There is nothing more metal in modern society…
…than avoiding falling into the trap of grinding for “the man” by learning simple money management and living life on your own terms.
AKA Create Your Dream Life
Let me explain.
Getting trapped in the work grind is so common, because it’s a trap specifically laid for you to fall into.
Modern society needs workers to function. So the systems are set up to keep you as a worker bee.
But as a licensed accountant (CPA) and I can promise you – basic money management is not hard.
(Cross my heart and hope to die.)
I can teach you the basics. 💵
Thanks to managing my money, I’ve created MY dream life. So far, I’ve:
✏️Quit the Rat Race
✏️Moved abroad
✏️Homeschooled my kids while traveling
✏️Seen a lot of the World
✏️Oh, and saved money (finally)
(here’s a picture of my daughters and I exploring a grotto near San Miguel de Allende in Mexico)
(oh and by the way, when I say “manage money” I mean SIMPLE MONEY MANAGEMENT, nothing fancy.)
Why Millennials (I’m one too) Have Been Failing at Money
Listen. The world our parents prepared us for doesn’t exist anymore.
Follow me on this metaphor. This is our situation:
Our parents taught us how to play *metaphorical* chess with our finances.
Then we grew up, did all the “right” things, took a seat at the adult table…
where were dealt playing cards instead of a chess board.
So we’ve been scrambling to try to play chess with a deck of cards
and failing miserably,
whilst being massively judged for not being able to do what they did at our age.
Sound familiar?
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*Reality Check*
The World is DIFFERENT from the one in the 90s.
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We couldn’t do it our parents’ way even if we wanted to.
Put simply, our parents’ way was:
☑️ to work hard
☑️ learn stripes
☑️ stay loyal
☑️then retire comfortably (pensions lol).
But that model doesn’t exist anymore – not even for most of the Boomers- and a lot of them are too confused to even notice.
Massive Hope for Millennial Wealth (and Happiness)
When we take a minute to stop whining about how the Boomers broke the world, we can actually see that we have a massive opportunity for deep wealth that our parents (and their parents) didn’t have.
This is amazing news.
In the 70s, 80s, and 90s, the systems of society were more or less functioning. No one thinks to rock the boat when there’s smooths sailing (if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?).
But it’s broken now.
Massively.
So let’s freaking switch it up!
The name of the game now is Pivot.
We can’t have the American Dream that our parents promised us.
But we can have something much better –
total freedom from society’s one-size-fits-all lifestyle.
We can live life on our terms.
This is the millennial and Gen Z birthright.
🚐Want to travel the world in an Airstream? Cool, do it.
✈️Want to homeschool your American-born kids from Mexico and Italy? Check!
🌽Want to live in a tiny home and grow your own food? Nice.
🎨Want to become a content creator or make random art? Let’s see it.
(this is my 4 year old daughter learning about our Sicilian ancestors in Segesta, Sicily in 2024).
The world is our oyster. We can do anything. Anything at all.
There has never been a better time to dig deep into ourselves and ask WHAT DO I WANT?
Get clear on what you want to do with your life, and peace OUT. You’ve got nothing to lose.
First up: Get Off the Hamster Wheel
First, you have to find the courage to stop participating in the standard Western lifestyle of working, earning, spending, getting debt, working harder to pay for debt.
No, no no. It makes us hamsters.
(Side Note: even if you’ve tip-toed into that vicious cycle, it’s never too late to break yourself free)
This cycle keeps us working, and us working keeps modern society semi-functioning.
Here’s how it works:
Society needs us to work because ➡️ young people fund the Social Security system ➡️ that pays Baby Boomers to be retired.
We have to pay into it even though some people think Social Security will be wiped out before it’s our turn to use it.
Yeah, no thanks.
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So how do you get off the hamster wheel?
1. Start Living Below Your Means – when you start spending less than you’re earning, you can save enough money to do something different. Move somewhere cheaper, have less belongings, secure more freedom. Consumerism is the thing keeping you a worker bee, and you might be accidentally choosing it by default.
2. Get Creative About Money– start brainstorming ways that you’ll make money in your new lifestyle using your skillset and/or your life experience on your terms. Have you seen some of those random-ass Youtube channels? You can think of something.
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I moved to Mexico three years ago. I had to do both of these things to get off the hamster wheel.
And it was the most liberating thing I’ve ever done. 10/10 recommend.
I did it and so can you.
Start Dreaming, baby
This is the part that really lights me up. It’s the reason I started the Candlelight Collective.
When you are grinding and come home tired, there is no time or energy left to tune inward and check in with your inner guidance and intuition. You can easily get off-track and lose connection with yourself.
🕯️So steal my hack – wake up early, light a candle, and check-in with yourself. 🕯️
Here’s a FREE challenge designed for you to do just fthat:
Otherwise, ask yourself:
- What is missing from your day to day life?
- What gives you joy?
- What gave you joy when you were 9?
- What could give you more joy now?
- What gifts do you have that you could share to make someone else happier?
- What have you always wanted to learn to do?
- What would you do if you had unlimited money?
The answers you come up with are clues from your soul on what you are meant to do.
Hate waking up? I used to too.
But waking up TO CREATE YOUR DREAM LIFE, somehow is different, and you start LOVING your early morning along time.
(trust me)
Here’s a post about 10 Secrets to Waking Up Early that can totally help you get the ball rolling.
When women get quiet and tune inward, they move mountains.
I did it, now it’s your turn
I didn’t realize how amazing my life would be when I decided to take the leap and quit modern society.
For the first year of our new lifestyle, my husband kept saying “I feel like I need to pinch myself.”
Life was that good. ✨
We had time to be together, play with our kids, learn amazing things, and slow the heck down.
We’ve traveled all over the world, met the coolest people, and are sooo happy.
And I want to teach you how to take a leap of faith on your dream life too.
Make a plan, learn some skills, ready your mind, and do it.
Welcome – truly – to the Candlelight Collective.
Let’s go.