THE new film, Paddington, shows a bear going through life getting into scrapes and causing stress to those all around him. It was another bear, Winnie the Pooh, who suggested that we all consider “a bother free day.” Can you imagine what your life would be like if you were not stressed out and bothered by your family, finances, relationships, work, or your health? What would your life really be like?
Having pondered those thoughts, consider what life is like for the 2.2 billion people who live on just US$2 a day or less. Before you add any uncomfortable comments about not needing to pay for a mortgage, vehicle loan or insurance, how many times have you wasted $2 each and every day with frivolous purposes? A bottle of water, a small chocolate bar or a newspaper cost close to $2 in some countries. Many individuals have to live on the amount you have easily disregarded.
Life is full of challenges, but it is financial challenges that cause the majority of stresses and strains for the majority and money, or the lack of it, is still the biggest cause for divorce.
Perhaps it is our attitude to the challenges that should change so that we focus less on the problem, but more on what we already have, as opposed to what we want to have. We live in a culture that encourages us to always want to buy the latest cell phone, tablet, computer and games machine, but it is the bigger challenges of owning a larger home and showpiece vehicle that affects long term savings and expenditure, often causing a tipping point that affects relationships and the ability to complete a day’s work, because you are operating on the opposite of a bother free day.
To help provide you with a bother free day and life, it is better to reduce some targets which involve mortgages, that are too large to manage, and vehicle loans, which means you never own the four wheels, let alone the engine and seats. It is better to live within your means and save more money for those days when an emergency strikes, or more importantly, to be able to help your family grow and be able to provide university education for your children, or their first vehicle – loan free, and give them a bother free day or more.
On Christmas Day, most people will check their emails and as a matter of habit, they will reply to some business emails that arrived late the day before. Although everyone will stress the need to avoid answering these emails on the 25th and throughout the Christmas holiday period, many employees will feel guilty and answer those emails received from their boss. Have a bother free day and leave those emails for a few days.
The holiday season is a great time to sit back and relax and to have a bother free day. It provides you with the opportunity to reflect upon what is really important and to help guide you towards making decisions about what is really important in life. This may help your long term planning towards a form of tranquility and a bother free life.
Samuel Rosenberg is the founder and CEO of Axcel Finance Ltd., the leading regional microfinance institution. Share your thoughts and email your questions to [email protected]