Life is More than Money

One of the best things about being on holiday is being able to take a few quiet moments to reflect on life and to appreciate being able to do things that bring pleasure rather than selling your time and skills for money. Where you spend your holiday and who you spend it with will give you some good clues about what is important to you in life. What is your ideal holiday?

• Do you enjoy spending time with friends and family? This is known to be one of the most important determinants of happiness along with good health.
• Do you enjoy camping or staying in a holiday home? No doubt you enjoy the simplicities of life and for you, happiness does not necessarily come from expensive possessions.
• Do you enjoy travel and adventures? These bring excitement, new experiences and the possibility of new friendships.
• Do you enjoy curling up with a few good books?  Perhaps you are a person who likes to have time out and feed your mind.
• Do you enjoy spending your holiday at home? For many people, there is nothing better than being in their own home where they feel comfortable and secure.

Thinking about how you like to spend your time when you are not under pressure to earn can help you set your financial goals. Life is not about making as much money as possible, it is about using the money you have in the most effective way to enable you to do and have the things that give you the most enjoyment, whether that be family, friends, adventures, time out, comfort or security. Once you have identified what these are (and this is not always an easy task), make them your priorities and set your financial goals around them.