Knock Knock...It's Your Future

I can almost hear my 14-year old self explaining to my aunt that I had it "all figured out" for my life and there was no need to worry.

First, I'd get married right after college. I'd major in biology and work with marine life and do independent ocean research. I'd have two kids and my husband would make decent money as well. We'd live in Florida so I could be close to the ocean for my career. Well...that future didn't work. I didn't need to worry about finding a husband, because my parents told me I was pretty, and that's really all I needed. Well, here I am 28, still pretty, and still no husband. I'm pretty sure it has a lot more to do with it than  that. What you'll believe when you are 14.....

In early college years, I was pretty sure I'd marry Dan and we'd move up to northern Wisconsin so I could start my career in television news, earning an awesome $15,000 a year in Rhinelander, WI. We'd talked about getting married the summer after graduation. In that moment in my life, that's all I wanted...to get married, have a few kids, and call it a day. WTF was I thinking? I guess that's what binge drinking will do to you.

Here I am, 28 years old and planning my own future. I've found what I LOVE to do and I also know a lot of my income is dependent on how well I do for myself. I need to plan well and live well. I want to retire by the time I'm 55. There's a lot I want to do in this lifetime...mostly traveling the world and making a difference, but that requires a lot of money. I've been researching and reading a lot about investing and retirement planning and my budget needs a makeover. So this month, my whole way of financial thinking is getting a huge make over for the better. I'm meeting with a financial planner and getting it all together. Grandpa Russ would be so proud.

The thing is, I don't want to end up like my parents. They just simply weren't educated when it comes to money and budgeting and investing. They are now getting it and getting more prepared, but I want to get this stuff taken care of and in good hands now. I really should have done that when I started my first job, but I didn't think that "stuff" was important. It is.

I'm a lot further ahead than most people my age because I own my own home and now I'm going to hang on to that property as long as possible, even seeing if I can get it paid off in 15 years instead of 30. 

You can't really plan for your future as far as what is going to happen, because you just don't know. But I want to be safe and secure, and this means planning for my own future and not always listening to what everyone else is doing or thinks I should be doing. Remember being pretty is all you need to find a rich husband. GAG!!!

I look back at the younger versions of myself and laugh a bit. I'm sure I'll look back at me in ten years from now and laugh a bit too.

My ten year high school reunion is this weekend, and I couldn't be happier to attend. I can't wait to see what these last ten years has brought to my classmate's lives and for them to see me too. A lot happens in ten years. A lot happens in one year. 

I can't keep putting off so many things. The future is now. Now is the time to start up Dragonfly, to open the Roth IRA and to make bigger mortgage payments. Now is the time to say yes to dating if someone manages to spark my interest. Now is the time to start budgeting and planning for mine and Britter's Europe trip in two years. I've never really been a planner, but I'm learning one step at a time.