Keeping finances from being parasitic.

 Howdy friends, I hope all is well. Today I would honestly like to talk about something a smidge different from what I normally do, but it actually will fit into the overall theme of what I tend to talk about, I promise. So, what is it that has been on my mind? Finances – that's what has been on my mind, especially since finances play such a consistent, vital role in our lives.

Now, I would like to state the obvious – I am no "finance guru" and I don't reckon I'm the best person to go to for financial advice. With that being said, I know sufficient about finances and emotional wellbeing to know that the two topics coincide with each other in a symbiotic relationship. When managed poorly, finances actually become a parasitic relationship that saps away energy and wellbeing, both when you're single and when you're in a relationship.

So, how do we stop this relationship from becoming parasitic? That's what I would like to cover mainly. The first principle I would like to instill in the matter is that you should not tie your intrinsic worth with fiscal value. A very common theme present in the media is the message "if you're not rich, you're a bum and a nobody." When we tie our worth to something so fickle as temporary wealth, we will find ourselves often measuring self-worth upon how much money we have. We will continue to chase wealth rather than find satisfaction with who we are now.

Another principle to avoid this parasitic relationship is by realizing that money, while a useful tool, is not the metric of a fulfilled life. Too often we forget that money is just a neutral tool – it is neither good nor bad, so it therefore is not a means to measure the quality of a life. Now, I am not saying that life can't be a bit easier if you have more money – heaven knows how difficult it is to function when we're working two or three jobs to scrape by. With that being said, money doesn't measure the greatness of a life. Some of the most fulfilled people tend to be those who aren't super rich, but rather those who find satisfaction with the life they lead.

Part of that fulfillment comes when you remember that time is the resource you can't get back, but money will come again. Why does this principle matter so much? Because the parasitic relationship with finances swings both ways into two extremes – we either are too loose with our resources or are too stingy with them. We often find ourselves not using our resources, saving them for some distant day, yet when it comes, we realize that we let so much life pass us by. What is the point of saving if we don't use what we're saving? Go on that trip, buy that little treat, go on that date – just don't lose yourself in the search for wealth. Life is the ultimate wealth, yet we bury that treasure.

The final principle is to be wise – not everything that can take up our resources deserves those things. We're often like little kids who see a shiny thing and go "I want it" but that doesn't necessarily mean it's worth our time or effort. Think about all the times that we see something that deep down is literally just junk, yet the packaging says it is treasure. Part of finances is recognizing what is trash, and what is treasure. So how do we do this? By seeing how something either builds towards or retracts from the life we want to live. My hope is that you all will be sufficiently wise enough to enjoy the lives you live and obtain the lives you want. Take care my friends.