In this episode, Kelley Long opens up about the emotional and personal journey of navigating a major life transition—choosing to remain child-free after years of pursuing parenthood. Through this vulnerable storytelling, she reflects on the process of grieving an imagined future and finding peace with a new direction. Kelley explores how this personal experience has shaped her understanding of self-discovery, acceptance, and how these themes apply not only to life’s emotional decisions but also to the emotional side of managing money. She encourages listeners to embrace uncertainty, letting go of rigid timelines and expectations, and instead exploring new possibilities with curiosity and flexibility.

Kelley shares insights into how she and her husband reimagined their life together after realizing that having children wasn’t in the cards. This required confronting their financial and lifestyle decisions—many of which were made with parenthood in mind—and shifting their focus toward new, unexpected opportunities. From making decisions about spending and saving to trying out new ventures like buying a second home or pursuing hobbies, Kelley discusses the importance of small steps and mindful exploration. She emphasizes that it’s okay to take time to adjust and to allow yourself to explore without pressure, helping you find a path that aligns with your values and goals.

Ultimately, Kelley ties this personal journey back to the financial realm by illustrating how emotional clarity can drive better financial decisions. Whether it’s overcoming impulse spending, shifting from scarcity to abundance, or overcoming fears around money, the key is aligning your financial habits with a larger sense of purpose. Through self-awareness and a mindset shift, Kelley helps listeners move from financial stress to financial bliss by making decisions that reflect their true desires, both emotionally and financially.

In this episode, Kelley Long shares valuable insights about Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and the lessons she learned about health insurance that changed everything about her choices and, really, her whole life. Reflecting on her early experiences, she highlights common misconceptions around high-deductible healthcare plans and the potential benefits that many people overlook, particularly those in good health. This is super important to better understand because getting this right could make early retirement or at least a mini-retirement or career sabbatical possible.

Kelley introduces eight key facts about HSAs that most people don't know, including their portability, rollover options, and tax advantages. She also discusses how HSAs can be a strategic tool for managing future healthcare costs, de-coupling health insurance coverage from a job and maximizing savings for retirement.

Tune in to discover how to make the most of your HSA and why it might be worth re-evaluating your health insurance options during open enrollment!

Followup resources to support this episode:

The ins and outs of IRA-to-HSA rollovers

3 Common HSA Mistakes to Avoid

Schedule a coaching session with Kelley

This episode is all about that sticky area of money where we try to separate out our wants versus needs when making decisions around how we want to spend our dollars.

The themes include:

Understanding Wants vs. Needs: Distinguishing between wants and needs can be complex, especially when personal values and societal judgments come into play. It’s essential to recognize that our choices around spending—like gym memberships or shopping for groceries—often straddle this line, and reflecting on these choices can help clarify what truly matters to us.

Owning Your Financial Choices: It’s essential to own your spending decisions without guilt or judgment. Whether you're choosing to join a high-end health club for the social aspect or choosing food delivery services for convenience, understanding the underlying motivations can empower you to make choices that align with your values. And when you're not comfortable with the choice, that's an area to dig into.

Evaluating the Trade-offs: Spending money is often a trade-off between time and energy. By assessing whether your expenses are intentional and truly beneficial to your life, you can better balance your finances and maintain alignment with your values, allowing for a more fulfilling financial life.

Resources to support this episode:

• To find a financial therapist, visit the Financial Therapy Association directory
• To schedule a financial coaching session with Kelley Long, visit www.financialblisscoach.com/services