For many people, a pivotal moment in life occurs, perhaps upon approaching retirement, redundancy or a sudden and dramatic change of fortune. Maybe deeply tragic circumstances have caused them to have a monumental realignment on what is really important to them and how they change to spend their time and money.
COVID19 presented a once in a lifetime opportunity where the vast majority of the population found everything on hold – a sudden shift from what was normal and the long established (sometimes lifetime) customs and habits.
Questions we suddenly were able to genuinely ask ourselves revolved around the three great resources – time, money and health.
Where have you been spending your time, and now how will you choose to spend it?
With the onset of COVID, suddenly, most of us had more time on our hands – how did you choose to spend it, and was that in areas where perhaps you had always wished you had spent it? Having to spend more time with those closest to you – did that enhance the family unit or did it make you realise that you value your contact with friends much deeper than perhaps you thought? Where you used to spend hours pursuing various past-times and hobbies, how much have you genuinely missed them, and do you think that when it becomes possible, you will take a more moderate approach to this? How much more efficient have you now become by using online technology which perhaps you were reluctant to embrace?
Where had you been spending my money, and how can you now use it in a more productive and useful manner?
With a sudden inability to spend money, how did your household suddenly change? No regular spending and socialising, less travel costs, a sudden reduction in discretionary spending – the habits which tend to see money evaporate without noticing. Knowing the minimum amount you need to spend to sustain your essential lifestyle, does this now change how you view all of that discretionary spending, and do you know the impact that the ‘habitual spending’ could have on your future if it was used elsewhere? With the spare funds – what would you truly choose to do if you could – and does this shift how you will feel about budgeting going forwards – making intentional choices?
How vulnerable are you through your state of health, and what can you do to protect yourself?
Remember that sudden shock of reality that maybe the person next door may have a potentially life threatening disease which could be passed to you by a simple cough, or by touching the same handle on the bus? News that people with possible underlying issues could suffer more through Covid – what impact did that have on you?
Maybe these thoughts caused you to reflect deeply on your own state of health and what you may be able to do to be as fit as possible – certainly within your own capabilities?
In every one of these areas, COVID19 has presented all of us with a great opportunity to take a step back without necessarily suffering a hugely traumatic event.
The biggest question of all – what have your learned and how will you change your life moving forward – we’d love to hear from you.
– Jeremy Squibb
