How Do I Enjoy This Boring Middle Stage of Life?

Speaker A00:00:37

How do you know if you're building wealth wisely or you just put your life on hold? On today's episode, I talk with someone in the boring middle of their financial journey.You know that season where you're working hard, you're investing consistently and you're trying to be responsible, but sometimes you're wondering if it's all the sacrifice is making life smaller instead of fuller. They're doing what they're supposed to do. They're saving, they're planning, they're building for the future.But underneath the discipline is a quiet fear. What if someday never arrives and he realized he forgot to enjoy the life they were working so hard to build?That's we're going to break down together on today's show. Hello, friend, Ralph Estep Jr. Here. Welcome to Financially Confident Christian.This is the show where Michael every day is to help you break that cycle of financial shame and live with confidence. And today we got a great listener voicemail question and that's how to enjoy life while building wealth in the boring and middle.I have to be honest, when I first heard that, I think boring middle, what are they talking about? But let's get right into today's listener question.

Speaker B00:01:52

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Honestly, I'm starting to feel like life is kind of passing by while I'm busy preparing for the future.I've worked hard to be responsible with money, stay disciplined, save, invest. And I know those things matter, I really do. But.But sometimes it's like all I do is work, save, and wait for some hypothetical later to actually enjoy life. You know, Ralph, people always say don't miss your life while building wealth. But what does that even look like?Like in actual day to day reality, how do you find that balance between getting ready for tomorrow and still letting yourself enjoy today without throwing your financial goals out the window? What does that actually look like when you're still in the middle of it all?

Speaker A00:02:51

Well, it's clear we've understood now what the boring middle is. And I sense the tension here because you're building wealth to support your life, but it's not supposed to postpone it indefinitely.So let's explore this together today. First thing I'm going to encourage you to do is stop viewing enjoyment as the enemy of progress.When I listen to your voicemail, and this is a couple times I've heard it, I hear this tension in your voice. Having joy in your life is not irresponsible. It's okay to have joy in your life. Having rest in your life is not wasteful.It's okay to have rest in your life. Enjoying your life doesn't mean abandoning discipline. I think what I'm hearing you say is, but I'm doing all these things, Ralph.But if I do these things, I can't have joy. I want to challenge that right now because I think you're missing the bigger picture here. You've got to build intentional enjoyment into your plan.I think that's the part you're missing.Budget for those hobbies, budget for the joy, budget for the things you enjoy, budget for those experiences, budget for memory making those opportunities you never have again. If those things matter to you, if they're important to your life, just plan for it. Make it intentional. Build that joy into it.But you got to choose enjoyment that fits your values. Maybe you're one of those people that you don't want to spend a lot of money. You're a frugal person.Then find some low cost hobbies, find some meaningful experiences, maybe some local adventures. Maybe like Ralph, I'm not going to spend a lot of money to travel. That's okay. There's a whole world out there to explore right in your own backyard.Maybe for you it's time with people, you love it. It's not even about big things or big travel. It's just I love being with other people. Joy doesn't have to be expensive.Find those things that give you joy in your life. But you got to avoid that arrival mindset. A lot of people get stuck on this. When I arrive, I'm going to do this. When I arrive, I'm going to do that.Life doesn't begin when you hit that magic number. I meet with people all the time, Ralph.I'm going to start to enjoy life when I got this much in my savings account, or I've got this much in my retirement, or I got this much here, this much there. Wealth is not the starting line for joy. You got to enjoy life now, not just later.I see people with their head down there grinding and grinding and grinding. And I've been this person many times in my own life. You gotta build joy into it. Let that financial plan serve your life.I've said it on the show many times. Money is a tool. It's a tool. It's not the mission. The goal is not just accumulation. The goal is well stewarded life. That's not just money.That's well stewarded mentally, that's well steward spiritually, that's well steward relationship wise. All of those things together.Not just the money side, but let's take this a little deeper because sometimes the fear underneath of all of this and I listen, I've been guilty of this myself. How many times have you said to yourself, if I relax too much, I'm going to fall behind. I can't take a break. I got to keep plowing.I got to keep pushing. I got to keep pushing. So you keep pushing, keep saving, keep postponing joy for a future version of life. But God didn't create you like that.God didn't create you to merely survive until retirement. He's provided all this for us, the joy all around us.Help him to ask him to help you steward that Wazi while still receiving the life you've been given today. This isn't some freak accident. God has intended for your life to be what it is. You don't have to wait until some finish line to enjoy the race.Enjoy the race while you're running it. I talked to marathon runner one time, I said, tell me about the when you get to the end of the race, he goes, ralph, that's not where the joy is.He said, the joy is in every step of the way. Make your life look like that too. So here's my one win for today. I always want to give you a takeaway.I want you to write down one life giving activity, just one thing that brings your life value and add it intentionally to your budget or put it on your calendar because it might not cost anything. I'm not saying you have to go out and spend money today, but be intentional about it.Make the time for it, make the money for it, put the budget aside for it. But write down one life giving activity and make sure you go do it. Let's get to our Bible verse for today.It comes to us from the book of Ecclesiastes chapter 3, verse 13. It says this that each of them may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all their toil. This is the gift of God. And I love this verse.Eat, drink, find satisfaction in their toil being a gift from God. God wants you to find joy in the life you're building. Not only in the results of it. Someday. Don't be that person that lives for someday.Live for today. Enjoy today. Find joy in the journey. Let's pray together.Heavenly Father, I just want to lift up that person trying to steward wisely while they're still wanting to enjoy the life you've given them. And Lord, if it's possible, help them to find a healthy balance. Doing that.Continue to Help them to build faithfully without postponing every good thing, Lord, and give us all wisdom to enjoy life with intention, with gratitude and sure, with some restraint. Protect us from both of those extremes. Protect us from reckless living and Lord, protect us from joyless surviving and joyless striving as well.Help us build a life that honors you now, not just someday. And I ask this in Jesus name. Amen, friend. Faithful stewardship includes enjoying the life you're building today.So go out there and enjoy that life that you're building today. Find joy in the journey. Maybe that's today's big gig. Joy in the journey. And maybe you've got a financial question you need some help with.Maybe you're wrestling with something like Ralph, I just don't know what to do. That's why I'm here. That's my gift to you. Go to financiallyconfidentchristian.com/questionPut a link to that in the show notes, but let's keep the conversation going. Again, go to financiallyconfidentchristian.com/question I just want to thank you so much for joining me today. I love answering questions like this.I love helping people on their journey. It's what brings satisfaction in my life. I know that's my purpose. So stay financially savvy today.May God bless you and you have a truly blessed day today.