by Hope
First off, thank you for the great game suggestions to add to our entertainment options. I have written down a list to check out!
Other than 12 hours at Princess first volleyball tournament of the season on Saturday (where they won their division,) I spent the bulk of this weekend helping her review for a biology test and then work on math homework. Ugh! There were tears, there were frustrations, there were bad and good grades (thanks computerized learning for adding that continuous pressure) and there were lots of lessons learned for both of us.
It was a very LONG and STRESSFUL weekend as a result of the homework aspect. (Yes, I know, 4 honors classes will do that to you. But it’s also a result of poor time management and choices, which she will have to learn on her own.)
As much as I love math, the combination of absolute values and inequalities is definitely not my strong suit. I had a lot of reviewing to do in order to help you. Thank you homeschool math books (yes, I kept all my high school math curriculum when I purged books last spring – thank God!) and YouTube videos!
Write It Down, Check It Twice
But I had a revelation in relation to my own “math” – my finances, my goals and so on. And Elizabeth kind of pointed to it with her goals post. Now don’t get me wrong, I have certainly been documenting my goals and debts and so on here on BAD.
And I’ve already tracked my expenses and been able to run all sorts of analysis and reports on them. But all this is not the same as actually writing down my goals…writing down the numbers. Having them in front of me all the time.
Many years ago, I would type up a list of yearly, quantitative goals and hang it on my cork board over my work area. I would see it every day. And I would write on it…check things off, make plans on it and so on.
Princess was doing all her work in her head. And then when she got something wrong, I couldn’t help her. We couldn’t go back and figure out where she missed a step and go thrown off track.
Despite all my “documenting” and spreadsheets…it’s my thinking that I need to go back and check, my reasoning for some of my decisions. And more importantly, the math. Now that I am reading this post, it doesn’t make any sense.
I guess the point is, that no matter who much I run my reports on my computer and quantify the numbers and manipulate my budget…well, there’s just nothing like writing things down on paper. Making a plan and executing it. I haven’t been doing that. Not like I should.
And more importantly, I need to track historically what I am doing. Review it. And commit to not repeating the past. I always look at the right now. The next quarter. The next year. I rarely look back and then look forward.
I know they say don’t look back, you are not going that way. But the reality, if you don’t look back…you are bound to repeat. So I guess my action item from this is twofold:
- Write down some quantifiable, baby step goals and pin them to my board. And then make a plan from them.
- As I evaluate where I am each month financially, take some time to look back and make sure I’m not repeating mistakes from my past.
What about you? Do you have written goals? And a plan surrounding those goals?
Hope is a resourceful and solutions-driven business manager who has spent nearly two decades helping clients streamline their operations and grow their businesses through project management, digital marketing, and tech expertise. Recently transitioning from her role as a single mom of five foster/adoptive children to an empty nester, Hope is navigating the emotional and practical challenges of redefining her life while maintaining her determination to regain financial control and eliminate debt.
Living in a cozy small town in northeast Georgia with her three dogs, Hope cherishes the serenity of the mountains over the bustle of the beach. Though her kids are now finding their footing in the world—pursuing education, careers, and independence—she remains deeply committed to supporting them in this next chapter, even as she faces the bittersweet tug of letting go.
Since joining the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015, Hope has candidly shared her journey of financial ups and downs. Now, with a renewed focus and a clear path ahead, she’s ready to tackle her finances with the same passion and perseverance that she’s brought to her life and career. Through her writing, she continues to inspire others to confront their own financial challenges and strive for a brighter future.
