I was writing this article on my laptop when my nine-year old came into the room and asked what I was working on. I barely looked up and grumpily muttered that I was writing an article on finding Financial Peace. He happily responded “Great Dad I want some Financial Pizza too!” I immediately realized that now, like so many times in my life, I was distracting myself from the very thing I was seeking. To honor the wisdom of my son and all the pint-sized geniuses that bless our world each day this article is published as Financial Pizza.
I was fully ready to educate you on the wisdom of making more, spending less and wisely investing for cash flow so you could reach some magical number that allowed you to sit on the beach, drink Margarita’s, never again worry about money and fully explore and share financial peace with the important people in your life. “You just have to be in it for the long haul,” “Nose to the grindstone,” “stay the course,” and “save for a rainy day”. That’s all a load of crap. If you do not have financial peace today regardless of your income, assets and social status, there is no amount or secret formula that will help you!
It is simply impossible to find outside of ourselves anything that does not already exist on the inside. My life has been an endless quest for more; more money, more power, more love all while desperately hoping to finally experience peace by reaching the mysterious goal of enough. I have finally realized enough and more cannot coexist no matter how many people buy into and share the delusion.
Shortly after the Pizza discussion my wife and I were babysitting our 5 month old grand-daughter. She is our first and only grandchild and lights up the room with her presence. I sat gently rocking her and giving her the last bottle before bedtime. As I looked into her eyes and watched as she drifted off to sleep I could feel her peace and contentment. How long till she took her place on the treadmill of life and started framing her happiness in terms of “when”, “if only” and “someday”. When did I officially decide financial peace was a destination with a ticket that could only be paid for in cash? When did you?
I know you are probably thinking this whole conversation is well and good for people with lots of money but you have bills to pay, kids to care for, and the local economy is a real mess. Someday when you get caught up, the kids are a little older, save a few bucks or have a little extra time to think about this financial peace stuff… Sound familiar? Yeah, me too, we can’t get back those anxious moments spent in fear, doubt and worry. Fear, doubt or worry cannot exist in the present and serve as a warning we are focusing our attention on the past, which cannot be changed or the future which has yet to unfold.
So the next question is what to do to experience financial peace. You cannot “do” anything as the only answer is to “be”. The act of doing once again puts us on the road to a destination and the point is we are already here. What relationships can we “be” grateful for? This can include our relationship with family, friends, coworkers, employees, mentors, and also relationships with our body, mind, spirit and creator. I am grateful for you the reader because in writing this article I have found My Financial Pizza.
“More or Enough?”, “Past, Future or Present?”, and finally “Do or Be?” It’s Your Choice and Your Financial Pizza!
