The 4 F’s
“Shout out to multi generational living…..that needs to make a come back” - Dominic Chapman
We live by four key principles in our business and personal life: faith, family, fitness, and finances. The key to happiness is found in intentionally creating a work-life balance that allows us to focus on what truly matters. Our relationship with God is first and foremost. Our relationship with each other, as a couple and as business partners, is second. Prioritizing our health is third. Finally, maintaining our finances is the final piece of the puzzle. We don't have everything figured out, but these four guiding principles are leading us in a positive direction. What personal philosophy do you live by? Have you figured out an action plan for your life/goals?
The 4 F’s
Faith
You need to believe in something. We are Christians and believe that Jesus is Lord. What do you believe in? When you’re going through struggles in your life who or what do you turn to? When you’re crushing goals who or what do you give thanks to? This principle simply states that there should be a core belief that strengthens you when you’re low and helps you remain humble when you’re high. Lessons in humility are often painful and sobering, however, you learn and grow the most from those experiences. Willfully devote some time to looking at the bigger picture in life. The universe is TOO massive for it to be just about “me”.
Family
Family can help you create something phenomenally special or weigh you down with doubt. When we evaluate this principle we check in with each other to see how we are doing. We know when the other person is having a bad day—we all have an off day every now and then. However, a string of off days needs to be addressed. We actively try to make life easier for each other. There are sometimes that we literally ask “How am I doing as a spouse?” or “Is there anything I can be doing as a wife to make your life easier?” These questions are important to ask because at the end of the day we are trying to build a relationship that is unbreakable. We are always ready for the answers no matter how they make us feel. For us, it’s better to resolve underlying issues quickly so they don’t turn into bigger problems. Unresolved conflict will usually manifest as a passive-aggressive freakout over one fork left in the sink!
Fitness
Health is wealth. You could be the richest person on Earth, but if you aren’t healthy enough to enjoy the life you’ve built does it really matter? Waking up to see another day is a blessing. We try to implement a fitness regimen that helps us stay healthy physically and mentally sharp. We are most productive in our business when we are following some sort of workout schedule. When this schedule falls to the wayside, our drive and enthusiasm for our growing business tend to suffer. It’s not easy finding time to workout, meal prep, meditate, and give thanks but it is 100% NECESSARY to live a well-balanced life.
Finances
We have gone through “debt cycles”. Periods where we had high balances on our credit cards and splurged on the finer things in life. We made a conscious decision prior to opening our dental office to pay off all of our consumer debt. As new business owners our credit card use has increased once again. In both scenarios, it’s important to have a plan for your financial health. Some seasons will not be as fruitful as others, but the plan to get where you’d like to be is more important than where you currently are.