Hey love

I want to talk about something tender
Because December holds so much joy
but also so much pressure

The pressure to give
To spend
To show love through receipts

And I get it
We want to be thoughtful
We want to make people feel special
But too often, that care comes at a cost — our cost

Gifts that stretch our bank accounts
Plans that push us to burnout
Saying yes when our budget is already screaming no

I know this because I’ve done it
Over and over
Especially in my twenties

I bought the car I couldn’t really afford
Lived in the house that looked right
but left me with no space to breathe
Invested in status
Instead of sustainability

And if I’m being honest
my business would have grown so much faster
if I hadn’t been trying to “look” successful instead of feeling free

But that’s what the world teaches us, right?

That materialism = happiness
That love needs proof
That generosity means pushing yourself past your limits

But it’s not true
And it never was

Optimising For Happiness
means being deeply honest about what you actually need to feel good
Not just in December
But in the months that follow

It’s about choosing peace over performance
It’s about building a financial foundation that supports the life you want to live
Not the image you think you’re supposed to maintain

Because here’s what I know now

I don’t think twice before booking the flight
Or buying the thing I want
Because I’ve done the work
to build a life that supports ease and flow

But that version of me didn’t just arrive
She was created
One choice at a time

And I would’ve arrived here so much faster
if I’d had someone remind me:

Respect yourself and your financial position
before you try to impress someone else

Because what feels good in the moment
can feel like anxiety in January
When the bills come in
and you’re watching the clock
waiting for the paycheck to drop
so you can finally exhale again

You can remove that anxiety
You really can

Not by earning more
But by choosing differently

This isn’t about restriction
It’s about remembrance

That love doesn’t need a price tag
That presence means more than presents
And that your nervous system deserves to feel safe
even in December

So here’s your OFH reflection:

Where are you spending from a place of pressure — instead of from your truth?
What would financial peace actually look like for you this month?

Optimising For Happiness isn’t just about joy
It’s about self-respect

And sometimes
it looks like saying
I love you
But I’m doing things differently this year

With you in this
M x