How To Find The Magic Within

I hate to break it to you,
but money can’t buy happiness.

I can hear people financially struggling right now retorting,”Oh yeah? Give me a million dollars so I can test out that theory, Sami.” 

Yes, I know it may be a pompous thing to declare in some peoples’ eyes. The privilege of that statement is not lost on me.

But I’m not coming at you with a silver spoon stuck in my mouth.

I’ve felt happiness in debt and I’ve felt happiness out of debt. 

I’ve felt happiness on vacations funded by Discover and I’ve felt happiness on cash flowed vacations.

I’ve felt happiness raising children amongst bill collection calls and I’ve felt happiness raising children recording my podcast on financial freedom.

I’ve felt happiness drowning in $500,000 of debt and I’ve felt happiness swimming in $225,000 net worth.

I have been broke. I have been at rock bottom.

I have also been debt free with a growing net worth. 

Being on both sides gives me a unique perspective on this common phrase. 

If money doesn’t buy happiness,
how do I become happy?

Don’t get me wrong here, money can buy a lot of things. It can buy a vacation to Bali, a home in a safe neighborhood, or a degree from a top university. Money can do wonderful, out-of-this-world things, but what it can’t do is provide true happiness.

When we embark on the debt free journey toward financial freedom, we assume we are going to finally ‘be happy.’

When I pay this loan off, I’ll be happy.

When I’m debt free, I’ll be happy.

When I can save for retirement, I’ll finally be happy.

This journey is so much more than money will ever be. Money can make your dreams more achievable and money is certainly a vehicle to actualize your desire, but only you can discover what those desires are.

In other words, you have to do the foundational work first. 

Girl, get to the point.
How do I figure it out?

When we go on this financial journey, we have to build that strong foundation, otherwise, we will crumble. 

While I wish I could come hang out with you on your porch, drink coffee with you, cry with you, talk for hours with you, I can’t.

So, I’m here typing this message for you. Meeting you wherever you are in the world, wherever you’re at in this time of your life. I am here with you. 

The first thing I want to tell you is that you’ve gotta take care of #1. You cannot pour from an empty cup. It’s time to peel back the layers that you’ve been ignoring or been too busy to acknowledge.

You do this by carving out time for yourself. Yes, I say carving out because sometimes it can feel as physical as taking a chisel to the side of the mountain. If you say you’re going to do it and then never make time for yourself, it will never come to fruition.

Set a definitive time for yourself. To be with yourself. Sometimes this looks like:

• Waking up an hour earlier 

• Spending thirty minutes journaling in the evening

• Setting a timer for five minutes for prayer or meditation

• Completing a Youtube at-home workout so you can move your body

• Perhaps it’s watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians because you just need a break 

Whatever carving out time looks like for you, this is where you listen. This is where you dive deep and have a heart-to-heart with yourself. Where you discover what your unique path is and cultivate that desire within yourself.

It won’t happen overnight, and honestly, it wouldn’t mean so much if it did. It’s a process and the first step of truly discovering the magic that’s within you. With little by little progress and time, we help these desires grow.

You may cry, scream or become frustrated. Hell, you may even give up and come back to it at a later date. As long as you are intentional with this time, you will reap the rewards of listening to your soul. 

Yes, this is a personal development journey. Yes, it’s also a financial journey. But, more so than that, it’s about living life to the fullest.

I’ve found my path -- now what?

Once I carved out time for myself and listened to my heart, I realized that I was called to be a mom and an entrepreneur. 

I was called to encourage amazing women, like yourself.

I was called to share this message right now.

Once I realized this, it was time to make my money aligned with my true potential and who I was called to be.

The same goes for you.

If your heart's desire is to be a SAHM, but you can't afford to because your family relies on your income, how can we work towards that goal? That may mean working from home, hustling to speed up your debt free date, or reducing your cost of living.

If you want to open a business, but you don’t have the money to invest yet, what kind of plan can we create to connect the dots? That could look like making sacrifices in your daily life, working a side gig until you’re turning a profit, or getting creative to keep your overhead low.

If your heart is for giving, but you’re currently struggling just to make ends meet, how can we break that cycle? That could look like finding small ways to give now, cutting back your expenses, or even increasing your income.

Let’s face facts, our dreams require money, and living without pursuing our dreams isn’t living life to the fullest. 

Yes, money helps us on our journey, but it’s only one part of the journey. 

If money is a tool,
how do I learn to use it to my advantage?

Everyone’s personal finances are different, hence the saying, ‘personal finance is personal.’ 

One thing is the same across the board - no matter what your income is, where you live or what you believe: You’ll never actualize these goals without a budget.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but it’s the truth!

When I was creating my Digital Budgeting System, I took this idea and ran with it. I know budgeting is a scary word for beginners and I know it’s a pain in the butt for those making irregular incomes. 

Even for the veteran budgeter, the actual, physical budget can cause huffs and puffs.

I know this, which is why I created the Digital Budgeting System to be flexible with any income situation and, most importantly, affordable.

With DBS, you can master your money in 10 minutes or less and have a clear picture of how your money will work for you, aligning to your goals and dreams.

This one-of-a-kind Budgeting System is for everyone!

These digital worksheets are perfect for any + every family’s budgeting needs....from beginners to pros.

If you want an automated, color-coordinated, simplified, and gorgeous way to organize your money…you’re in the right place!

This is a simple 4-tab spreadsheet system hosted through Google Sheets, full of formulas + shortcuts.

If you'd like to save this article later or share it, please pin it to Pinterest.

Read more on the blog…

Listen to more on the podcast...

HEY I'M SAMI WOMACK

I'm the wife to my high school sweetheart, Daniel, + homeschooling momma to our 3 girls. I'm the Budgeting Coach + Motivational Speaker behind 
A Sunny Side Up Life.

My family used to be in $490k of debt + living paycheck-to-paycheck, but after we hit rock bottom everything changed for us!

Now that my family has become debt free + gained financial freedom, I want to help your family do the same! My passion is inspiring women to live abundant lives through budgeting, intentional living, and positive thinking.

I offer a jump start into budgeting with my free 8-day Declutter Your Budget Challenge + full budgeting experience with my course, Your Sunny Money Method.

GET TO KNOW ME BETTER

Come follow my day-to-day life over on my Instagram Story

Disclosure: There are some affiliate links above, but these are all products I highly recommend. I won’t put anything on this page that I haven’t verified and/or personally used. Read our disclaimer here.