Your New Year’s Resolution: Holistic Self-Care is a Key to Financial Success
Body. Mind. Spirit. It’s not just a slogan for martial arts or yoga instruction. It’s a recipe for financial wellness and a lengthy retirement. Exercise the body. Stimulate the mind. Nourish the spirit. Addressing all three of these gives you more energy and enthusiasm while you’re still working and a longer runway to enjoy the golden years of retirement.
Wealth building for retirement is pointless if you’re not around to enjoy it. Far too many people put extra effort into making money and not enough into holistic self-care. Ironically, ignoring the latter can limit your ability to do the former. Unhealthy people don’t perform at optimal levels. Unhappy people don’t want to.
A Body in Motion Stays in Motion
Exercising when you’re young can lead to a more active lifestyle as you get older. Newton’s First Law of Motion states, “a body in motion stays in motion.” It describes objects in a vacuum where no other forces can affect their momentum, but the metaphor applies in this case. Don’t stop moving, and you won’t get stuck in one place.
No one is asking you to go to the gym every morning or run marathons. Staying in motion can be as simple as taking a walk around the neighborhood in the morning or after work. Those with at-home jobs often buy treadmills or elliptical machines so they’re not just sitting at a desk all day. You need to use them, of course, and not just hang coats on them.
A physically fit individual will have more stamina and energy than one who is out of shape. They’ll also be less likely to have a stroke, heart attack, or adult-onset diabetes. Those are all life events that can arrest the motion of your body and prevent you from building wealth. That makes them a financial wellness issue, not just a healthcare problem.
You Have Power Over Your Mind
Jim Morrison once said, “He who controls the media, controls the mind.” Marcus Aurelius, widely considered one of the greatest thinkers in human history, had a different opinion. He said, “You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” In modern terms, that means, “Don’t let social media dictate your actions.”
Enhancing your cognitive skills can be done with nutrition. In March 2021, the Harvard Medical School published a list of “smart foods” that includes green leafy vegetables, fatty fish with an abundance of Omega-3 fatty acids, berries, and walnuts. Eating those can make you sharper. That’s a key to making better decisions.
Clarity also promotes independent thought, a mindset that also requires fortitude and integrity. A focused mind is key to financial success because the world of finance is changing. Investment models from twenty years ago aren’t effective in a down market with rising inflation and high interest rates. Sharpening your mind opens you up to embrace new ideas.
Dance Like Nobody’s Watching
This self-care summary would not be complete without a Mark Twain quote. He said, “Dance like nobody’s watching; love like you’ve never been hurt. Sing like nobody’s listening; live like it’s heaven on earth.” Following that advice is one of the most spiritual things you can do for yourself. Life has no real meaning unless you live it to its fullest.
Spiritual health is up to the individual. Prayer, meditation, communing with nature, or just sitting quietly with self are all proven techniques to enhance the spirit. Exercise regularly, eat right, and sharpen your mind. Don’t feel you need to follow the crowd. Do all this, and you are on your way to achieving financial success and, hopefully, a long and happy retirement.
Disclosures:
Strategy Marketplace, LLC dba Tactive is a SEC registered investment adviser. Information presented is for educational purposes only intended for a broad audience. The information does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and are not guaranteed. Tactive has reasonable belief that this marketing does not include any false or material misleading statements or omissions of facts regarding services, investment, or client experience. Tactive has reasonable belief that the content as a whole will not cause an untrue or misleading implication regarding the adviser’s services, investments, or client experiences. Please refer to the adviser’s ADV Part 2A for material risks disclosures, linked here.
Past performance of specific investment advice should not be relied upon without knowledge of certain circumstances of market events, nature and timing of the investments and relevant constraints of the investment. Tactive has presented information in a fair and balanced manner. Tactive is not giving tax, legal or accounting advice, consult a professional tax or legal representative if needed.
The opinions expressed herein are those of the firm and are subject to change without notice. The opinions referenced are as of the date of publication and are subject to change due to changes in the market or economic conditions and may not necessarily come to pass. Any opinions, projections, or forward-looking statements expressed herein are solely those of author, may differ from the views or opinions expressed by other areas of the firm, and are only for general informational purposes as of the date indicated.
