Mindset Shift: Time, money, and work

Societal messaging pushes the connections between time, work, and money, and it usually looks like this: spending maximum time doing optimal work will result in more money - repeat from the day you turn 16 until death or retirement. The response to this "flow" is an overemphasis on job-based earnings as the primary - dare I say, only - source of money as well as net pay being the most important outcome of employment. But time IS another kind of currency, so I propose we expand our concept of financial growth to include the eventual yield from investing our time in activities such as budgeting, making intentional spending decisions, and implementation of those decisions. You will not receive a paycheck for these activities, but you can convert the learned information into money once you implement the changes or investments that will result in more money to spend on something down the road or reallocate money to a current need.

Examples on the way...

She speaks again after a long silence…

Once there was a curious person named Jodi who found great joy in using lots of fascinating words to share her mind in the blog-world. But things changed, and over time she went silent. She stopped using her voice, adopted only others’ regurtitated ideas, and nearly ceased recognizing her own mind.

Thankfully, she woke again. I am so pleased to announce that she is reclaiming her agency, her voice, and her mind. Stay tuned to hear a bit of what she has to say.

Getting Started with Money

Once the terms "earnings" and "savings" are in the usable vocabulary of your teen or young adult (18 years and up), the next thing you want to teach them about is opening a HYSA - high-yield savings account. Without this, their earnings are going to make their exit nearly as fast as they are earned. If they have even the slightest positive outlook on the benefits of saving, then this is the ideal time to introduce them to their first HYSA.

My favorites are public.com and robinhood.com but there are others to choose from as well. Interest rates fluctuate with the prime rate, and are currently 3.3% - 3.5% APR.

Each has a nice website interface but also clean, easy to use apps.

For Public, use this referral link with your family members 18 or over to get started on your high-yield cash account (you can also get $20 in free stock as a bonus if you deposit $1000 or more)

For Robinhood, use this referral link to get started

Trust, persistence, and willingness

Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.

The key to making things happen isn’t waiting for the perfect moment; it’s starting with what you have, where you are. Big goals can feel overwhelming when viewed all at once, but momentum builds through small, consistent action. Whether you’re working toward a personal milestone or a professional dream, progress comes from showing up — not perfectly, but persistently. Action creates clarity, and over time, those steps forward add up to something real.

You don’t need to be fearless to reach your goals, you just need to be willing. Willing to try, willing to learn, and willing to believe that you’re capable of more than you know. The road may not always be smooth, but growth rarely is. What matters most is that you keep going, keep learning, and keep believing in the version of yourself you’re becoming.