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“Take a deep breath.” “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” “Money does not buy happiness.” While there is no lack of off-the-shelf, feel-good epitaphs we hear countless times, sometimes it is worthwhile to take pause in one’s life and consider whether we actually apply a positive mindset in our day-to-day lives.

Back in May 2023, I wrote about investing in a dog’s mental health. Here we are, more than a year later and I thought I’d catch you up on how my dog’s own recovery journey is coming along.

First, some context for what we are dealing with. Our dog, Loki, is leash reactive to other dogs, has stranger danger, and is overall anxious with the world outside.

It is a loaded question and one that changes depending on what need or want you are referring to. For that reason, we thought to tackle this discussion as a series, looking at different categories and how our perception of “enough” may need some more thoughtful intervention.

It all started with magazines and the thrill I got with each delivery. There was a whole new world of information and potential to explore each month.

With so many Gen Zers moving into the work force and establishing long term careers, their focus starts to shift to the next symbol of adulthood – owning a home.

We wrote two articles in 2022 about Treasury Series I Savings Bonds, given their popularity that year.

You know how your Apple iTunes library is not really music you own, even though you paid for it? Yet your vinyl collection somehow now has some appreciable value? Or did you ever collect baseball trading cards? And now you see that these cards exist in the digital world and are being traded at high values.

When investing in stocks, it is certainly important to focus on what companies to purchase, but just as important is knowing when to sell. We call this having a good “sell discipline.” Taylor Swift tells us to “shake it off” in her catchy song about not sweating the small stuff.

A few months ago, I realized that I needed some help. Between my husband and I working full time and trying to keep our three little girls safe, fed, and entertained, housework kept falling through the cracks. We were losing a battle to the “stuff” that was just piling up. 

I purchased my first piece of real art (i.e., not an art poster from a shop in the West Village) as a housewarming and anniversary present for my husband years ago. It is a silkscreen print of firecrackers from a local artist (Clay Huffman, now deceased) who had a studio at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Old Town, Alexandria.