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Funding Happy

Put your money where your life is.

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About Caren

Hey there!  Thanks for being here.  

I’m Caren, a Silicon Valley-based writer, but proudly made in Toronto, Canada.  I moved to the US in 2006 for work, fell in love, and never looked back.  Since moving to California I’ve found a love of fitness, an appreciation for great wines under $10, and an insatiable curiosity about what it means to live well.  My curiosity has led me to many corners of the world including studying yoga at an ashram in India (<- true story) and that adventure has never ended for me.

I started Funding Happy in 2017 with an intention to connect with other people who want to live well, but with intention.  To me, that means funding the areas of life that bring me immense happiness and cutting back (or cutting out) the things I don’t really care about.

This is an ongoing mindful pursuit of figuring out what matters and what doesn’t.  It’s amazing that they don’t teach this concept in school and probably even more amazing that it’s taken me many years to figure out how to do this on my own.

Since I started this journey, life has improved in many ways.  Here are a few highlights from 2017 I’m proud to share:

  • We (hubby & I) made a six-figure contribution toward our retirement this year (in both tax and non-tax advantaged accounts).
  • I sold over $1000 worth of unused clothes, jewelry, and kitchen appliances on eBay & Thredup.
  • I took on the minimalist challenge and gave away over 400 items.  It was hard!!
  • I completed a 30-day shopping ban. That was an eye-opening experience that I highly recommend trying.
  • We started planning and tracking our journey to “FI” (financial independence). 

As a result of these steps, I felt comfortable stepping away from a very comfortable corporate salary to pursue freelance consulting so I could have more control over my time and the projects I work on.

Today I’m 120% happier than I have been in a very long time.  I attribute so much of that happiness to the conscious choices I’ve made this year to put my money where my values are – independence, freedom, creativity, and connection.  I hope that by sharing my journey I can inspire others to do the same.  I truly believe that if we all took the time to understand what truly made us happy and only focused on expanding and investing in those areas, we’d be a much more connected and healthier nation with a lot less junk and waste.

Imagine that….

Xo

Caren

 

Instagram

  • According to research, it takes (on average) 66 days to create a habit. One of the biggest challenges for me in creating intentional habits is that I forget about them!! I want to make a habit of checking my Asana to-do list every morning, so I've set up a calendar alert to remind me to check it first thing. Maybe the calendar alerts will help keep my habit goal top-of-mind. #alwaysimproving #personaldevelopment #dailypractice
  • Would you rather explore a new country or lay on a beach 🏖 and chill out? . One thing I’ve learned about myself is that I don’t love big adventurous vacations anymore. I’ve been to some pretty far and away places in my travels, but now I look at vacations as a way to unplug and be quiet rather than explore new cultures and places. . I know that may sound a little small minded (maybe it is?), but honestly, I’d rather invest in downtime than big adventures. . Maybe that will change, but I don’t expect it to. #travelbug #chillvibes #knowyourself
  • Did you guys know that 10 years ago I packed up my entire life and moved to India to learn how to teach yoga? Yup, I learned a lot - and not just about yoga. Have you ever done something crazy like that? #yogateachertraining #adventuresinyoga
  • If there's one thing I learned this year, it's that self-love really does lead to better opportunities and life circumstance. I'm not suggesting that this is some kind of cosmic reaction. The more you love yourself, the better choices you make for your life and therefore, life improves. Unfortunately, the same thing happens in reverse, too. So the less you think of yourself, the less inclined you are to make good choices. ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ If you're suffering from a lack of self-love, it shows... in your health, your happiness and your relationships. It's even reflected in your career and financial situation. ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ If you want to love yourself more, start by making better life choices, even when they're uncomfortable or downright terrifying. The more you can demonstrate self-love through actively taking better care of yourself, the more you will genuinely feel it. The more you feel it, the better choices you will continue to make, and so on. ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Thanks to Tim Ferriss and Tara Brach for reminding me how important this idea is. Photo by @spie33
  • I had a conversation with someone very close to me lately that really upset me. The residue of that interaction stayed with me all weekend. I couldn’t shake it. I thought about how I could react with words, with actions, and how our conversation would affect the future of our relationship. I was no longer in the moment. Suddenly I was far in the future at some event that may or may not ever happen, where I would be able to vindicate my hurt feelings.⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Crazy stuff.⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Then last night I was listening to an Oprah podcast. She was talking with Elizabeth Lesser about resisting fear and change and I swear they were speaking directly to me.⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I have a very deep-seeded fear that was aggravated by that conversation I had. Feelings that I’d rather not address came up, and it hurt! My reaction during the conversation was to keep this all to myself. I didn’t quite know how to react in the moment, so I didn’t (thank Gawd) but in my head, I’ve had over 100 retaliations so far.⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ But after listening to that podcast, I’m suddenly aware that the conversation was a blessing in disguise. It brought up a weakness in me that needs to be addressed and dealt with. Its nothing out of the ordinary, but I can see now how it’s cramping my spiritual progress, as well as affecting intimacy in my relationships.⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ So instead of reacting to the hurt, I felt from that little conversation, I’ll turn inward and see how I can use it to help me grow. I’ve been through a ton of stuff, good and bad in my life, and this fear is just a drop in the bucket. I can face it, and I can deal. Hands down.⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The moral of this musing is to look for the opportunities in situations that sting the most. That’s where your big moments of self-realization are, and if you can address your “stuff”, then your greatest nemesis can become your biggest opportunities!
  • So, let’s face it, the holidays are NOT ideal for getting fitness results and most of the time, we end up gaining weight and ringing in the new year feeling crappier than ever. 😖⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ So I'm hosting a 80/20 fitness challenge to keep you on track and accountable (that’s the 80% part) and still enjoy the holiday festivities (the other 20%). 🍸🍷🍗🍰⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You don’t need fancy equipment, $25 barre class or even pants! I offer training groups that are accessible, doable and flexible enough that you can get it done and feel GOOD about yourself. 🙌⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Tell your husband/boyfriend/mom or bestie that you know exactly what you want for Christmas this year, or better yet - buy yourself the gift of fitness and health. You’re 4000% worth the investment, right? 😉⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ So I have a #BLACKFRIDAY offer coming your way! This challenge group starting Dec 1st, is $20 USD off the regular price (so instead of $160, it's $140). This is an awesome price and a great way to stay fit and focused throughout the holiday season. 👊⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Are you in??? Drop a "hell yes" below or reach out to me via DM for more deets. IDK about you, but after the Thanksgiving holiday, I'll be ready for a little accountably and support so I don't lose my mind on pie and wine! 🙄⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Image by: @callme_christine
  • Love this - "Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don't wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future." —Earl Nightingale
  • Go ahead and let that one settle in. I bet you needed to hear it today. Slow and steady wins the race, but quitting gets you nowhere.
  • Taking time out this week has given me space to contemplate some limiting beliefs that I know are holding me back. I’m not sure I’ve solved them yet, but I’m going to explore not taking them so seriously and see if that helps. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I’m learning that sometimes all you have to do is take a different perspective on things, and a new solution might appear. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Wish me luck!

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