Power shots

Dr. Mary Claire Haver is the menopause MASTER. Do yourself a favor and become well versed in the menopausal experience while you’re still premenopausal or even perimenopausal. If you’re a person who will not be experiencing menopause, do yourself a favor and become an informed supporter of those close to you who WILL be experiencing it. It goes without saying that I wish I’d known long before I went through it at 55 what I know now, but cocky shithead that I am, I figured I’d just muscle through whatever showed itself. Well, it showed me alright! It turns out help IS available. Don’t shortchange yourself during Act III of your life. As Dr. Mary Claire says, “Menopause is inevitable- suffering is NOT.” This cocky shithead is learning that receiving help is not the same as tapping out.

I don’t throw the word “brilliant” around loosely, but Ramit Sethi is brilliant. Yes, he’s technically a money expert, but beyond that, he is completely tuned into the people he’s aiming to help in a way that reaches far beyond the scope of money. Why? Because it’s NOT JUST ABOUT THE MONEY! What drew me to him was that he shares the same understanding toward money and life that I’ve shared here regarding people and their attitudes about fitness, which is the acknowledgement that while your body is directly involved in the fitness process, you must reach beyond the tactical mechanics of diet and exercise in order to uncover the unconscious stories that often prevent you from engaging in behaviors that serve (Ramit refers to these as “invisible scripts”) and instead keep you clinging to old habits you’re comfortable with that get you nowhere. The credit card debt that has been paid off only to rear its head and accumulate again at a later date is akin to the 20 pounds that’s been lost numerous times only to be found again later by its owner. Why? That’s what you’ve got to figure out for yourself, by digging deep and going beyond. Ramit guides people there. I consider him a spoon-bender. He gets that “there is no spoon.” For those unfamiliar with my reference from The Matrix I gladly offer this:

Neo’s realization of the spoon’s non-existence is crucial to his understanding that he cannot maneuver The Matrix by concentrating on an object and trying to change it. How can he change what doesn’t actually exist? Therefore, he must change himself by looking inside himself (yes, it’s in there people- everything you need) in order to bring about change. You can’t change the external without acknowledgement and involvement of the internal. Click here for more on Learning To Bend

I’ll be the first to tell you that I am not a young person, so I don’t exactly have time on my side when it comes to investing. No matter! I’m a person who believes in optimizing whatever I’m working with and I learned so much from this book, allowing me to make several positive changes to our finances. I recommend it wholeheartedly. Another bonus: it’s currently free to read for KindleUnlimited subscribers.