In my last blog post, I talked to you about my financial journey and the wake up call that I had. This wake up call was a clear indication that I had to make some changes in my life, if I wanted a new reality. I had to identify the reason that I wanted to change: I had to identify my “why”. Identifying my “why” was the first step in the process. The benefit of pursuing my “why”, had to be greater than the benefit of being comfortable and staying the same.

I had to want to change more than I wanted to be comfortable. You cannot experience change and be comfortable at the same time! I had to get uncomfortable to make necessary changes. I once heard a story about how a mother eagle teaches her baby eaglets to fly. In the early stages of the eaglets’ lives, the mother would build the nest with the branches sticking outward, this provided the eaglets with safety and comfort. But after a certain age, the mother eagle would take those same branches and make the nest uncomfortable for her offspring. This was done purposely to make the birds uncomfortable so that they would leave the nest and begin to learn how to fly.

You may be wondering, ‘what is the point of this story?’ There are several points but there are two points that I want to highlight. The first point is, being comfortable is the enemy to any changes you want to accomplish in your life. Comfort and change cannot co-exist! The second point I want to highlight is, that being uncomfortable isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes you need to get uncomfortable so that you will take action.

If I didn’t take any necessary steps in the direction that I believed God was calling me to, I believe I would be in the same situation or a worst situation than I was in 4 years ago. I had to be uncomfortable or else I would have never changed.

This is your call to action. What if I told you that the very thing that is making you uncomfortable, is the very thing that you need to propel you forward into the next season of your life. This is what I mean by season : you have accomplished a goal or goals and you want to move on to something else. This can be a new job, new career, new relationship, or a deeper relationship with God. I know this blog is about finances but unless your “why” is more significant than your level of comfort, then you won’t change.

It doesn’t matter what your goal is – you need to identify your “why”. This is extremely important to identify because there will be days when you don’t feel like sticking to the plan. You won’t feel like sticking to your budget. You won’t feel like saving money. You will feel like doing whatever it is that you want to do. It is in that moment, you need to remember your “why.” Your “why” will help you stay committed, when your emotions don’t support you.

Budgeting and saving money are important to me. However, these actions in isolation aren’t a big enough “why” for me. Saving money without a purpose seems like a waste of time to me. When I think of home ownership, having an emergency fund, and striving to remain debt-free from the lense of building for my future and future family, I am thinking about building a legacy. The Bible says, that I should leave an inheritance for my children’s children (see Proverbs 13:22) and I don’t believe I have to wait until I am married and have kids to do this. I believe I can start the process right now! Otherwise, I am left with the alternative option: not being prepared and being unprepared hasn’t worked out for me so far. How can I leave an inheritance to my grandchildren if I don’t have anything to give?

I am not just building for myself but I am building for future generations. I am building something for my children’s children. That is so much bigger than me. And on days that I don’t feel like sticking to the plan, my “why” or my legacy is worth sacrificing for. Whether you are just starting out your financial journey or have been on this road for a while, you probably have some idea of your financial goals: becoming debt-free, retiring early, or building an emergency fund. My question to you is what is your “why”? Make your “why” so big that it cannot be denied. Have you identified your “why”? Let me know what it is. Please leave a comment below.

Talk to you soon, Gelayne.