September is upon us and students and teachers everywhere are back at school. For many adults, it is a popular time to reset routines and assess goals and progress. September is also National Self-Care Awareness Month, reminding folks to prioritize their own health and well-being. According to psychologists, turning our routines and habits into rituals can help us to approach tasks with intention and focus and allows us to infuse everyday duties with joy and meaning. In the blog post below, we have compiled ways in which financial responsibilities can be transformed into rituals.

• Write down your small and large financial goals. Place the note where you will see it often and make a habit of rereading it several times a week.
• Be intentional with your time and money. Review your calendar before the week begins and forecast spending. Look for ways to get creative and stick to your budget, such as carpooling with a friend to an event or taking mass transit.
• Automate your bills and banking and identify accounts you can set up on autopay for ease and peace of mind.
• Treat yourself to a favorite playlist, make a cup of tea, and light a cozy candle before you settle in to pay your bills or enter budget numbers.
• Plan a budget date with your partner such as a neighborhood walk, a coffee or cocktail date or an afternoon drive to discuss individual and joint goals and check in with each other.
• Journal your anxieties and concerns related to personal finance obligations and goals. What is providing the most stress? What can you do today, next week and next month to address it?
• Recall a time or times in your life when you made financial decisions that you were proud of and proved advantageous. What worked well then? How can that experience inform today’s choices and actions?
• Remember a person in your life you admire(d) for the way in which they conduct their personal finances and affairs. What did they do and what did they represent to you that you can learn from and adopt as your own style?

If you are experiencing a stressful time of transition or are simply looking to discuss your investment management and financial planning with an expert, please email us at info@vcmi.net or call 503-221-5656.