Anyone who knows me will vouch that I am a positive person and a big believer in the banishment of negative thinking. Research shows happier people live longer, are healthier and have greater success in life.
The research
My thoughts are shared by many, such as British cognitive neuroscientist Dr Lynda Shaw. In collaboration with research agency Mindlab, she showed through a series of lab tests, thinking positive thoughts about money, eg. saving for a pleasant retirement can stimulate dopamine and the ‘love hormone’ oxytocin and make you feel better and less anxious about future finances.
It’s not money, it's mindset
One of the biggest hurdles facing many of our clients is keeping a positive mindset whilst saving money. I encourage people to think about achievable savings goals and to make them specific. These can be your so-called money mantras.
Realistic goal setting
You could tell yourself "I want to save $10k in ten years" or "I want to save $20k for my son’s university education" as this gives you a specific target. Don’t be unrealistic – "I want to be a millionaire by the time I am 40." By breaking down your goals and pursuing them bit by bit you will stay motivated as you achieve each milestone. Avoid vague goals, such as “I will spend less money this month.”
Visualize success
It may help to create a vision board of your financial goals to outline your objectives, such as erasing credit card debt. Creating a vision board shows you specifically what you want to achieve and is an incredibly effective method of keeping your mind focused on your dreams and aspirations.
Celebrate what you have
When you achieve your goal, feel free to celebrate. Satisfaction received from this success will encourage you to move onto your next goal. Be thankful for what you have. If you ever feel discouraged or overwhelmed, look at what you have achieved in your life, this will help you to focus on what you have attained so far.
Positivity is infectious
Remember if you send positivity into the world, you’ll be surprised at how people respond and want to spend positivity back into your life. It’s just like going for a job interview, if you are positive in the interview room, you will more likely meet with positive outcomes.
If you’d like to find out more about saving for the future, I am more than happy to provide guidance and advice. Phone TV Financial on (08) 9072 1138 or email info@tvfinancial.com.au.