I am re-evaluating what is important in my life and what are the things that make you happy.
I am a few weeks from turning 40 and it somehow, over the last few months has made me think and re-evaluate what exactly I am trying to do in this short life. I have had a few other reality kicks where my brother was diagnosed with cancer, my mother in law died from cancer, but other joyeous times like the birth of my children and nephews.
So, currently, I would list these as important things in order and would like to hear what others think considering this whole site is all about money give or take.
1) Have little debt (or at least little expensive debt)
The reason I put this as number one is that it gives you freedom. Freedom to take time off from work, freedom to loose your job, freedom to spend more money on some of things listed next, freedom to retire at a young age, freedom to buy things that you like and not just material things for the sake of it.
2) Experiences
Seems to me that time goes by very, very quickly when you get lost in the routine, the regular commuting and working pattern. When you experience something new, holidays whatever, you can look back and time doesn't seem to go as fast. Memories you create from experiences with friends and family is really all you every carry forward with you. The cars, houses, and whatever are just things that mess up your priority one above.
I am the type of person who will pay crazy ticket prices to see musicians who probably wont tour again or are on one of their last tours, Rolling Stones, U2, Neil Yong, I will literally pay hundreds to see them if I wanted to go. I will take time off from work to spend time with family.
3) Health
Might go without saying this one but I am one person who spends literally thousands more per year on my car than I do my health. That is plain stupid, but I did go and get my blood tests done yesterday. Please, please, please, go to your GP once a year for a check up.
My brother could not do anything to prevent a cancer diagnosis, a very rare type and very aggressive cancer, but all I can do is add to the voices who experience this that health really is your wealth. You must look after yourself.
4) Family & Friends
Friends come and go and as one of the people who grew into their late 20's without social media I find friends can go very quickly and you loose touch easily. I am trying to meet up with some old college friends again and I always knew the importance of direct family. But anyways, family and friends - you have to make efforts to keep them sometimes, they wont be around forever either. Forget about the silly things they do to annoy you.
5) Income
For many years I was focused on my salary, it was all I knew as a measure of doing well. It would have been number one in this list 10 years ago easily. But then over time it has become just means of spending and living and the difference between say 50k and 80k after tax isn't earth shattering. I find adjusting your spending has a bigger effect. Just yesterday I was in Dublin to buy some outdoor gear and I spent €140 in Trespass (a cheapish place for outdoor gear) and I then went into the Great Outdoors just to compare. I would have spent 5 times as much in there, granted you might argue the quality differs but I didn't see it.
I lost myself in measuring my income as a measure of success. You do need good income obviously to enjoy experiences but the extra enjoyment you get from say an extra 10k does not increase proportionally. I am now at a stage of thinking that I would take a large income decrease to work at something that benefits society in some way.
6) Wealth
This is bottom of the list because it becomes less and less relevant to having a happy life once you reach a certain level. In fact, from what I see and read, it can make you less happy unless you know how to handle it. I don't consider myself very wealthy, I will have to keep working until retirement but I previously felt almost inadequate when you read about the many very wealthy people in Ireland. But then I realised wealth in itself does not bring happiness.
Thanks for reading, its probably all very obvious but I would love to hear other peoples view.
I am a few weeks from turning 40 and it somehow, over the last few months has made me think and re-evaluate what exactly I am trying to do in this short life. I have had a few other reality kicks where my brother was diagnosed with cancer, my mother in law died from cancer, but other joyeous times like the birth of my children and nephews.
So, currently, I would list these as important things in order and would like to hear what others think considering this whole site is all about money give or take.
1) Have little debt (or at least little expensive debt)
The reason I put this as number one is that it gives you freedom. Freedom to take time off from work, freedom to loose your job, freedom to spend more money on some of things listed next, freedom to retire at a young age, freedom to buy things that you like and not just material things for the sake of it.
2) Experiences
Seems to me that time goes by very, very quickly when you get lost in the routine, the regular commuting and working pattern. When you experience something new, holidays whatever, you can look back and time doesn't seem to go as fast. Memories you create from experiences with friends and family is really all you every carry forward with you. The cars, houses, and whatever are just things that mess up your priority one above.
I am the type of person who will pay crazy ticket prices to see musicians who probably wont tour again or are on one of their last tours, Rolling Stones, U2, Neil Yong, I will literally pay hundreds to see them if I wanted to go. I will take time off from work to spend time with family.
3) Health
Might go without saying this one but I am one person who spends literally thousands more per year on my car than I do my health. That is plain stupid, but I did go and get my blood tests done yesterday. Please, please, please, go to your GP once a year for a check up.
My brother could not do anything to prevent a cancer diagnosis, a very rare type and very aggressive cancer, but all I can do is add to the voices who experience this that health really is your wealth. You must look after yourself.
4) Family & Friends
Friends come and go and as one of the people who grew into their late 20's without social media I find friends can go very quickly and you loose touch easily. I am trying to meet up with some old college friends again and I always knew the importance of direct family. But anyways, family and friends - you have to make efforts to keep them sometimes, they wont be around forever either. Forget about the silly things they do to annoy you.
5) Income
For many years I was focused on my salary, it was all I knew as a measure of doing well. It would have been number one in this list 10 years ago easily. But then over time it has become just means of spending and living and the difference between say 50k and 80k after tax isn't earth shattering. I find adjusting your spending has a bigger effect. Just yesterday I was in Dublin to buy some outdoor gear and I spent €140 in Trespass (a cheapish place for outdoor gear) and I then went into the Great Outdoors just to compare. I would have spent 5 times as much in there, granted you might argue the quality differs but I didn't see it.
I lost myself in measuring my income as a measure of success. You do need good income obviously to enjoy experiences but the extra enjoyment you get from say an extra 10k does not increase proportionally. I am now at a stage of thinking that I would take a large income decrease to work at something that benefits society in some way.
6) Wealth
This is bottom of the list because it becomes less and less relevant to having a happy life once you reach a certain level. In fact, from what I see and read, it can make you less happy unless you know how to handle it. I don't consider myself very wealthy, I will have to keep working until retirement but I previously felt almost inadequate when you read about the many very wealthy people in Ireland. But then I realised wealth in itself does not bring happiness.
Thanks for reading, its probably all very obvious but I would love to hear other peoples view.
