With everything happening in Minneapolis, it’s been hard to find the energy to write. Personal finance takes a back seat when the world around you is upside down and angry everywhere.
We are fortunate to live in this city, despite tragedies dating back to George Floyd’s murder in 2020. All we Minneapolitans do is rally around one another, supporting our neighbors and our local businesses. Snow and ice be damned.
How do we find time for self-care while under duress? It’s a Minnesota brand of stoicism. Being useful during these times can be invigorating. Being useful when your community is going through a living nightmare is the price of admission for democracy.
How We Can Help Our Community
These are just a few of the ways we can step up to help people in need:
- Food donations to food banks (not only for those shut-in by fear, but for those who have had food stamps taken away)
- Financial contributions to local immigrant settlement organizations (you can grant donor-advised funds to these causes)
- Patronize local immigrant-operated businesses and restaurants. Buy gift cards for future use, after these shops have (ideally) regained their footing
- Deliver food and goods to those shut-in by fear
- Landlords – freeze rents and offer reduced payments instead of forcing evictions
- Write your legislators to make sure they know how you feel about having your community go through hell for absolutely no good reason.
- VOTE
Self-Care for Patriots
I have little to complain about. Sure, I have family with opposite political views, but that’s not uncommon. What’s different these days is the disappearance of any political center. Maybe AI can install a centrist artificial governance when it takes over…
So when I get outraged at the latest headline or when I hear about an awful post on social media from a family member (since I’m not on social media anymore), I need to find peace somewhere.
A lot has changed since I first posted about my predicted daily routine “in retirement”. It now looks something like this:
Monday: 1 handyman gig in the AM, 1 in the early afternoon
Tuesday: gym class, pickleball, lunch, 1 handyman gig
Wednesday: Same as Monday
Thursday: Same as Tuesday (typically my happy hour evening to catch up with friends)
Friday: Flex day – usually a handyman gig in the AM, if not, gym class.
Saturday: Family (kids’ sports – basketball!)
Sunday: Afternoon bowling league
Each evening, I find myself sitting in front of the fireplace watching an hour of YouTube videos. There’s no Mr. Beast for me. It’s the dry stuff at 1.25x speed: Local news headlines, Ukraine war updates, salacious Epstein Files updates, handyman “how-to’s”, and of course, investment influencers telling me why I should hold onto my UNH stock.
Super exciting.
The main thing I’d like to convey here is that it’s alright to fulfill one’s financial goals, so long as you avoid sticking your head in the sand. Remember your family. Remember your community and your neighbors. Support them.
“Money issues” is a cloud you can shove away with some serious effort, but life is way, way bigger than just meeting your definition of “enough”.
Wishing everyone peace, patience, and fierce curiosity. Rigidity and fear only serve to feed the beast.
