I do apologize that I have not been better about writing recently. One thing I keep learning about myself is that the more free time I have, the less I get accomplished. While my time of #funemployment was enjoyable, it allowed me to keep putting off writing articles as I in theory had all day to accomplish this task. Then, the end of the day would come with nothing being accomplished, but that’s an article for another day.
One of my favorite quotes from Tim Ferris’s The 4 Hour Work Week is, “A person’s success in life can usually be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations he or she is willing to have.” I confess I am not very good at putting this quote into practice as I try to avoid uncomfortable conversations, but having the quote in mind helps me persevere in situations where I feel uncomfortable, knowing that the conversation has to happen and that life will be better once it has happened.
I feel this quote can easily be modified to speak truth to a person’s financial success as well. I have learned in my own life, and heard and read numerous examples of, “A person’s financial success in life can usually be measured by the number of uncomfortable decisions he or she is willing to make.” While some of the decisions I make to pursue financial independence start out uncomfortable, I find comfort in the uncomfortable, knowing that making these decisions gets me closer to financial independence.
While financial independence is about freedom, not deprivation, that does not mean that it is without its awkward or uncomfortable moments. Being able to save 50-75% of your income means you are rejecting societal norms and willingly choosing to not keep up with the Jones’. This can lead to uncomfortable circumstances when everyone at your office is leasing a new car, upgrading their phone, or buying new suits and you are driving an eight year old car, using a phone from years past, and wearing thrift store clothes. It can be uncomfortable when you have to turn down invitations to expensive parties/dinners because you know they will not fit in your budget. It can be uncomfortable when you have to take a job at a fast food restaurant because it is the only place that is hiring and it prevents you from going into debt. While these situations are uncomfortable, it helps to keep the reason for the uncomfortableness in mind, financial freedom.
Over the summer I read Elizabeth Thames book, Meet the Frugalwoods. In the book she mentions one of the ways she cut expenses in her pursuit of financial independence was that she stopped wearing makeup. Elizabeth had worn makeup religiously since high school and her made up face had become her identity, so giving up makeup made her very uncomfortable. It actually took her a month before she was able to go completely makeup free. While she felt very uncomfortable, she was able to persevere because she knew making the decision to go makeup free would help her and her husband achieve their goal of retirement and a homestead that much faster.
In my time off this summer I took a vacation to London. For three of my days there I stayed in a room in a hostel that slept twelve people. When I tell people that I stayed in a hostel they mention that they do not think they could ever stay in a hostel, or how uncomfortable it would make them. While there was a little uncomfortability when I first got to the hostel, though it was greatly lessened by having done a few shared Airbnb’s on my previous tour and having stayed in a hostel on a vacation a few years ago, I knew that the money I was saving in lodging would allow me to see more things in London. Due to the money I saved in lodging I was able do a unique tour of Stonehenge where I was able to go inside the stone circle and I was able to do the full tour of Buckingham Palace, instead of having to choose just one or two parts, as I knew I did not need to worry about the money.
In my years of touring I have ridden a bike or walked almost everywhere I have wanted to go. My family jokes that when they come to visit me they are guaranteed to hit their step goals. At times I admit it gets uncomfortable to walk or bike where I am going when it is too hot or too cold, or when the distance is a bit farther than I would prefer, but I take comfort in the fact that the money I am saving gets me closer to financial independence.
I could share numerous other examples of uncomfortable situations: asking for a raise, asking your friends to do separate checks instead of splitting the bill X ways when you just had a water and a side salad, living in a smaller house than your peers, that are uncomfortable in the moment, but get you closer to financial freedom. I encourage you to learn to embrace the uncomfortableness. The best part of embracing the uncomfortableness is that the more you do it, the less and less you feel it, a concept very similar to frugality being a muscle.
Do you have any examples in your life where you have embraced the uncomfortable in your pursuit of financial independence?
