14 Complicated Situations I Can Guide You Through (as your Financial Sherpa)

14 Complicated Situations I Can Guide You Through (as your Financial Sherpa)

We often think of finances as a calculative and dry subject. We believe that the cold numbers will lead us to an objectively correct way to spend our money. However, life is full of unexpected and difficult choices and sometimes there isn’t a purely data-driven answer available.

In these times you need to examine factors like your mental state, your money story, future goals, and personal relationships to figure out what is right for you. I’ve covered 14 situations of times that disrupt our emotions and make it the most challenging to make a smart decision.

Preparing Your Relationship for Healthy Financial Discussions

Preparing Your Relationship for Healthy Financial Discussions

Money is a hard thing to talk about. It fits right in between being honest with your doctor and discussing a “newly renovated” nursing home with your mother-in-law. In fact, we’re taught from an early age to avoid talking about money. Even straightforward subjects like salary and savings are hindered by a layer of taboo. So, imagine the herculean difficulty of trying to talk about any emotional aspects of the subject.

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Your Legacy, A Guide For Singles

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Your Legacy, A Guide For Singles

Your legacy is a statement of who you are, how you want to be described, your perspective, values, and principles, AND your consideration of others after you are gone. When you don't have obvious heirs, you get to ideate about how your relationship with money can apply to the various people and organizations that have played a role in your life events and transitions. You have the opportunity to envision the manifestation of your goals and dreams and of those important to you, and how you can contribute to making those visions come true.

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Unleash the Power of Vulnerability

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Unleash the Power of Vulnerability

"I have never heard a person speak with such vulnerability at a business conference as you just were." Really? Moi? My presentation at a national conference of financial and philanthropic professionals carried the title, "What Was and What Will Be: A Client in Transition." I presented case studies, mine included, to illustrate the best and worst practices of advisors' vis-a-vis the retention of clients. The audience learned that while some professionals recognized I was as much of their client as my then-husband, others dismissed me as "the wife of the client." The retelling of my experiences brought audible gasps from the audience. My frame of reference was, "I'm here to tell these people what it is like on the client-side of the table," and if I was going to share those stories, I need to tell the truth — you couldn't make up some of these experiences.

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Identifying Your Emotions Around Your Money Can Bring You Peace

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Identifying Your Emotions Around Your Money Can Bring You Peace

For many people, when the pandemic and shelter in place dramatically changed our personal and professional lives, their general anxieties about financial security shot to the sky. As someone who has "bag lady syndrome," I was surprised that I didn't crawl under my bed and assume a fetal position. The hypothetical scenario of the world coming to an end was something I imagined for years. But I didn't hide, and I will circle back to why in a few paragraphs.

The reality is that no one can predict when the economy will rebound, and very few, if any, are suggesting anytime soon. For now, people will, understandably so, continue to be worried about their financial future.