difference in your life each day whether it's holding the door for you or remembering your morning coffee order so it's ready quicker, be sure to show gratitude and mean it. 3. Think of a bad situation and how being grateful can turn it into something positive. This shouldn't be difficult since it's usually easier for us to think of the negative aspects of our lives. If you don't like something about your life, be constructive and try to turn it into a positive. For us, we all started personal finance blogs that catapulted exciting new careers as online entrepreneurs. We wouldn't be where we are today if we didn't start by practicing gratitude, then take our issues with debt and personal finance, and turn it into something positive. Being grateful doesn't mean you should just settle and don't have to take action to improve your life. It actually can mean the opposite. To learn more about gratitude and how you can use it to change your life, be sure to listen to this week's episode. In this episode we discuss: 1:45 - Erin talks about her passion for practicing gratitude 3:20 - Chonce shares how she practices gratitude 5:20 - Kayla talks about being grateful daily 7:00 - Using a gratitude journal to remember to be thankful each day 8:30 - The power of gratitude in business 9:45 - Gratitude as a push for success 11:15 - Using gratitude to create abundance 18:30 - Gratitude overcoming inadequacy 24:40 - The problem with thinking, "things could be worse" Related Links to Check Out: How to Stop Being a Perfectionism The Power of Habits Over Resolutions How to Get Away From Keeping Up with the Joneses Let Go of What You Don't Want and Create More Space Recommended product: The One Minute Gratitude Journal Recommended product: Gratitude Journal: A Daily Appreciation This episode was brought to you in part by Audible.com. You can listen to any audio book for FREE with a 30 day trial using our link!

Do you struggle with being a perfectionist? If so, we can relate. There are times when being a perfectionist is seen as a good thing. It means you strive to always do your best, but it can also be a hindrance. Because being a perfectionist can cause harm to yourself and your loved ones, we decided to tackle the topic of how to stop being a perfectionist in our podcast this week. The Problem with Perfectionism If you take perfectionism to an extreme, it means you are literally striving for everything to be 100% perfect. You can get caught up in the details and end up wasting a lot of time on something that could be completed in far less time by a non-perfectionist. This can be a problem if you are self-employed because you won't be able to get as much value for your time on a project. But, even in a traditional career, this perfectionism can be a problem. When you get stuck in these little details, not only are you hindering your productivity, but you can be holding up your co-workers too. Plus, being a perfectionist also means you tend to expect those around you to hold up to your "perfect" standards, which is nearly impossible. Not every one is driven to strive for perfection, and when you expect that of others, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. The bottom line is that nothing will ever be 100% perfect, so striving for perfectionism is striving for failure. How to Stop Being a Perfectionist Stopping your perfectionism is easier said than done, but it is something you can work toward. Put Things in Perspective One of the best ways to stop being a perfectionist is to put things in perspective. When you find yourself caught up in the details, ask yourself the following questions:  Will this ever truly be perfect? Will there be a negative consequence for it not being perfect? Is it "good enough"? How much better can it really get if I continue to stress over the details? These questions can help you put things into perspective and hopefully realize that the law of diminishing returns definitely applies to projects you are striving to make "perfect". Step Away Another way to stop being a perfectionist is to realize when it's time to step away from a project and actually do it! Give yourself a break, or focus on something else you need to complete. When you come back to your project later, you'll likely find that the work you've completed is good enough. In fact, it may even be better than your clients, employers, etc. were expecting already. Stepping away and coming back to a project later can give you a fresh perspective on something. The bottom line to remember is there's truly no such thing as perfect. In this episode we discuss: 1:10 - Have you always been a perfectionist? 2:45 - What are some of the drawbacks of being a perfectionist and having high standards? 7:10 - How perfectionism can hurt other people in your life 18:05 - How to give yourself some grace as a perfectionist 23:40 - Don't celebrate the "small" wins, celebrate every win! 23:50 - There's no such thing as perfect. Striving for perfectionism is striving for failure. 26:50 - Learning to embracing the imperfect and embracing failure Related Links to Check Out: Why You Shouldn't Skimp on Self-Care The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brene Brown You can also listen to the audio book for FREE with a 30 day trial of Audible.com!

Being authentic means coming from a real place within. You can only live authentically once you've defined your values and beliefs so that your actions and words align with them. Living authentically is something we believe everyone should strive for because our time is often so limited and you only have once shot to live on this Earth. If you want to live with fewer regrets and be more fulfilled, it's important to embrace an authentic lifestyle. Breaking Through Barriers Living authentically sounds easy, but it's harder to accomplish especially as you get older. The younger you are, the fewer experiences you have with other people and society as a whole so it's easy to live an authentic life. However, once you start having negative and positive experiences with others, you may let people and outside factors like the media influence how you act, what you believe in and how you live your life. It's important to disconnect from worrying about what other people think about you as you strive to establish a lifestyle that allows you to be who you are and to let go of toxic relationships with others who may be preventing you from living authentically. 5 Ways to Start Living an Authentic Life If adopting a more authentic life is something you're striving for this year, here are 5 key ways to help you establish it. Define Your Values. We discussed this during last week's episode if you missed it. Defining your values will truly set the tone for your life and guide you through everything that you do. If you don't know what's truly important to you in life yet, you need to stop and define your values. Accept yourself for better or worse. When you get married, you vow to accept your partner during the good and bad times. Do this for yourself as well. Stop beating yourself up for your shortcomings and embrace each stage of life you're in. 'Good and bad' thinking can keep you trapped in a never-ending cycle of self-judgement and self-worth issues. Defend what makes you happy. What makes you feel happy and fulfilled? What is that constant factor that your life would not be the same without? Once you determine what those things are, give yourself permission to be a little selfish and embrace what truly makes you happy regardless of whether other people understand or agree with it. Cut the dead weight. Cut ties with toxic people in your life who don't support you or stand in the way of you and your authentic life. By cutting out people who act as a barrier, you can open up the door to connect others people who accept and support you. Own it and make no apologies. While there's nothing wrong with being scared of shy at times, when you're living an authentic life, you own who you are and make no apologies for being yourself. You call yourself out when you've done something wrong, and you stand by your beliefs and values. In this episode we discuss: 1:10 - What does living authentically mean? 4:00 - What authentic living looks like for Erin 8:20 - What authentic living looks like for Chonce 11:45 - What authentic living looks like for Kayla 14:50 - Examples of other people who live authentically 18:30 - Identifying toxic relationships that are holding you back from living authentically 20:35 - When it's scarier to live without authenticity than to make changes to live authentically 22:19 - A parent's perspective on authentic living and being judged by others 24:49 - How living authentically is a continual process Related Links to Check Out: The Importance of Defining Your Values Brene Brown's books that inspired Erin Essentialism by Greg McKeown You can also listen to the audio book for FREE with a 30 day trial of Audible.com!