At times a feeling of happiness and fulfillment surrounds us and permeates our hearts. At other times these feel distant. How do we stay connected with our happy place? And how does this relate to our finances?

As humans we are complex beings with individual needs and drivers. However, whether introvert or extravert, we all need people. We are all wired for connection. For this reason, our relationships can be a significant contributor to our wellbeing.

Similarly, our relationship with ourselves, both who we are now, and who we aspire to be, is critical. These ‘me-now’ and ‘future-me’ relationships are closely linked to our sense of fulfillment. We have all experienced the buzz of setting a goal, acting towards it, and achieving a little, or a lot, of success.

Sometimes we’re on fire and taking regular action towards our goals. A sense of pride wells up. At other times, the action and progress are not there. It is useful to examine the reasons for our inaction and reconnect to our ‘Why’ (our Purpose). It is less useful (even harmful) to admonish ourselves too harshly. In pursuit of our goals, we must be kind to ourselves, especially when we falter.

Like almost all areas of our modern lives, we must also observe that there is a connection to our finances. Money matters can feel all consuming. Particularly if they are not going well, or we’re falling short of our expectations.

When financial stress is part of our lives, it can feel like we’re in a fog. The way forward may not be clear, which is why it makes sense to have a plan and take one step at a time.

In life, financial stress often contributes to relationship stress. Working together to gain clarity on where you’re headed, and acting as a team, can help. It removes uncertainty, makes the hard times easier because you’re in it together, and takes blame and shame off the table.

Making progress towards a meaningful goal increases our personal satisfaction. Many personal growth goals have a financial element. Sadly, we sometimes hold back on pursuing a goal for financial reasons. Even when we know it would make our heart and spirit sing.

I can think of few better ways to allocate funds than in support of a meaningful goal that drives personal growth. Naturally, we must meet our financial responsibilities and be mindful as we spend our money. Fortunately, we can make financial progress and access happiness and fulfillment from pursuing personal growth.

Being in control is an awesome feeling. It starts with a conversation and plan.