Tuesday

"I am growing and I am going at my own pace."

Welcome to Tuesday! Today, we're chatting about:

• How to handle unexpected expenses

• Tips for adjusting to retirement

• Financial opportunities many people overlook

• The link between gratitude and heart health

A Softer Way to Handle Budget Surprises

Budgets look clean on paper, but life rarely stays inside those lines. A single unexpected expense (a tire, a birthday dinner, a forgotten bill) can tilt everything off balance. When that happens, it doesn’t signal failure. It simply reflects the reality that money follows life, not the other way around. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s understanding what actually happened and choosing the next right step from there.

A clear-eyed look at the month can help bring the temperature down. Patterns usually reveal themselves: a category that always stretches, a cost that went unplanned, a habit that needs gentler boundaries. These aren’t mistakes, they’re information. And information makes the next month easier to navigate.

A small reset can go a long way. Shifting a little money between categories, adding a buffer for the surprises that keep showing up, or adjusting expectations so the plan matches real habits rather than ideal ones. Progress often looks quiet: a bill paid on time, one impulse buy avoided, a moment of clarity about what truly needs space in the budget.

How to Truly Enjoy Retirement

Retirement comes with a new kind of freedom, but the quiet can feel unfamiliar at first. When a job has shaped your routines and identity for years, stepping away can create space you’re not quite sure how to fill yet, and that’s a normal part of the transition.

A little structure helps. Simple anchors like a morning ritual, a walk outside, or a weekly plan with friends can steady the days and bring back a sense of rhythm. Small goals work the same way. Reading more, learning something new, or picking up an old hobby gives the mind something to look toward without the pressure of deadlines.

Connection matters here, too. Regular lunches, walking dates, classes, or volunteer shifts can keep your world feeling full and meaningful. If you miss the feeling of purpose, an “encore job” or a few hours of volunteering each week can offer it without recreating the stress of full-time work.

Most of all, let this chapter unfold slowly. Retirement isn’t something to figure out immediately. It’s just something you ease into, one small adjustment at a time.

Americans Born Between 1941-1979 Can Receive These 10 Benefits This Month

Your 50s are a prime time to build lasting wealth. If you’ve already nailed the basics—like retirement savings and smart shopping—here are some overlooked strategies that could take your finances even further.

See the benefits here.

Thank you to FinanceBuzz for sponsoring Note To Self. 

What Happens To Your Heart When You’re Grateful

Gratitude gets framed as something soft and emotional, but the science is clearer than ever: your heart notices when you slow down long enough to appreciate something. Recent research shows that short, simple gratitude practices, like writing a few lines in a journal, can strengthen the system that helps your heart bounce back from stress. It’s one of the reasons gratitude tends to lower blood pressure reactivity, improve heart-rate variability, and support overall cardiovascular resilience.

There’s a ripple effect, too. People who regularly practice gratitude often sleep better, experience steadier cortisol levels, and naturally choose healthier behaviors. It’s less about willpower and more about what shifts when your nervous system feels calmer and more supported.

On the emotional side, gratitude interrupts the brain’s natural drift toward stress and scarcity. It asks the mind to zoom out and notice something good, even briefly, which creates a small moment of relief that the body can actually feel.

And the best part: it doesn’t need to be dramatic. One note, one pause, one quiet acknowledgment is enough to start reshaping how your heart experiences the world.

Wellness Round-Up

A Note From Us

Parting Thoughts

• ✅ Did You Know: Most people underestimate their retirement needs by around 20%. Future expenses are often hard to picture.

• 🌅 Sunset Of The Day: Sunsets are more than beautiful—they’re actually good for your mood. Got a favorite one? Reply to this email with your best sunset or sunrise photo for a chance to be featured!

• 💭 Final Self-Care Thoughts for Today: It’s not too early or too late to think about what future-you might need—financially, emotionally, or otherwise.

Enjoying Note to Self?

Know of a great self-care tip or article you'd love to share with the community? Want to send us pictures of you completing one of your self-care rituals? Email us at [email protected]!