Stacked Intent
Just wanted to share a little about the Stacked Intent podcast is hosted by Becca Stackhouse-Morson (me), and she’s all about helping you live your best life, no apologies needed. Along with our nutrition episodes co-hosted by Ashleigh Geurin, who has a fantastic background and passion for nutrition education, and our relationship episodes co-hosted by Sarah Bradley, who has a passion to serve the rural community to help improve their relationships.
What can you expect from the Stacked Intent podcast? The podcast raises the bar to another level. We dive deep into topics like healthy relationships, finance, nutrition, and we even explore special topics, all backed by solid research-based information. You're in for a real treat when you tune in.
If you're ready to embark on a journey of intentional living, building unapologetic confidence in yourself, and stacking your life with purpose, give Stacked Intent a listen. It's all about helping you become the best version of yourself.
Stacked Intent is a Family Life Education business, resonating with individuals who aspire to rediscover or discover their most authentic version of themselves. We provide resources to inspire individuals to rediscover or discover their most impactful decisions regarding their relationship with money, time, and energy, contributing to goal setting and decision-making through a comprehensive understanding of self. The opportunity to help just one person in understanding that their whole world is impacted when they have a healthy self-relationship is core and with a background in Family Studies, I aim to provide individuals with a space to embrace their authenticity.
There was a pivotal question asked by my mom that sparked a realization about the need for guidance in fostering healthy relationships. The question she asked, “Why are you easily able to talk about relationships and sex in the County programming you are presenting?” I simply answered her with, "If not me, then who is going to help these teenagers learn how a healthy relationship is possible?" Too often our society beautifies a relationship (i.e. romantic, family, friendship), but doesn’t teach the true meaning and healthy relationship boundaries. This lit my passion to share with individuals through each transition that is truly a possibility to live in understanding that healthy is a possibility when you understand your most authentic version of yourself. From a place of pain of losing friendships, becoming a one directional friendship, or simply those who were temporary along life’s road, it is important to know and practice the keys to create well balanced and healthy relationships. There are relationship break ups and choosing to be single with much self-reflection to the development of the authentic version of self. From all these places Stacked Intent, was created to provide resources through research-based podcasting, courses, workshops, seminars, blogs, and social media posts.
Stacked Intent
Exploring Your Authentic Self While Traveling with Financial Awareness
Brief Summary of objectives:
- Look at how you see travel and why it could be important to add as a category in your budget.
- Look at aspects that can contribute to why travel should be in your spending plan and how to make it a priority
Resource(s) talked about in this podcast:
Stacked Intent Blog that talks all about mastering your waffle technique I’ll drop the link to that blog in the show notes [read blog here].
Eyia Retreats, Kat, episode with her interview with Stacked Keys Podcast.
My side hustle: Pampered Chef® Independent Consultant
Money Date Template
Thank you for tuning into Stacked Intent to be authentically YOU! Be sure to leave a review and follow us on instagram.
Exploring Your Authentic Self While Traveling with Financial Awareness
Brief Summary of objectives:
- Look at how you see travel and why it could be important to add as a category in your budget.
- Look at aspects that can contribute to why travel should be in your spending plan and how to make it a priority
Topic 1: How do you see travel?
Let’s begin this podcast by asking a question… how do you see travel?
o Individuals see travel as a form of:
· Relaxation a way to provide a break from daily life and stress. It can give our brain time to replenish its own energy.
· Adventure a way to seek new experiences and try something different and exciting
· Self-discovery because there is a change in your normal routine, and it can help reflect on your life and what you are learning about.
· Cultural exploration of being able to explore different cultures, cuisines, actives and so much more to develop a comprehensive understanding of the world beyond yours.
· Taking you outside your comfort zone in getting into figuring our something new through transportation, finances, and even local customs.
o This question is one to ask as you are creating your budgeting categories for your spending plan. If you want a more in-depth description on this one head over to the Stacked Intent Blog that talks all about mastering your waffle technique I’ll drop the link to that blog in the show notes [read blog here].
o Travel can be one of those categories which might make it more than just a hobby. Travel can be much more than a want or a hobby— by being a priority that keeps you true to yourself. There are many aspects that travel helps with beyond your finances. View travel through the lens of how it helps your wellness and authentic self. Travel journeys stimulate neuroplasticity, enhancing emotional and cognitive growth through new environments, languages, and cultures. Research shows Gen Z (56%) and Millennials (49%) are leading in travel plans this year, while Gen X (39%) and Baby Boomers (29%) maintain their existing habits.
o When individuals make travel a part of their life balance, they take it into consideration during each step of their life from their living cost to their groceries and so much more. This might be prioritizing travel over a luxuries house. There are surveys there talking about reasons some individuals aren’t able to travel is due to a lack of resources. And this is so true sometimes on what we have the ability to go and do. This is why I find it as an important category in your waffle square.
- Let’s jump off into dream land for a moment! This is going to set-up some of the aspects of talking about finances on this episode of our podcast. What is a dream that your twelve-year-old self had, that you could make come true this year?
- 3+ years ago I came across this individual on Instagram that created spaces to visit Greece, and she launched a business, Eyia Retreats. She did an interview over on Stacked Keys Podcast and I just wanted to hope on a plane to be on one of these trips. I had decided that my 30th birthday that I would head to Greece in celebration! That did not happen because of transitions and life changes happening during my 30th year, but this year the puzzles pieces landed, and we are headed to have a balance of discovering an authentic self as we head off to Greece.
- So, as I prepare for my dream trip to Greece with my sister and mom, support of my husband — with an aspiration inspired by “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”—it's clear that travel connects me to my authentic self. I have found this in more ways than one. Often, I find myself at lighthouses on a trip from Long Island, New York to San Diego, California and lots in between. I often find a reconnection to who I am as I travel outside of my day-to-day world.
- In talking financials ways to support travel: one way that I did this was launching into being a Pampered Chef® Independent Consultant to fill my kitchen with some updated products but earn money along the way to support my trips in our financial square. Travel has been a line budget in my life since I moved away from home, so that I would have the freedom to fly across the country or around the world to continue a connection with myself of discovering the world. A study shared that individuals are making their travel happen through side hustles work! Just priorities be ready to make some hard decisions to keep your financial health alive.
- There are lots of ways you can stay true to yourself in life and travel is one of those aspects for myself. What is it for you?
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- Now let’s dig into some ways to remain true to yourself while managing finances, align your travel plans with your core values, set a realistic budget, prioritize travel by cutting non-essentials, and use savings tools and rewards wisely. This approach ensures that you can pursue what matters most to you while staying financially responsible. To stay true to yourself while managing finances effectively, it’s crucial to align your travel plans with your core values and passions.
· Topic 2: Review Six Aspects that Contribute to Deciding your finances for Travel
o Align Travel with Personal Values and Passions
· Choose destinations and experiences that resonate with your interests and values. If exploring new cultures or spending quality time with people you care about are important to you, let those priorities guide your travel choices.
· Incorporate activities that reflect who you are, whether that’s hiking in nature, visiting historical sites, participating in retreats or attending cultural festivals.
o Set Realistic Financial Goals
· Establish a budget that reflects your travel aspirations while keeping your overall financial health in mind. This includes setting aside funds for travel and other important financial goals like savings, investments, and debt repayment. You can put money away for travel without a trip planned, just know that is an important category to you and be disciplined in placing money aside to travel. Can this be hard? Absolutely, but this is why having a laid-out spending plan is important.
· Create a savings plan that works with your income and expenses, breaking down your travel goals into manageable steps. You can use the Money Date Template to help layout your goals and priorities in your funds.
o Plan and Prioritize
· Prioritize travel in your budget by allocating specific funds for it and reducing non-essential spending. This might mean cutting back on dining out or other discretionary expenses to make room for your travel fund. Remember we all have basic needs and wants, but that is going to vary from spending plan to spending plan and that is perfectly okay.
· Use tools like high-yield savings accounts and budgeting to keep track of your savings progress and adjust as needed.
o Be Flexible and Adaptable as You Travel
· During your trip you will always want to create a buffer zone that will allow for flexibility in your trip, so that you are able to make the trip one of the fullest you can have. Spontaneous opportunities or changes in circumstances can be less stressful when you have a buffer zone in your trip budget. There are lots of examples I can think of for this one, but the one that comes to mind is when my husband and I went to Universal Studios and Island of Adventure for one day (two parks is a lot to cover in one day!), but we had the absolute best time and got fast passes or rode in the single rider line. The fast pass was extra to our funds, but we had it in our budget and this gave us the ability to really experience both parks together and have an absolute blast! Just give yourself a budget and be willing to hold yourself accountable to what you want the budget to look like.
· Be prepared to adjust your plans based on what’s financially feasible while still staying true to your travel goals and interests. You only know what you can financially do if you have a spending plan and know what your financial situation is. This will allow you to budget based on your funds available and not based on credit.
o Use Rewards and Discounts Wisely
· Take advantage of travel rewards and discounts to make your trips more affordable without sacrificing your experiences. Utilize credit card rewards, cash back offers, and promotional deals to enhance your travel budget. Though keep in mind that deals are only great if they work for you. Are you able to keep up with another credit card? If you are not able to do this then say no to the additional credit card, it is much better to stay within your budget rather than rack up multiple credit cards that you max out for this trip or that trip. Sometimes discounts can come in the form of which night you go out to eat on your trip!
o Stay Motivated and Reflective
· Keep your travel dreams alive by visualizing your goals and tracking your progress. Reflect on why travel is important to you and how it aligns with your authentic self. This past January I went on a trip to Boca Raton, Florida on a Women’s Only Jiu Jitsu Event because I was excited to follow along of the journey to the first very woman’s only event. I found part of myself going to see a lighthouse and botanical gardens, to see what the area was like and explore. This trip also came with a spontaneous tattoo of a moon with an airplane flying around it! What this came to represent as a reminder for me is that exploring and traveling flows deep in my DNA to go and see what the world is like to always come back to what I call home, but it feeds my soul to not stay in one space but go and explore. What is your motivation? That is an important part of keeping the travel dream alive.
· Regularly review your budget and spending to ensure you’re staying on track and adjusting to maintain balance. You have to be willing to check in with yourself and give a real evaluation. I find that a monthly check-in, at a minimum, helps give you the space to see where you are financially.
· By integrating your travel aspirations with thoughtful financial planning, you can stay authentic to yourself and your goals, ensuring that both your travel experiences and financial health are well-managed and fulfilling. Happy Travels! I cannot wait to hear about some of the travels that this inspires you to take on!
- Call to action: Dream about what your twelve-year-old self wanted to go and do! Now create an action plan that can bring that into a reality!
