Thoughtful Ramblings

The following is a small excerpt on belonging.  Having a place to belong is so important. When communities create a place to belong people thrive. 'We are not only defined but actually sustained by our social networks. We thrive on being part of a community – whether that’s familial, social, residential, intellectual, cultural, political, religious, professional or vocational. In the end, it makes no real sense – no biological sense, no psychological sense – for us to dwell on our identity as individuals. That’s not who we are. We’re tribal. We’re social. We’re communal. We need to belong' 'Belonging is one of the deepest sources of human fulfilment. Welcoming someone into a group is therefore one of the most warmly appreciated of the gifts we can offer each other. Knowing I belong implies that I am taken seriously; I am connected; I am supported.' The Art of Belonging Hugh Mackay

I've been reading a book titled Dollars and No Sense: A shocking guide to your spending habits by Simeon Lindstrom. I'm reading it because I would like to have a better understanding of why, even though I know all the theory on finance and saving, I sometimes have so much trouble doing it. Now compared to many others who struggle financially I'm doing ok, but I  know that I could be doing way better than I am and many don't understand the struggle I personally face with it. I also know there are psychological barriers I need to break to ensure I'm a good steward of our finances. This book starts out by addressing many of the money myths we tend to believe and then it tackles the psychology behind the myth and the ways we can start to gain control over our habits. We do this when we understand the why behind our spending. For example, much of our spending in our materialistic world revolves around buying solutions to our problems, rather than dealing with the und...