A few months ago, I hired someone to start cleaning my home on a regular basis. Prior to that, I’d watch my messes build only to finally clean them when I was tired of looking at them or when I knew I had company coming. Why did I do that for so long? Honestly, I used to think hiring someone to clean my home was an admission of laziness, and no one wants to be known as lazy. But despite what do-it-yourselfers might say, a decision like that says less about your work ethic than it does about your values. Have you ever considered how easy it is to rake your leaves, to paint your kitchen, or to clean your shower? Yet many of us, myself included, pay professionals to do these tasks for us. Why? The simple answer is convenience, but what we lose in dollars and cents by purchasing that convenience helps us hold onto two other finite resources we value more, at least in instances like these—time and energy. That’s the deeper answer to the question. Life is a game of trade-offs, or “opportunity costs” as economists call them, and those trade-offs are typically unavoidable. However, they’re not so difficult when you know what you value. For example, I, like many others, value personal freedom, and while I do lose some financial freedom by paying someone to clean my home, I gain more freedom with my time and energy. Every minute not spent vacuuming the floors is more time I can be with friends and family. Every ounce of energy not spent scrubbing the baseboards is more energy I can use to get out there and try something new. By clearly defining your values and allowing them to guide your decisions, you engage with your other values and discover new ones, ultimately allowing you to come further into touch with who you truly are. This is all to say that when it comes time to start your spring cleaning, don’t consider yourself lazy if you enlist some help. (Of course, only do so if you’re in a financial situation that allows for that. What sort of advisor would I be if I suggested otherwise?) Additionally, take time to do some personal spring cleaning and evaluate what you value and challenge it. Like life itself, people are fluid. Maybe there’s a change in your values that you haven’t yet realized and that needs to be recognized, one that leads to a better, happier you.
Roch Monnig, Jr, CFP. is an Investment Advisor Representative of PYA Waltman Capital, LLC. The opinions referenced are as of the date of publication and are subject to change due to changes in the market or economic conditions and may not necessarily come to pass. Forward looking statements cannot be guaranteed. PYA Waltman is an investment adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. More information about PYA Waltman’s investment advisory services can be found in its Form ADV Part 2, which is available upon request. PYA-20-08