Comments on: Money Lessons Learned While Traveling Around the World

By: Joel

Joel — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 00:41:14 +0000

In reply to Christa.

Thanks so much Christa! Just reading your comment put smiles on my face, imagining all the happy people around the world.

Experience > things is my new motto :). Cheers and have a great week! – Joel

By: Christa

Christa — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 00:32:30 +0000

Simply beautiful. Because it’s beautifully simple! I’ve at times felt my most happy when what we had was “just enough”. And I agree, travel can open your eyes and show you a clearer perspective that we all need at times. I just returned from 2 weeks in Italy….Taking time to enjoy a meal (hours!), talking, laughing, people watching. Seeing older men sit around together in the morning “solving the world’s problems”, ladies and men shopping together for the dinner that would be that night…fresh fruit and vegetables, saying Ciao to people (strangers), a nod, a smile. So beautiful. Sitting in the square and just enjoying a cappuccino, restaurant staff not rushing you away. Shops with closed signs on the door (taking their lunch breaks…nice and long!), and how the people are genuine and want to see you enjoying yourself, and are proud to show you their town/city! I told myself to hold onto this, these feelings of joy and contentment that seemed to be everywhere! To take a piece of it with me. And I think I’ll work just “enough” to save for my next trip! I am so much more fulfilled with experiences than things.

Thank you for a well-done and timely post!

By: veronica karas

veronica karas — Sat, 18 Sep 2021 05:12:06 +0000

Thanks for sharing wonderful ideas..

By: Joel

Joel — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 15:44:57 +0000

In reply to Liz. I'll cheers to that, Liz! There has to be a mutually beneficial relationship between employers and employees. My thoughts on work/life balance have changed over the years. I have no problem working 60 hours some weeks (as long as I enjoy what I'm doing!) To balance this though, I take a healthy amount of personal time some weeks too.

By: Liz

Liz — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 11:15:51 +0000

My coworker and I started this new job a week apart coming from 2 different sites of a larger company. The culture of overwork was pervasive. One day she suggested she’d take her laptop home and work on a document while she ate dinner. I suggested let’s not start bad habits. Let’s set the habit here that our 8 hours is enough. We shall see!
I know expecting to only work 40 hours in a salary job is silly, these days. But why? I’m not on my feet for the time, like a service job, for sure. In my past role I could feel my decision making decline near the end of a long week. I told someone on a Thursday night they didn’t want me to answer then and we’d talk Friday morning after I’d had my coffee.
I like that the conversation of a ‘4 day week’ had come up, but I think the corporate world need to reset from 50 & 60 hours to 40 before anyone could fathom the change. The study from Europe wasn’t fully 4 x 8 hour days, but often 5 days at 6 or 7 hours. When we are pressured to do 9, 10 hours +… even doing an 8 feels weird.
Here’s to embracing ‘enough’ working hours, so we have enough / abundant leisure hours to enjoy time with friends, family, pets, books, nature etc.

By: Joel

Joel — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 15:29:02 +0000

In reply to Joe Darago. Thanks for YOUR work Joe. I loved learning more about The Hope Effect last week.

By: Joe Darago

Joe Darago — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 14:49:57 +0000

Thanks Joel! “Happiness is free” is ringing in my ears. I guess I should be thanking you mum. Keep up the good work and thanks for your work.

By: Joel

Joel — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 15:02:06 +0000

In reply to David @ Filled With Money. Ooooh I just thought of a good blog post to write about.... "Compound Happiness!"

By: Joel

Joel — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 14:48:21 +0000

In reply to J. Happiness is in the eye of the *beer*holder. :) Love that you are content with less. It's a wonderful skill to have!

By: J

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 13:36:59 +0000

Timely for me. So many people I know are close to or at traditional retirement age and I keep hearing the same refrain “I can’t retire yet.” Almost all of these people are older than me, appear to have more financially than me, and yet, I feel like I could retire whenever I want – I’d just have to make a few changes here and there to make it work. I don’t think I am delusional (of course, I could be!), I just want less. Perfectly happy with my thrift store wardrobe, inexpensive hobbies, and low key vacations. I so appreciate this post for pointing out that happiness is in the eye of the beholder.