THE WRITING EDIT

A day in my (imperfect) journey to slow living and financial peace

Let’s be completely honest right from the start: for a long time, I thought being successful meant constantly running. Hard. As a 32-year-old mom of three young kids, a wife, and an entrepreneur, my daily routine was less of a ‘life’ and more of an extremely challenging act of keeping every single ball in the air. I was chasing the next milestone, saying ‘yes’ to every project or social invitation, and operating entirely on autopilot.

But truth be told? It completely drained me. And paradoxically, all that running didn’t bring me any closer to the life—or the financial peace—I actually wanted to live.

Lately, I’ve been consciously trying to take a step back. Something I am slowly but surely beginning to realize, is that true wealth isn’t about a packed calendar or just the numbers in your bank account. Don’t get me wrong: those numbers definitely help, but true happiness, in my opinion, lies in slowing down; in regaining ownership of your own time. I absolutely don’t have it all figured out yet, and every single day is a fresh search for the right balance. But by weaving ten intentional habits into the natural flow of my day, I am already noticing a massive shift. Not just in my mind, but surprisingly, in my wallet too.

This is what my typical day looks like now, navigating this new path through trial and error.

SETTING THE TONE

05:45 AM: My alarm goes off, and the house is still wrapped in complete silence. A few months ago, the very first thing I would do was reach for my phone: checking emails and scrolling through social media before my feet even touched the floor. By the time the kids woke up, my mind was already overstimulated. Throughout the day, that inevitably led to stressed, reactive choices.

Now, I practice my first rule: protect your morning. I head into the kitchen to make breakfast for my children and slice their fruit for school in a moment of pure silence, before touching a single screen. Yes, at that moment I might be doing something for my children and not purely for myself, but the stillness I need is right there. And I enjoy it intensely.

As soon as the children wake up, the (usually) cozy chaos begins. Three pairs of little feet, morning kisses, cuddles, and getting them ready for the day. It used to be that the physical clutter of such a busy morning would pile up until it suffocated me.

Today, I trust the 2-minute rule. Before we leave for school, I clear the table and put everything on the counter. Once the children are at school, I walk through the house and tackle the small tasks; chores that take me less than 2 to 5 minutes. Fluffing the cushions on the couch, putting toys or books back in their place, giving it a quick vacuum, emptying the dishwasher, throwing a load of laundry into the machine, and tidying the kitchen. By clearing that physical space immediately, I instantly create the mental energy I need later for bigger projects, both at home and in my business.

MAKING CHOICES

By mid-afternoon, I am deep into my work as an entrepreneur. But as every work-from-home mom knows, the temptation to take a “quick break” on social media is always lurking. I still have to fight the urge to mindlessly scroll, but I have become ruthless about filtering my inputs. Less time spent losing myself on someone else’s timeline simply means more focused hours to invest in my own dreams and business. Building your own life is just much more fulfilling than watching a curated version of someone else’s. One of the most important steps I took was unfollowing people who made me feel bad about myself or who made me feel like I needed to overconsume. Instead, I started following accounts that truly inspired me, and that alone caused a major mindset shift.

When I pick up a few things for the kids later in the day, I pass a shop window and feel that familiar impulse to buy. It remains a challenge, especially in a household with three growing children where stuff accumulates at lightning speed.

Instead of just taking an item with me right away, I apply two principles that have completely changed our household budget. First, I choose quality over quantity: buying less, but choosing items that actually last. This keeps our house livable and gives our finances breathing room. If you want to go for sustainable materials like I do, check the clothing labels. If I don’t see 100% natural fibers on there, the choice is made very quickly for me. In addition, I stick to the 48-hour rule to delay purchases. I walk away. If I still want it two days later, it is an intentional, functional choice, not just a fleeting emotional impulse. Clothes and things will always be there; money and space to make true memories with our children will not.

All of this also means that I am learning the difficult art of saying ‘no’—both to unnecessary expenses and to social pressure. Now, I am not a very social person to begin with; I don’t have friends, and honestly, I don’t feel the need for them either. In the past, I often felt obligated to behave a certain way, or to always say ‘yes’ to social commitments that would cause me stress weeks in advance.

That pressure was especially present at events organized by my former employers, often under the guise of: ‘We are one big family here.’ Well… hate to break your illusion, but colleagues are not family or friends. They are part of your professional network, but beyond that, I don’t need to share anything with them.

Sure enough, the first few times I said ‘no’ to a teambuilding activity or yet another staff party, I got some strange looks. Especially since I was part of the HR team itself; people thought it was truly ‘not done’. Fast forward to today: I don’t even get invited anymore. And that only makes it easier for me to maintain that healthy distance. Every ‘no’ to that pressure feels like a resounding ‘yes’ to the peace of our family.

FINDING CONTENTMENT

When the sun slowly sets and the house grows quiet again, it’s time to look at the numbers. I used to avoid my bank account out of a vague, lingering money anxiety. Now, tracking my expenses daily is a permanent and soothing part of my evening routine. It takes me literally two minutes to note what went in and out today. That simple habit has completely replaced fear with clarity and control. At any given moment, I know exactly what our starting budget was, what has been spent, and how much we have left.

Once the books balance, I deliberately close my laptop and step out of the digital world to create analog pockets. Whether it’s reading a physical book, baking from scratch in the kitchen, or taking a walk in the evening sun; these moments of pure presence have become my ultimate form of wealth.

When I sit on the couch afterward, it is easy for my mind to wander toward comparisons. But as I look at my family, I force myself to define my own ‘enough’. Financial freedom started for me the exact moment I stopped mirroring our reality to the filtered Shorts on YouTube. Something I see very clearly now: I don’t need to own the latest tech gadgets. Our closets don’t need to be stuffed with synthetic clothes that we never wear because they feel uncomfortable. My children don’t need new toys every week. We have everything we need, and above all: we have each other. That is the greatest wealth a person could ever wish for.

Before I go to sleep, I take a deep breath and remind myself that rest is a strategic part of life. You can’t build a beautiful, healthy, and thriving life if you are constantly running on an empty battery. Stopping to rest isn’t a failure; it’s simply refueling, so that I can show up fully tomorrow for the people and projects that truly matter.

I am still standing with both feet right in the middle of this process. Some days everything runs smoothly; other days I slide right back into old, hectic routines. And that is okay. It’s about progress, not perfection…

Love,

Mrs. C