Frugal Living

What do we value?

Frugal living is more than just saving money. It embodies a lifestyle that begins with determining the values by which we live life. Once we identify those, everything we do and every decision we make will be filtered through those issues of the heart we have identified as being important to us.

Each individual has a set of between 4 and 6 primary values that underline their life. They may have other values but they are usually secondary to these primary ones. Problems usually occur through distortions of those values.

• How we give of our time reveals issues of our heart. (Value)
• How we spend our money reveals issues of our heart. (Value)
• What we spend our emotions on reveals issues of our heart. (Value)

How do we define our values? We need to remember that we are not establishing goals at this point but are determining the fundamental items that make us who we are. Once we have identified our values then we can work on establishing goals that align with our values.

Let's look at some steps that will help us identify our values:

• We need to get ourselves into a setting away from distractions. A setting where we are calm and relaxed. A place to be able to clear our mind and reflect upon what our life means to us.
• We need to be honest with ourselves. If I say my number one value is my family, I need to be sure I am really willing to make that my priority. This needs to be worked out on an individual basis and should be completely confidential. This way we won't be tempted to write what we think our spouse might want us to write. In addition, being totally honest with ourselves allows us identify those values we may not be ready to share with others. As a family unit, you will need to be able to come to mutual values your family stands for.
• Ask yourself what is really important in your life.What past events in your life have left you feeling fulfilled and whole?
• Write down the values you discover.

Once we have determined our values we will be in a better position to see how they impact how we give of our time, spend our money or spend our emotions.

Enjoy Your Life After Retirement

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