Personal Reflection and Savings
June 30, 2026
What comes to mind when you think of self-care? Working out? Manicures? Reading? Hanging out with loved ones? Self-care is the practice of intentional, ongoing activities that maintain or improve your physical, mental, and emotional health. So how does saving money tie into this?
The way we view money is closely tied to how we manage it. In a previous newsletter about the anxiety loop, we shared how avoiding money can lead to a cycle of anxiousness that can snowball into a series of other negative emotions. This anxiety can lead to stress, which affects other areas in your life. Regularly saving money can reduce that stress. So if we see saving money as a way to care for ourselves, it feels less like a chore and more like personal upkeep.
It is often said that saving money can help lead to financial freedom, but how? It’s the peace of mind that comes from knowing you have a financial cushion in place to help soften the blow when unexpected challenges arise. Not only that, saving gives us the ability to spend money on the things that truly matter and align with our values. Plus, the discipline you develop from savings regulation can influence other aspects of your finances and overall wellness. The financial stability you build today can help protect your future self from life’s unexpected curveballs
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Recent High School Graduates
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When developing the self-care habit of reading or working out, it doesn’t matter which book you grab or which machine you use to work out. What matters most is that you started! Developing the self-care habit of saving doesn’t need to be mapped out to perfection. It needs to begin! Setting aside an amount, regardless of the size, will help saving feel more like a part of life. Not a chore that you’ll eventually get around to.
Try this: Automate your savings every time you get paid so you can save without thinking
Young Professionals
Building your “Peace of Mind” Fund.
If you haven’t discovered it already, your 20s have a way of teaching you one important lesson: life is unpredictable. You can set some things in motion to put yourself in a better place to handle such things. A “peace-of-mind” fund looks different depending on who you talk to. Take time to think about what a “peace-of-mind” fund means for you.
Try this: Make a goal for yourself. It can be a dollar amount, like $1,000, or for a future car. Having a purpose for your goal can increase your motivation to achieve it.
Young Families, Couples & Fur Parents
Save for the life you want.
Saving money isn’t only about preparing for the unexpected. Saving money can also be about creating the life you want for yourself and those around you. You can create a vision board or write out what you want.
Try this: Spend 15 minutes each month with everyone in your family/household to map out what you want your future life to look like. Compile everyone’s thoughts to create a joint savings goal. Map out how much money everyone will contribute to the goal and where to save it. To earn the most from savings, check out this NerdWallet article about these standout high-yield savings accounts.
If you want your future self to be in a certain position, your current self has to take the steps to get you there. Saving money is one of those major steps. It’s the self-care act for your current self and the future you. Now that sounds like a double win!
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