I Sat in a Weird Chair and Questioned My Life Choices

I went to a book launch the other day. 

A friend of mine was hosting the event and asked us to sit at the front. 

Now, these types of events tend to be a little on the woo-woo side (which I love, by the way), and this one had a particularly interesting seating arrangement. 

We were practically sitting on the floor, on what I later discovered were yoga and meditation chairs. 

Slightly embarrassingly, I had absolutely no idea how to sit in one. 

There was no real back support unless you positioned your weight just right. Apparently, getting comfortable was something you had to figure out for yourself. 

Remember that scene in Men in Black where Will Smith is trying to take his recruitment test in that ridiculous egg-shaped chair? He's awkwardly shifting around, trying to write on his lap, until he finally drags the table over to himself. 

That was me. Except instead of trying to join a secret government agency, I was just trying to sit down. 

So there I was, shifting my weight, rearranging my legs, and slowly figuring out how this contraption worked. 

The photo was taken while I was in the washroom, so you won't actually see me, but that's my seat! 

And somewhere between all the adjusting and repositioning, I had a thought... 

I'm really glad I take care of my mobility. 

I stretch constantly. My hips, hamstrings, quads, back, neck. You name it. 

I use foam rollers, go to physiotherapy and work on my flexibility regularly. Not because I particularly enjoy every minute of it, but because I know what happens when I don't. 

And sitting there, I realized how much that work had paid off. 

I could sit comfortably, adjust my position, enjoy the event and get up off the floor without much trouble. 

Something that could have been pretty uncomfortable was actually no big deal. 

But here's what I found interesting…

I wasn't preparing for that particular evening. I was preparing for life in general. 

I had no idea I'd end up sitting on the floor at a book launch, but I'd spent years doing the little things that made it easier when the situation came up. 

And I think there's a pretty important financial lesson in that. 

Because the things we neglect today have a way of becoming the problems we have to deal with tomorrow. And the things we consistently take care of often make life easier in ways we couldn't have anticipated. 

Think about something in your financial life that you know needs attention. 

Maybe you've been meaning to start investing. Maybe you know you're spending more than you should. Maybe you've been putting off reviewing your insurance, organizing your estate documents or figuring out whether you're actually on track for retirement. 

You know it's there. 

It bothers you occasionally. 

You tell yourself you'll get to it when things settle down. 

And then six months go by. 

Same problem. Different month. 

Here's what I've noticed about people who make meaningful progress financially. 

It's not necessarily that they earn the most money or understand every investment strategy. 

It's that when they identify something that needs work, they actually do something about it. 

They don't need to fix everything overnight. But they start, and then they keep going. 

The problem is that being proactive isn't particularly exciting. 

Neither is stretching your hamstrings. 

There are days when I don't feel like doing it. Sometimes I feel like I'm making very little progress. 

But I know that maintaining my mobility today is going to make a difference to what I'm physically capable of doing years from now. 

Your finances work in a similar way. 

You don't necessarily feel wealthier after transferring $300 into your TFSA. You don't feel dramatically more financially secure after making an extra debt payment. And reviewing your insurance or updating your beneficiaries isn't exactly how most people want to spend their Saturday afternoon. 

But the value of preparation isn't always immediately obvious. 

Sometimes you don't recognize what all those small decisions have done for you until you're faced with a situation you never anticipated. 

A job loss. 

A health issue. 

An opportunity to buy a business. 

The ability to retire earlier than expected. 

Or simply having enough financial flexibility to make a decision without money being the reason you can't. 

And that's really the point. 

Just like I wasn't stretching my hamstrings for a book launch, you're probably not saving, investing and taking care of your finances for one particular moment. 

You're doing it so that when life asks something of you, you're in a better position to respond. 

Because the things you take care of today have a way of taking care of you tomorrow. 

Karen 

P.S. If there's something in your financial life you've been meaning to get around to, maybe this is your sign to finally give it some attention. And if you'd like some help figuring out where to start, I'd be happy to work through it with you. 

 👇