With so much going on in the world today, it may feel like you have no control over your future, perhaps making you feel a bit uneasy about the unknown. But the fact that you’re here perusing my site is a great way to make plans for your life, and what you can control.

Your family and friends are important to you; your career is important to you and making time for activities that bring you joy is important to you. I understand that--and creating goals unique to you can help you find more joy, purpose and peace. But, for many of us, life gets in the way and oftentimes we don’t know how to change past behaviors to make way for new ones.

I challenge you right now to pick one thing you’d like to change. Perhaps you want to travel more? Maybe you want to take up pickleball? Or you want to start checking off that bucket list? We all have one, and it is never too late to start. Maybe it’s starting a workout routine or meeting up with friends more often? Whatever it is, set a goal, make a plan and go for it! If you want to make health more of a priority, put going to the gym on calendar. Studies have shown that if a person puts an activity on the calendar, they are more likely to do it.

But if your goal is to make more time for fun, maybe not everything should go on the calendar. For example, a study out of Ohio State University found that scheduling a leisure activity like seeing a movie or taking a coffee break led people to anticipate less enjoyment and actually enjoy the event less than if the same activities were unplanned. Balance is the key to bringing more joy into our lives. If you want a little motivation, you may also want to read the book, Atomic Habits, by James Clear. In the book he talks about how to ditch bad habits in exchange for new ones and gives step-by-step instructions on how to do just that…build good habits and break the bad ones by making tiny changes for remarkable results.

And while you continue to work on building better habits, I also encourage you to take a look at your financial plan. Is it in line with your goals, particularly if you have created new ones? A good financial plan can help build balance and bring peace of mind to help you focus on other things. It can also make you feel like you have greater control over your future.

If you are ready to make real change in your life give me a call at (530) 753-4195 or send me an e-mail at mark@prattfinancial.com. I would be happy to discuss your goals and how you can develop a plan that will help focus more on what’s most important to you and less on those things you can’t control.

As a financial adviser with more than 35 years of experience, I know a thing or two about investing, and I can help you understand what a sound financial strategy can mean for you.

I wish you a life well lived, with good health, happiness and peace.