Financial WellbeingThe Key to Long-Term Health and Happiness

Our financial wellbeing can dictate and have bigger lasting effects on our lives than possibly all the other pillars combined. If we re-term our financial health as our socioeconomic status linked to our upbringing, this variable has been shown to impact every element of our lives, future health across all pillars and even all cause mortality.

As we become adults it is as important to take ownership and be as mindful about our financial wellbeing like any other pillar aspect of our health (such as our fitness, diet etc).

Financial wellbeing can be defined as;

‘The perception of being able to sustain current and anticipated desired living standards and financial freedom’ (Brüggen et al 2017)

Top tips to support financial wellbeing (but as always apply personal context and seek further advice/ invest in support from a professional as needed!)

• Learn to budget – See my other post on reframing mindfulness – this applies here too. Conscious effort to take control of your financial circumstances and plan accordingly.
• Have a rainy day fund – shit happens. Work from the emergency fund not sacrificing good investment in healthy foods, gym memberships and ‘luxuries’ to support your health
• Champagne income, lemonade lifestyle – not the other way around. That said it’s about balance so build up to and look forward to treats and indulgences – not as standard.

• Think medium to long term – Financial wellbeing is a marathon, not a sprint. While short-term goals like saving for a holiday or paying off a small debt are important, the real gains come from thinking ahead—saving for retirement, investing in your future, and ensuring you’re protected against life’s uncertainties. Prioritise long-term stability over short-term gratification.
• Get advice from professionals and specialists within specific fields – tax, investments, savings, pensions. Huge subjects individually and circumstances, laws and regulations etc change. Learn from the experts.

There are lots more points here but as I am not personally a regulated advisor these are tips from advisors I have worked with or talking from personal experience.

Back to my areas of expertise my last tip is around value and parenting. Taking the time to give our children a sense of value (linked our personal values of humility or consideration for those less fortun