Your Wealth & Well-Being Archives

The Most Romantic Financial Move: We Agreements

Christine Mathieu on February 10, 2026

Valentine’s Day is full of symbols like hearts, roses, and candles. But in relationships, the most meaningful word I think about isn’t a symbol at all. It’s the word we.

For couples, money tension often starts where “we” disappears. It becomes:

“My spending” vs “Your spending”

“My anxiety” vs “Your avoidance”

“My plan” vs “Your freedom”

“My responsibility” vs “Your resistance”

Suddenly, money isn’t a shared tool. It’s a scoreboard.

So, here’s a Valentine’s Day practice that is surprisingly intimate: Create one “We Agreement.”

This isn’t a budget overhaul or a financial plan. It’s simply one shared agreement that says: “We’re on the same side.”

Start with this question: “What do we want money to support in our life together?” Here are some examples:

More ease on weekends
Less resentment
A home that feels calm
Travel that feels aligned
Generosity without guilt
Retirement without fear
A partnership where both voices matter

Then choose one agreement that fits your current season:

A weekly 10-minute check-in (same day, same time)
A spending threshold you both agree on (no surprises)
One shared savings goal that feels meaningful (not punishing)
A monthly “money date” where the goal is connection, not correction

A Note About Agreements

Agreements only work when they reflect values. Most couples have never slowed down long enough to name what they truly value both individually and together.

So, if you keep breaking the agreement, don’t shame yourselves. It may simply mean you’re trying to build a “we” plan on top of two unspoken “me” stories. Beneath those stories is usually something money is trying to protect—our sense of safety, freedom, or control. When we get curious about that, instead of being critical, real change becomes possible

The Valentine’s Day Reframe

Money will always be present in your relationship, but you get to decide what role it plays:

A wedge that proves you’re different
or
A bridge that helps you understand each other more deeply

This year, if you’re tempted to focus on the external gesture, consider something quieter, but more powerful:

Choose one “We Agreement.”
Speak it gently.
Write it down.
Honor it imperfectly.

That’s real partnership.

And that, to me, is a very grown-up kind of romance.

If you’re an individual who struggles with conversations about money in your relationship, let’s connect.

Book a Discovery Call

As Western New York’s only Certified Money Coach (CMC®), Christine partners with our financial advisors to bring clients the best of both worlds: the technical expertise of financial planning and the transformational insight of wealth coaching. She helps individuals uncover limiting beliefs, align financial choices with what matters most, and move toward clarity. Connect with her on LinkedIn or visit our website to learn more about wealth coaching.

The Retirement Risk No One Warns You About

Christine Mathieu on February 9, 2026

I recently read a Wall Street Journal article titled, “The Retirement Crisis No One Warns You About: Mattering.” As someone who works closely with individuals navigating the transition into retirement, the message felt deeply familiar.

Not because of market uncertainty or longevity planning, but because of something far more human: Mattering.

Retirement is often framed as a financial milestone. But in reality, it is one of the most significant identity shifts a person will ever experience. While many people plan carefully for their wealth and health, far fewer prepare for what the article describes as their “mattering span,” or the need to continue feeling valued, useful, and connected in daily life.

Why Retirement Can Feel Unsettling Even When the Numbers Say You Can

Many retirees are surprised by how disorienting retirement feels. Even those who retire “on plan” often describe an unexpected loss of structure, relevance, or purpose.

In my conversations with clients, I frequently hear:

“I thought I’d feel more at peace.”
“I didn’t realize how much my work grounded me.”
“I’m financially fine, but something feels missing.”

This isn’t a personal shortcoming. It’s a natural response to the sudden removal of roles that once provided meaning, purpose, and connection. Work quietly answers questions like, “Who needs me?” Or “Where do I belong?”

As the end of that chapter approaches, those questions don’t disappear. They often get louder.

What it Means to Matter

The WSJ article outlines four components of mattering: feeling significant, appreciated, invested in, and depended on. What stands out is that none of these is guaranteed by financial independence alone.

You can have ample resources and still feel invisible.
You can have freedom and still feel unneeded.

The retirees who thrive are rarely the busiest. They are the ones who find ways to carry a thread of their former identity into their next chapter, not by recreating their careers, but by re-expressing their strengths in new ways.

Why Lifestyle Planning Means Just as Much as Financial Planning

Research cited in the article shows that lifestyle planning is a stronger predictor of retirement satisfaction than financial preparation alone. That finding aligns closely with what I see in practice.

The most fulfilling retirements are shaped by intentional conversations before work ends. We have conversations about meaning, contribution, relationships, and identity.

Questions like:

What parts of your work give you energy?
Where do you feel most useful?
Who depends on you today, and how might that evolve?
What would make your days feel purposeful, not just full?

These questions deserve a seat at the retirement planning table.

Redefining Success in Retirement

The article invites a powerful shift from “How long will I live?” to “How will I continue to matter while I do?“

When retirement is viewed as a transition vs an ending, it becomes an opportunity to intentionally reallocate time, talent, and attention toward what truly matters.

Financial security creates the freedom to ask these questions.
Clarity and purpose are what turn that freedom into a fulfilling life.

As a wealth coach, my role is to help people navigate this human side of retirement so that the next chapter isn’t just financially sound, but deeply lived. If you’re approaching retirement and want to talk, click the button below.

Book a Discovery Call

Life is Good. How I Got Here.

Tom Waring on February 5, 2026

There was a time when I thought “well-being” meant things were calm, balanced, and mostly under control.

As a business owner, I’ve learned that it rarely looks that way in real life.

My journey hasn’t been a straight line. There have been seasons of growth and momentum as well as seasons of doubt, exhaustion, and pressure that sat heavier than I expected. There were times when the business was moving forward, but I wasn’t sure I was. Times when success, on paper, didn’t feel as satisfying as I thought it would.

And yet, today, I can honestly say: life is good.

Not because everything is perfect. Not because I get to play golf more often these days (though that does help). It’s because I’ve come to understand what true well-being really means and how intentional choices, over time, shape not just a business but a life.

The Ups and Downs No One Talks About

When you run a business, responsibility is constant. You carry the weight of decisions that affect employees, clients, and families—including your own. You’re expected to have answers, stay optimistic, and keep things moving, even when uncertainty is sitting right beside you.

There were moments when I pushed through stress rather than acknowledge it. When I focused so much on growth and progress that I didn’t pause to ask whether the pace I was keeping was sustainable. I told myself that this was just “part of the job.”

Over time, I realized something important: ignoring your own well-being doesn’t make you stronger. It just delays the reckoning.

Redefining What ‘Well’ Actually Means

For me, well-being isn’t about eliminating stress or achieving perfect balance. It’s about alignment.

It’s knowing that the way you spend your time reflects what matters most to you. It’s having clarity around your values and allowing them to guide decisions, even when it would be easier not to. It’s being honest with yourself about what’s working, what isn’t, and what needs to change.

True wellbeing shows up when:

You can step back without guilt
You trust the people around you
You’re no longer holding everything together by yourself
You feel peace about where you’re headed, not just where you’ve been

That didn’t happen overnight. It came from learning to let go of control, of ego, and of the belief that everything depended on me.

Passing the Torch Starts Long Before You’re Ready

One of the biggest shifts in my own sense of well-being came when I started thinking seriously about succession, not just as a business decision, but as a life decision.

Passing the torch isn’t just about ownership or leadership. It’s about identity. About trust. About believing that the business—and the people within it—can thrive without you at the center of everything.

A vision for my business that I have held since my mid-thirties has been a guide to test my response to questions like:

What do I want my legacy to be?
Are we building something that lasts or something that only works if I’m here?
Can I get out of the way of the bright people in this team?
Can I move from managing to leading, and leading to governing?
Can I exit my ownership during my lifetime?
What does a truly well-lived life look like beyond the business?

Answering those questions and others like it by referencing my vision led to better choices, better decisions, better responses, and great well-being and rich relationships.

What I’ve Learned About True Wellbeing

Looking back, well-being wasn’t something I found after the work was done. It was something I built by making more thoughtful, intentional choices along the way.

A few things made the difference:

Surrounding myself with people I trust and listen to
Putting a “pregnant pause” between an event and my choice of response, instead of reacting.
Accepting that growth includes discomfort
Recognizing that success means very little if it costs you your well-being.

Wellbeing isn’t passive. It’s something you actively protect.

Life Is Good—Because It’s Intentional

Today, life feels good not because the challenges are gone, but because I’m better equipped to meet them. I’m clearer about what matters, more comfortable asking for support, and more confident in letting others step forward.

If you’re a business owner in the thick of it—feeling stretched, uncertain, or quietly exhausted—I want you to know this: you’re not alone, and you don’t have to carry it all yourself.

Tom is a person who likes to see good things happen for others. It’s why his life’s work has focused on serving those who are building good things for themselves and others. This mostly looks like advising business owners, their family members, and their key employees in attaining success by aligning their personal and professional visions. He’s been doing this for nearly four decades and has watched as his clients’ financial situations have evolved, gaining insights that only experience can provide. Tom applies his mix of financial know-how and business acumen to guide clients toward better financial outcomes, avoiding the common traps that thwart even the most well-intentioned business owners.

How Your Mindset Affects Financial Decisions in Retirement

Shawn Glogowski on January 14, 2026

How fear and habits can hold retirees back, and how a financial planner can help you spend with confidence.

A recently retired client told me they were finally ready to take the trip they’d been talking about for years.

As we discussed flights, they casually mentioned they’d fly economy to save on airfare. It wasn’t hesitation, but habit.

I pulled up their plan and walked them through the numbers. They had saved. They had prepared. They had done exactly what they were supposed to do.

So I said, “You can take the trip. And you can fly first class.”

They laughed at first. Then they paused.

Because for many people, the hardest part of retirement isn’t understanding the math.
It’s trusting yourself to spend after decades of saving.

Money Is Emotional Whether We Admit It or Not

We like to think financial decisions are purely logical, but money is shaped by far more than numbers.

It’s influenced by years of habits, responsibility, and the stories we tell ourselves about safety and security. For most of adulthood, the goal is simple: save, be careful, and prepare for the future.

When retirement arrives, the rules quietly change. The paycheck stops, but the saving mindset doesn’t. And that’s where many people get stuck. The goal in retirement is to be able to spend the money you worked so hard to earn.

The Fear That Follows Us Into Retirement

Even with a solid plan in place, a common question surfaces:

What if I run out?

This fear can influence decisions in subtle ways by choosing discomfort over ease, delaying experiences, or living more cautiously than necessary. Not because the numbers demand it, but because the mindset hasn’t caught up.

When fear drives decisions, retirement can look responsible on paper while feeling smaller in real life.

Aligning the Plan and the Person

The goal of financial planning isn’t just to make money last.

It’s to help people live well with the money they’ve earned.

That means aligning the plan with the person. It’s helping clients shift from accumulation to intention, and from caution to confidence.

My role as an advisor goes beyond building a plan. It’s helping clients trust it when it’s time to live it.

Because you didn’t save all these years just to get by.
You saved so you could live comfortably and enjoy life to the fullest.

Sometimes the most meaningful part of hiring a financial planner isn’t just preparing for the future. It’s having someone give you the peace of mind to help you step into the future with confidence.

Shawn C. Glogowski, CFP®, is Principal and Co-Owner at Note Advisors, LLC, where he serves as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. He works closely with clients to design, implement, and oversee comprehensive financial plans tailored to their unique goals. Shawn is passionate about meeting clients where they are and providing clear guidance on investment, tax, retirement, and estate planning strategies to help them make confident decisions for their future.

Connect with Shawn on LinkedIn for insights on financial planning topics.

A New Year Currency Audit

Christine Mathieu on January 14, 2026

How have you been living, and what are you investing your “currencies” in?

The New Year has a way of inviting reflection. Turning the page to a fresh start makes it easier to ask: How have I been living? And what am I actually investing my time in?

We’re used to thinking about “currency” as money. But money is only one form.
Time is currency.
Energy is currency.
Attention is currency.
Peace of mind, love, and purpose are currencies too.

And whether we realize it or not, we are spending all day long.

A New Year Currency Audit isn’t about judgment or big resolutions. It’s simply about noticing where your resources are going, and whether they’re aligned with what actually matters to you.

When Life Looks Right on Paper, but Feels Off

Many capable and responsible people reach moments when they’ve done everything “right.” They’ve worked hard, met expectations, stayed disciplined, and yet something feels misaligned.

That disconnect usually isn’t a math problem.
It’s a currency problem.

When most of your time, energy, or attention is being spent out of habit, obligation, or fear, even good outcomes can start to feel empty. Without realizing it, you may be investing heavily in productivity or responsibility while underfunding rest, joy, connection, or meaning.

A currency audit helps bring those trade-offs to light.

This Matters Financially, Too

Financial planning brings clarity and structure to your money. In planning, you examine cash flow, expenses, investing, taxes, and long-term goals to answer the question: What do the numbers say?

But how you relate to the numbers is shaped by the same forces that affect how you spend your time and energy. It’s important to explore how your beliefs, emotions, and past experiences shape your financial decisions.

When people understand these broader currencies, they tend to make better financial decisions, too. Spending becomes more intentional. Saving feels more meaningful. Planning aligns more naturally with real life, not just projections.

A Simple Framework: Personal Spending Rules

Most of us don’t need more willpower. We need clearer internal leadership.

One helpful way to do that is by identifying a small number of personal “spending rules” or guidelines that help you decide what deserves your currency when life gets busy or noisy.

These aren’t goals or resolutions. They’re ways of showing up.

For example:

Protecting time that restores your energy
Prioritizing relationships that bring calm and connection
Making space for joy, creativity, or rest
Practicing self-compassion when you notice you’ve drifted

Even one non-negotiable rule can change how intentionally you spend your days.

Your New Year Currency Audit

As you reflect on what you want for yourself this year, try this simple audit:

1. Name your currencies.
Money, time, energy, attention, health, peace of mind, relationships.

2. Notice where they’re going or where you want them to go.
What feels intentional? What feels automatic?

3. Choose one spending rule.
Not ten resolutions. One rule that protects what matters most.

You might reflect on questions like:

Which currency feels most depleted right now and why?
Where am I spending out of fear, obligation, or habit?
What would it look like to invest more in peace this year?
What is one non-negotiable that would help me stay grounded and kind both to myself and to others?

The New Year doesn’t demand a new version of you.
It offers an opportunity to become more intentional with what you already have.

Financial Planning vs Investment Management: Why You Need Both

Shawn Glogowski on September 23, 2025

When people think about working with a financial advisor, the first thing that often comes to mind is investment management. While managing your portfolio is an important piece of the puzzle, it’s only one part of building lasting financial security. I always say it is hard to create a solid investment plan without a holistic financial plan. To create a strategy that works in every season of life, you need both working hand in hand.

What’s the Difference?

Investment Management focuses on how your money is invested, including asset allocation, risk management, rebalancing, and performance monitoring. It’s about growing and protecting your wealth in line with your risk tolerance and goals. When it comes to investments, it’s not what you earn but what you get to keep. That’s where a good, holistic plan comes into play.

Financial Planning takes a broader view. It examines your entire financial picture, including income, expenses, taxes, retirement savings, estate planning, and more. A financial plan doesn’t just answer “How should I invest?” but also “Am I on track for the future I want?” My job is to get to know you and your situation to help you make educated decisions that are in line with your goals. A good financial plan will show you the ripple effect of those decisions 5 or 10 years down the road.

Why You Need Both

Relying solely on investment management can leave gaps. Even the best-performing portfolio won’t help if it isn’t aligned with your retirement timeline, tax strategy, or estate plan. On the other hand, having a plan without strong investment management may limit your ability to achieve long-term growth.

Together, financial planning and investment management create a holistic strategy. Your plan guides your investments, and your investments power your plan. It’s a continuous cycle of setting goals, monitoring progress, and adjusting along the way.

Fall: The Perfect Time for a Review

As the seasons change, it’s the ideal moment to step back and take stock of your financial picture. A Fall review with your advisor ensures you’re on track before year-end deadlines arrive. Key topics often include:

Reviewing tax strategies before December 31
Checking 401(k) and IRA contributions
Considering Roth conversions
Updating income, expenses, and charitable giving plans
Ensuring investments are aligned with both your plan and market conditions

The Bottom Line

Financial success doesn’t come from a single action—it comes from integrating smart investments into a comprehensive plan. By bringing both sides together, you’ll not only stay on track for your goals but also head into the new year with confidence and clarity.

Connect with Shawn on LinkedIn for insights on financial planning topics.

National 401(k) Day

Angela Hall on September 4, 2025

Why retirement plans matter now more than ever.

Over half of Americans have money invested in an employer-sponsored retirement plan. For many, it’s the foundation of their financial future and the cornerstone of their retirement savings.

Yet despite how critical these plans are, a surprising number of people still feel uncertain about investing. Some delay making contributions, while others avoid adjusting their accounts altogether. That hesitation can cost them valuable growth over time.

The good news? You don’t have to navigate it alone.

The Value of Professional Guidance

Research shows that individuals who work with a financial advisor tied to their retirement plan feel more confident in their decisions. They tend to contribute more regularly, invest in ways that better align with their goals, and report greater peace of mind. Having a trusted professional walk alongside you can turn confusion into clarity and uncertainty into action.

Why Business Owners Should Take Notice

If you’re a business owner and don’t yet offer a retirement plan, now is the time to consider it. The benefits extend far beyond just a savings vehicle:

Tax incentives: There are valuable credits available for setting up a new plan and even for making contributions on behalf of your employees.
Employee retention: A retirement plan signals to your team that you care about their long-term well-being, not just their role today.
Stronger workplace culture: Offering meaningful benefits helps attract top talent and strengthens trust with your employees.

Supporting the Future—Together

National 401(k) Day is a reminder that retirement planning is about more than numbers on a statement—it’s about building financial security and peace of mind. Whether you’re an employee making your first contribution or a business owner exploring plan options, every step you take today is an investment in tomorrow.

Angela M. Hall, Ph.D., CFP^® is Note’s Senior Financial Advisor and head of Retirement Planning at Note Advisors. Angela works closely with business owners, professionals, and individuals who are busy making a life, not just a fortune. As a Certified Financial Planner®, her mission isn’t to make you an investment expert, but to guide you in achieving your most ambitious life and business vision by developing and maintaining custom wealth strategies. Connect with her on LinkedIn

If you don’t look at it, it won’t change

Christine Mathieu on April 17, 2024

Some things will never change.

Certainly seems to be true when it comes to talking about, or not talking about … money. Centuries have passed since the first use of money, and yet money remains a taboo subject.

A subject for many to be avoided at all costs.

Conversations involving money are uncomfortable because of their intimate nature.

How you feel about, act with, and experience money reflects what you believe about yourself and what you think is possible.

Sharing those intimate details about yourself and money can be unnerving. Especially for those that own/run a business when their personal and family’s livelihood is dependent upon its success.

But if you can’t talk about “you and money”, how effective is your financial decision-making process? And what kind of impact will that have on the success of your business and your overall well-being?

Two of the most common money issues –

And least talked about – that I see in business owners and solo-preneurs are chronic underearning and avoidance/aversion, both of which are indications of an unhealthy relationship with money.

Chronic underearning is the consequence of a lack/scarcity mindset and beliefs that are self-limiting in nature.

One’s underlying thoughts may sound like … I’m not good enough; I don’t/can’t provide enough value; I don’t have what it takes; My product/service isn’t quite ready; It doesn’t seem right to charge – it goes against my principles.

A lack/scarcity mindset coupled with self-limiting beliefs can often result in:

The struggle to set values-based fees or increase fees.
The owner’s assumption that their client or prospect is unable to afford or won’t see the value in their product or service.
The owner forcing a sale or discounting the fee out of desperation.
The owner feeling stuck or stagnant and not reaching or exceeding revenue goals.
The owner exceeding their goals, BUT still feels underwhelmed, unsatisfied, unfulfilled.

When we are not at peace with money, we are likely to avoid it or have an aversion to it, even though we know it’s necessary for our survival.

One’s hidden beliefs may be … people with money are bad, or money is bad and the root of all evil. Some may place all financial responsibility on someone else or take the “ostrich approach” because they’re afraid of what they’ll find.

Having a conflicted or fearful relationship with money may look like/sound like:

An owner that says, “I hate sales” or “I hate selling”.
An owner that loves their craft/product/service but wants nothing to do with managing the business which includes financial decision-making.
An owner or practitioner that is afraid of being seen as inauthentic or compromising their principles.
An owner that wants to retire but can’t bring themselves to do so. Their identity is so wrapped up in their business that they cannot envision a life of fulfillment beyond their business. And some cannot trust that they “have enough” to retire despite the financial proof provided by their financial professional.

If nearly every decision you make is influenced by money, wouldn’t you agree that having a healthy relationship with money is a key factor to your success as a business owner?

And wouldn’t you agree that this is true whether you are just starting out or getting ready to sell or transfer your business?

If these common money issues are not looked at and talked about, then no one can expect to change their financial circumstances for the better, much less their quality of life.

And without a healthy relationship with money, how you show up in the face of a major life transition, like the sale or transfer of a business, may cause you to undermine your best intentions and efforts.

As a business owner, how high of a price are you willing to pay by not looking at and addressing the health of your relationship with money?

No matter where you are in your business … it’s never too late to learn how to pay attention to and notice your own hidden money dynamics. Your business and quality of life can only get better when you have a clear understanding of what is driving your financial decision-making process.

It’s the difference between making decisions when you are stressed, worried, and pressured versus making decisions from a place of peace, because peace is our greatest resource for effective decision-making.

If you are curious about what is currently driving your financial decision-making and how it’s affecting your business, start the conversation by taking the Money Types Quiz.

I promise it won’t hurt and it won’t be scary …

Hear more about money issues from my guest appearance on Connie Whitesell’s business growth podcast:

-Christine, B.Msc. – Wealth Coach, Certified Money Coach (CMC®)

The CMC® designation combines sound coaching principles with practical financial coaching to assist individuals better understand their relationship with money and finances. Money Coaching complements financial professionals as an additional “field of expertise” to offer their existing client base. Certificate Candidates are required to complete Modules One, Two and Three; complete the “Core Process” and a Client Assessment on a minimum of two “practice clients”; complete all exercises in the Certified Money Coach workbook; submit their work and conduct a final review with and to the satisfaction of the Money Coaching Institute. Upon satisfactory completion of items above, candidates will be awarded the Certified Money Coach (CMC)® designation (along with the rights to use the service marks) and will be issued a Certificate of Completion.

Divorce – a self-fulfilling prophecy of misery or salvation?

Christine Mathieu on October 2, 2023

Frustration builds as your bank account bleeds…

It bankrupts your patience and any remaining good sense.

You probably wonder, “What the hell am I paying for?”

Divorce is hard.

It’s complicated, overwhelming, and heart wrenching. It’s painful, scary, intimidating, and maddening. It’s also quite costly.

The pressure is on to make decisions … big decisions … involving the here and now and the next.

All you want is for it to be over.

That’s why your decision-making is typically impulsive and rushed.

But what if your perception of divorce is nothing more than a simple misunderstanding?

My First Divorce

It was my first divorce and before I had even met with my attorney, I somehow knew that the process would be slow, difficult, and expensive.

But how did I know? And how did I know that everyone involved, including myself, would be miserable?

Truth was, I didn’t know. Not absolutely. I assumed based on the experiences of others. And I chose to believe I was right.

God – if only I could have been wrong!

Divorce was hell. It was war. And those I thought were on my side, really weren’t.

I was scared, hurt, and robbed … on many levels … physically, emotionally, and financially.

And at the end of it all, I was not left for better, but for worse.

(Sound familiar?)

It Was Me

But who could I blame?

A faulty legal system? An unsympathetic judge? An attorney that appeared more interested in clocking their hourly rate than tending to their client’s peace of mind?

If not them, then who?

Well, the obvious answer is me.

If only I had been aware that the quality of my experience with divorce had been in my control all along.

No one forced me to believe that every aspect of divorce is difficult. I was the one that chose to make the horror stories of others my own. And then my subsequent divorces were experienced in similar fashion because I didn’t believe I had another choice. I didn’t believe that I could experience divorce as something other than misery.

You’re Right

“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right.” – Henry Ford

Just like money, there isn’t anything right or wrong, or good or bad about divorce.

If you think money is intimidating, elusive, or loathsome, you’re right. And how you conduct yourself with money will be your proof.

If you think divorce is stressful, painful, and costly, you’re right. And how you conduct yourself during and after your divorce will be your proof.

It wasn’t until my fourth marriage was coming to an end that I realized the truth of Henry Ford’s words.

And it had nothing to do with “do we or don’t we”.

It was about if I wanted to prove myself right again. Or was I ready and willing to believe that divorce is in fact swift, uncomplicated … and effortless?

Drop It

Another divorce came with breast cancer too. I recall my Oncologist advising me to drop everything I thought I knew about the treatment of breast cancer, to forget everything I had ever read and everything I had ever been told. He said it was all crap and had nothing to do with me or my cancer.

Eventually I believed him … and that’s what saved me.

I could tell you that the healthiest thing you could do is to drop all your preconceived ideas of what divorce is like. But you won’t … because you can’t change what you’re unaware of.

So, the first thing for you to do is take the step you don’t want to take.

Regardless of where you are in your divorce, before, during, or on the other side of it, you must decide if it’s more important for you to be right or be happy.

That’s when the door to the “classroom of divorce” will open, inviting you in.

What is that classroom?

I’d love to have a chat with you and explain … please click below and schedule a complimentary discovery session.

Schedule a chat with me

And if you’re really curious … take the Money Types Quiz to see what is currently influencing your financial decision making and impacting your divorce too.

Then you can sign up to attend my free webinar, hosted by UB, on Wednesday, October 25th at noon.

I hope to see you there!

-Christine, B.Msc. – Wealth Coach, Certified Money Coach (CMC®)

Watch my videos below to learn more about how wealth coaching can transform your decision-making:

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7 Myths about Wealth Coaching

Christine Mathieu on June 19, 2023

Rebel. Rescuer. Magician.

You probably have an instant picture of the word and what it means. The same could be true of “wealth coach.” Problem is, most people don’t know what a wealth coach is or does … and when they find out, they either want to dive right in, or run.

If you’re a runner or are sitting on the fence about having a conversation about wealth coaching, perhaps dispelling the myths surrounding this work will provide some clarity. At least enough to either get you off the fence or know what you’re running from.

Myth #1 – Wealth coaching is just financial planning or wealth management.

While it’s super flattering to hear someone immediately exclaim, “I need you!”, after they hear that I’m a wealth coach, we soon learn that their first impression of what a wealth coach does is wrong.

A wealth coach (at least this one) does not help you manage or invest your money. That’s the work of your financial advisor or planner.

A wealth coach will help you to manage your relationships with money … your instinctive, emotional, practical, and spiritual relationships with money. When these four relationships are healthy and operating in harmony with all facets of life, true wealth (well-being) is achieved.

Myth #2 – All wealth coaches (and money coaches) are the same.

It’s safe to say that most coaches have some type of certification or degree that qualifies them to do the work they do. But to assume that coaches who share the same title, for example “wealth coach,” “money coach,” or “life coach,” also share the same educational background is…shortsighted.

An example: I am an Ordained Metaphysical Minister, I have a degree in Metaphysical Science, and I am a Certified Money Coach CMC®.

Wealth Coach is a title I gave myself twelve years ago. I was intentional with my word choice just as I had been intentional with my degree and certification of choice. It all had to reflect what I stood for, the service I was providing, and be relatable.

The original definition of wealth is “your current state of well-being; or path to happiness.” The fact that we have four relationships with money makes money a powerful classroom for self-discovery, personal/professional growth, and life transformation.

So, as a wealth coach, I help people experience greater well-being (happiness), by transforming how they relate to money and life, changing how they choose to see themselves, and what they believe is possible.

Myth #3 – You’ll help me get rich.

A wealth coach won’t help you get rich. That’s not our job … that’s not our purpose.

It’s unfortunate that our happiness, right here and right now, is determined by how much we have and how much we make. Our identity, our sense of worthiness, what we believe about ourselves, and our capabilities are measured by and defined by our financial capital.

A wealth coach will ask, what value does being rich bring to your life? Is it about how others will perceive you? Do you have something to prove? Or do you believe that being rich will provide peace of mind?

A wealth coach will also tell you not to fight against what you currently believe. Examine it instead.

You may say to yourself, “I will be the happiest when I’m rich.” And if that’s what you believe, don’t change it. Just say, “Well, that’s what I believe right now and that’s ok. It doesn’t make me a bad person, it doesn’t make me evil, but it also won’t make me happy. And as long as I think being rich will make me happy, then I just have to wait until I realize it won’t make me happy.”

Being rich isn’t right or wrong. It’s the attitude that you bring to being rich that will ultimately determine your quality of life and well-being.

Myth #4 – You’re going to put me on a budget.

A wealth coach won’t ever tell you what to do. How you do money and finances is 100% up to you. But, if you resist looking at how you spend or you don’t have a conscious spending plan, then you may have an unhealthy relationship with money. And this goes for personal finances as well as business.

Other indications of an unhealthy relationship with money are:
Blaming others, the market, or the economy for your situation.
Impulsive spending, giving, or even investing.
You and your spouse/partner arguing over money, work, or business.
Tapping into your personal savings to meet employee expenses or payroll.
Money having authority in your life.
Being afraid of making the wrong decision.
… and many more!

Budgets aren’t bad and they’re not a form of punishment. They’re a really good tool for keeping you on track and aware of your spending.

But if you want to be successful at maintaining a conscious spending plan (budget), you need to become aware of and heal the belief patterns that are triggering your resistance, blaming, impulsiveness, etc. – which is the job of a wealth coach.

Myth #5 – You’re going to judge me.

For most folks, money makes us feel vulnerable. Talking about money is downright scary, uncomfortable, and simply too revealing.

I get it.

Two of my divorces left me financially crippled and one of them resulted in my filing for bankruptcy. And while I survived breast cancer, it was more than I could afford financially, even with health insurance and a grant.

And that’s why, as a wealth coach, one of the first questions I will ask someone is, “what is the one thing about you and money that you don’t want anyone to know?”

I don’t ask this to make you feel uncomfortable or ashamed. I ask so that you can find safety in being open and honest about money, about where you’re at, and about what’s going on in your head.

The first task of a wealth coach is to hold a safe space for open dialogue. And over a short period of time, what was once uncomfortable to talk about is now comfortable … because YOU are no longer judging yourself.

Myth #6 – You can’t help me with finding purpose and fulfillment.

If nearly every decision you make is influenced by money, then the quality of your relationships with money will determine how you experience life overall. In simple terms this means that the very nature of you and money will either leave you feeling “short” on purpose and fulfillment or feeling truly satisfied and in love with life.

I have witnessed time and time again that our most important relationship with money is our spiritual relationship. And it’s the one most often ignored.

Allowing money to be a classroom, a wealth coach will help you become aware of and bring forth the great unrealized potential that exists in your life right here and now.

You will be asked what you believe … about money … and time … what you believe about choice … and yes, even what you believe about God/Spirit. You will be gently and firmly challenged to question your understanding of who you think you are and what you believe is possible.

I want to know, and more importantly, I want you to know, all that you believe because it is the beliefs that you hold that will either move you towards or away from a life of purpose and fulfillment.

Myth #7 – I have a significant net worth, or I have enough money; therefore, I don’t need a wealth coach.

You may be right. You don’t need a wealth coach. But is knowing that you have a high (or ultra-high) net worth your final destination? Is having enough money your only measure of complete well-being and sustainable happiness?

If it is, fantastic!

However, I have found that those that consider themselves financially successful often suffer from chronic “not-enough-ness.” There’s usually something missing, and this becomes clear when …

They resist committing to a retirement date …
They resist selling their business or turning it over to the family …
They can’t (or won’t) envision a new life for themselves …

A wealth coach will ask …

What is it about setting that retirement date that scares you?
What is it about letting go of controlling the business that bothers you?
Tell me what matters most to you … what are you doing when you are most like yourself?

It’s that line of questioning that will get to the heart of one’s resistance, allowing them to begin to release their fears so they can begin to see what’s really been missing …

True wealth has nothing to do with money, it’s about what makes your heart sing.

Myths are Neutral

Like any thought, a myth is neutral until you decide to believe it.

If any of the myths I wrote about rang true to you, we should talk. Please reach out to me at christine@noteadvisor.com. Or schedule a call or meeting directly on my calendly.

Want to learn about what’s influencing the effectiveness of your financial decision-making?
Take the Money Types Quiz now!

Watch my videos below to learn more about how wealth coaching can transform your decision-making:

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