We're now well and truly into the year.

Christmas is just a distant memory and the gloom of winter is upon us.

For me there's two ways to look at Jan and Feb.

Either they're cold, dark and depressing with nothing to look forward to.

Or it's time to really put some work in, get the pedal to the metal and set the wheels in motion for a good year.

I've done both in the past. Neither are easy.

Sometimes it feels like getting older makes it easier to settle for mediocrity.

But now in my 40's, time has become a serious motivator.

I was 18 and had no idea about money or how it worked.

My job allowed for a decent income for my age, although I didn't realise or appreciate that.

I was lucky enough to buy a house for £23.5k (which feels crazy to say now!)

This was years before the 2008 recession and the price kept rising.

But I was young, dumb and full of it.

I took a £20k equity release loan for no reason other than someone told me I could.

It's painful to think what I could have done with that money back then, with the knowledge I have now.

But...

I blew it on a new car and nights out.

I then sold the house after about 2 years and blew another £25k.

No idea what I'd done or the asset I could have had.

Oblivious to the realities of having £45k on the hip and completely blowing it.

I had zero financial education and nobody to guide me.

But maybe it wasn't just me?

Because thinking about it, we see it all the time…

"What will you spend it on?"

It's something we're asked at a young age - from the first time we're given birthday money.

It's the question the gameshow host asked the winning contestant.

But nobody ever asks, "What will you invest it in?"

Or, "How can you utilise this money to better the rest of your life?"

Do the majority of us have no idea about money, and are bad habits being passed down from previous generations?

I mean, it's not like public schools provide financial education.

What did you know about money management at 18?

Or was it just me? A total idiot when it came to finances.

Got it? Spend it.

What's really happening here?

"What do ya wanna do next?"

That's what a lad asked his mate on what looked like one of their first days in the gym.

It reminded me of myself when I first started.

Wandering around aimlessly, seeing what I fancied going on. What was free.

Wasting half a session on the rowing machine whilst actually getting nowhere.

Never progressing.

That was a few years back. But it's not all rosy now.

Being a natural lifter in your 40's, progress already feels slow and uncertain.

Having to dangle the carrot of what future me will be.

Whilst change seems excruciatingly slow with only the mirror for comparison.

But there's encouragement to be had knowing last week's lift was beaten.

That extra plate, a bigger dumbbell or a couple more reps.

"Trust the process," they say.

Although it's hard being all in on a path when you're not 100% sure it'll reach the right destination.

One of my connections on Facebook is in a group called Make Friends UK.

I liked a post they made in there. So now I see posts from that group all the time.

Anyway, I was doom scrolling and saw a youngish lad had added a picture saying he was looking for friends.

Many in the comments were lovely, but there were also some people who'd decided to take the piss.

Seems like an ironic group to join if you're only there to bully others.

Just out of interest I decided to look at the people's profiles who had made the comments.

Not only that, I would look at them through the same lens they used.

Fat, fat, skinny fat, too insecure to have a profile picture and goofy with a weird ear.

I wouldn't normally judge like this but decided I'd use the same moral compass they did.

Funny how not one of the people who find it appropriate to bully people online are perfect themselves.

Does this say more about them?

Or, although I didn't comment, did I get triggered and stoop to the same level?

Last week I mentioned writing on a tablet and was asked what I was using.

I've got a simple little set up and it was cheap as chips.

The Samsung A9+ it's budget but does what I need it to.

And a keyboard case meaning I can type on the fly.

Perfect for me. I jump in and out of work whenever time allows. Sorted.

It's crazy to think of life gone by.

How fast it really goes.

The people who told you it'd happen, and realising actually - it has happened to you.

The dread when you remember you're actually 41 and not 40 anymore.

Still without the answers.

Just a better sense of appreciation.

But as always Gentlemen…

Life Matters

Lewis

Right That's it.

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