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“As Ralph Waldo Emerson put it, our greatest glory isn’t that we never fail, but that we rise every time we do.”
Some days you feel like you can’t do anything right; other days you feel unstoppable. That’s true for both your personal life and your finances. A rude comment from a coworker or an unexpected bill can knock you off balance.
This is a quick reminder of how small setbacks can turn into wins.
For my anniversary, my husband agreed to install a kitchen backsplash. I love home design and have been dreaming about this for a long time. Staying true to my cautious money habits, I negotiated a fair installation price and the contractor even got a discount on the tiles. It all seemed budgeted—until it wasn’t.
I was on a conference call when the tiler finished. He didn’t reconnect the under-cabinet lighting or the light switches, saying that wasn’t part of the job. I paid him while distracted on the call. When I got back and saw the loose wires, I was furious.
I hadn’t expected to be left to deal with the lighting. I called around for estimates and they were higher than I wanted. I was still annoyed, but eventually I chose the lower bid from a licensed electrician and he came the next day to fix everything. It cost an extra $130.
Was that a failure? I don’t see it that way. It was an inconvenience, not a disaster.
The more you accept that life won’t always go smoothly, the more resilient you become. I was upset for a little while, then I moved on. Money setbacks happen—portfolios rise and fall, emergencies pop up, and everyone makes a bad decision now and then. Deal with it and keep going.
People who thrive—financially and otherwise—pick themselves up, learn from mistakes, and make plans to avoid repeating them. That’s why you need an emergency fund. The bigger it is, the better. Start saving as soon as you start working. Many recommend about six months’ worth of living expenses, but I believe more is safer. Having extra set aside won’t solve every problem, but it eases money stress.
For more practical tips on managing money and life, keep learning and planning.
What are your success strategies?
