Investing gets all the attention.

Stock market highs make headlines. New investment strategies go viral. Everyone has a hot take on what to do with your money right now. And somewhere in all of that noise, saving quietly gets dismissed as the boring option for people who are not ready to do the exciting stuff yet.

That is exactly backwards.

Saving is not a stepping stone to real financial planning. It is the foundation that makes everything else possible. Without it, your investments are fragile, your options are limited, and every unexpected expense becomes a financial crisis.

I see this play out regularly with the women I work with. The ones who feel genuinely secure in their finances are almost always the ones who have built a consistent saving habit alongside everything else. Not instead of investing. Alongside it.

Here is why saving still deserves your attention and how to build a habit that actually sticks.

The Brain Trick That Works Against You

One of the biggest obstacle...

by Liesel Darby, Mediator & Divorce Coach

What do the following have in common?

• You’re in the grocery store, looking for your favorite brand of stone-ground mustard, only to find that they no longer carry it. The replacement brand is twice the price, and you don’t like the packaging either.
  
• You’re accustomed to your second shift schedule, but you have just been informed that you are moving to first shift for the foreseeable future. This throws a wrench in your Pilates class schedule.
  
• Your spouse has just announced that he is leaving you for the neighbor down the street that you have been casually saying hi to on your evening walks if she’s out in the yard.

If you answered “things that make you go hmmmm,” you are partly correct. Actually, these are all examples of change, albeit in varying degrees of the impact it will have on a person’s life. New mustard brand versus your world being turned upside down by divorce are not on the same par, for sure. If you’ve been around in this...

by Liesel Darby, Mediator & Divorce Coach

Growing up, you probably heard the "F-word" at some point, and it wasn't "fudge." In this post, we're talking about a different F-word, one that can quietly undermine your financial empowerment and overall wellbeing: FAIRNESS.

For women navigating careers, money, relationships, and midlife transitions, the belief that things should be fair can be a surprisingly powerful obstacle. Here's what the research and real life experience tell us about why fairness thinking holds us back, and what to do instead.

Why "Life Isn't Fair" Is Actually Useful Wisdom for Women

The concept of fairness seems harmless enough. It has the ring of righteousness. When things go our way, fairness feels like justice. But that's precisely the problem: the expectation that things should be fair sets us up for indignation, resentment, and paralysis when life doesn't deliver.

At the extreme end, a rigid attachment to fairness can keep us stuck, waiting for the world to ...

Financial empowerment is a crucial aspect of personal growth for women, enabling them to take control of their financial futures. This guide aims to provide actionable insights into building financial confidence, clarity, and lasting wealth. Women often face unique challenges in financial management, from societal expectations to a lack of representation in financial sectors. By addressing these issues, this article will explore strategies for enhancing financial literacy, effective budgeting, and investment practices tailored specifically for women.

Throughout this guide, readers will learn about the importance of a positive money mindset, practical budgeting techniques, and the basics of investing. Additionally, we will highlight resources and community support available to women seeking financial guidance. By the e...

Financial conversations can be tough to navigate in life. Whether it's discussing budgets with your spouse, talking to your children about spending habits, or helping aging parents handle their estate, these discussions require courage and tact. Managing these challenging financial conversations successfully is crucial, and it's understandable if you feel overwhelmed. Rest assured, you're not alone. Many people face similar situations and find it comforting to have guidance and support. If you're looking for help in navigating these conversations, know that there are resources available to assist you on your financial journey.

As a financial planner and mediator, I deeply understand the challenges that conversations about money can bring. We've gathered a few valuable tips along our journey that we'd love to share with you.

We're here to provide support and guidance as you navigate these important discussions. With our compassionate and empathetic approach, we aim to help you achieve...

I remember the full range of emotions I felt when I bought my first house in 2007. Pride that I was doing something so significant. Worry that I was making the wrong decision. Excitement to finally have a place of my own. And overwhelming anxiety about all the new expenses and responsibilities ahead of me.

What I didn't realize at the time was that I was doing exactly what it takes to build financial confidence. I was taking intentional action, even in the face of fear.

Building financial confidence is a journey, not a destination. With each financial decision, we get an opportunity to flex our confidence muscles. Yet so many women shy away from these moments due to fear, self-doubt, or the belief that they don't know enough yet. What if the very act of making decisions, imperfect, uncertain, sometimes scary decisions, is exactly what builds the confidence we're waiting to feel?

Clarity and Values Come First

Before you can take confident financial action, you need two things: cla...

If you've spent any time in the personal development or financial wellness space, you've definitely heard about scarcity mindset versus abundance mindset. And the message is usually pretty clear: scarcity thinking is bad, abundance thinking is good. If you just shift your mindset to abundance, money will flow to you.

But what if this entire framework is completely missing the point?

As a financial planner who has worked with hundreds of women navigating major financial transitions, I've seen firsthand how the scarcity vs. abundance debate can actually harm people rather than help them. After years of watching clients struggle with shame around their "scarcity mindset," I'm ready to challenge this binary thinking.

The real question isn't whether you have a scarcity mindset or an abundance mindset. The real question is: Are you letting fear make your decisions?

Let me explain.

What Is Scarcity Mindset?

Scarcity mindset is the belief that there's never enough. Not enough money, n...

Financial independence may seem like a lofty goal, but it's an attainable one. The key lies in breaking down the journey into manageable steps, and that's precisely what we're here to do. As women, we face unique financial challenges, but we also possess unique strengths to harness on our path to financial independence. In this blog post, we'll explore the five essential steps to financial independence for women and provide you with tools to take control of your financial future.

Step 1: Understanding Financial Independence

The first step in this journey is understanding what financial independence truly means. It's not just about having enough money to pay the bills. It's about having the financial stability to make choices that allow you to live on your terms. Financial independence is about being unchained from financial worries and empowered to make decisions that serve your best interests. Whether that means starting your own business, retiring early, or simply feeling secure in...

Table of Contents

1. The Setback Nobody Talks About
2. Why Financial Setbacks Hit Women Differently
3. What a Financial Setback Actually Looks Like (Real Examples)
4. The Emotional Spiral: Why Your Mindset Takes the First Hit
5. How to Start Over Financially Without Starting From Zero
6. Rebuilding Financially: The Practical Steps That Actually Work
7. What Financial Resilience Looks Like in Real Life
8. The Role of Community in Recovering from a Financial Setback
9. Frequently Asked Questions

The Setback Nobody Talks About

Here is something I have noticed in nearly two decades of working with women and their finances. The setback that derails people is rarely the one they saw coming.

It is the divorce they thought they could afford but could not. The job loss that happened eight months before retirement eligibility. The emergency fund that got used up for one emergency and then another before it could be rebuilt. The business that almost made it. The medical bill that showed up the same month...

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays with its focus on family and gratitude, and it’s the perfect opportunity to feel grateful for everything that I have, despite whatever bumps in the road tried to take me off course throughout the year. But Thanksgiving can also be a difficult time for people for a variety of reasons so I wanted to share how developing a gratitude mindset can help you take a different approach to not only Thanksgiving but each new day. 

So what is a gratitude mindset? 

Gratitude is defined as the quality of being thankful and exhibiting a readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. Simply put, a gratitude mindset is the ability to focus on the positive things in life rather than the negative - you know the glass is half full kind of thinking. You see opportunities instead of obstacles. When you can focus on gratitude, the number of things you appreciate continue to grow. 

Why should you strive for a gratitude mindset?

Engaging in a gratitude...