Welcome back to Modern Financial Wellness! In this episode, we dive into a topic that resonates with so many of us—how to navigate the overwhelming demands of the fall season and maintain productivity (and sanity!) as we approach the holidays and the end of the year. If you’ve ever felt a wave of anxiety triggered by the sight of Christmas decorations in October or the reminder that “Q4” is flying by, you’re not alone.

To help us work through these feelings and get practical strategies for this time of year, I was thrilled to welcome back Sarah Reiff-Hekking, founder of True Focus Coaching. Sarah’s expertise in time management, productivity, and coaching for busy professionals is a perfect fit for the “fall freakout” that so many of us experience.

We started the conversation with a real-life example—my own mini-panic at seeing Christmas decorations in a store before Halloween—and explored what triggers this seasonal overwhelm. Sarah broke down the unique pressures of fall, from shifting routines as kids go back to school, to the barrage of holidays and year-end work deadlines, and the added layer of economic and political uncertainty.

Together, we discussed how to bring ourselves back to the present moment, clarify what’s truly important, and create space for both productivity and meaningful connection. We touched on saying “no,” managing competing demands and external expectations, and setting up flexible routines so the holidays don’t just become one giant stress-fest.

Sarah shared actionable strategies—from mindful breathing to practical time blocking—to help listeners stay grounded, focused, and resilient. We wrapped up with advice on tuning out the social media “noise” and focusing on real, personal priorities.

1. Name the “Fall Freakout” and Normalize It
2. The sense of stress and overwhelm in October and November isn’t just you—it’s a confluence of shifting routines, holiday expectations, and mounting year-end pressure. Acknowledging this helps us respond intentionally rather than reactively.
3. Return to the Present Moment
4. When anxiety kicks in, the first step is to physically bring yourself back—to notice your breath, your feet on the ground, and where you are right now. Mindful grounding calms your nervous system and helps you regain focus.
5. Clarify What’s Meaningful and Important
6. Get clear on your most meaningful goals, both professionally and personally. If everything feels important, dig deeper and ask yourself: “Why do I care about this?” Prioritize your top 2-3 “big rocks” and let the rest go. Remember, not everything makes your cut.
7. Be Strategic About What You Say Yes (and No) To
8. You can’t (and shouldn’t!) do it all. Proactively decide how many commitments you’ll take on each week, leave room for spontaneity if you value it, and practice pausing before you say yes. Planning to delay a task isn’t procrastination if it’s intentional and fits your bigger plan.
9. Manage Your Environment and External Influences
10. Social media and retail environments can trigger “shoulds” and inject noisy expectations. Turn down the external pressure and lean into what’s genuinely important for you and your family. Don’t let comparison steal your joy—or your time.

If this episode resonated with you and you’re feeling ready for support, check out Sarah Reiff-Hekking at truefocuscoaching.com and connect with her on LinkedIn. She offers free strategy sessions designed to help you map your next steps and find clarity in your own life—no cost, just real advice.

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Welcome back to Modern Financial Wellness! I’m your host, Jim Grace, and I’m excited to share today’s episode—a deep dive into one of the most complex and sometimes overlooked aspects of couples and money: financial infidelity. If you’ve ever wondered what counts as a financial secret, how keeping money habits under wraps can impact a relationship, or how big the gap is between you and your partner’s approach to hidden spending, you won’t want to miss this episode.

Our guest today is a returning favorite, Dr. Jenny Olson, marketing professor at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business. If you caught our last conversation, you’ll remember her research on the benefits of merging finances and the factors that help couples create financial harmony. This time, she’s back to unpack her latest study, “Financial Infidelity Asymmetry Predicts Couples’ Financial and Relationship Well-Being,” and the results might surprise you.

5 Key Takeaways from the Episode

1. Financial Infidelity Is More Than Just Hiding Purchases
2. Dr. Jenny Olson defines financial infidelity as intentionally doing something with money you know your partner wouldn’t approve of, and hiding it. It’s not about every little purchase, but the concealment of actions you expect would cause conflict.
3. Asymmetry Predicts Relationship Health
4. The greater the gap between partners’ tendencies toward financial infidelity, the worse off the couple is—leading to less money, lower financial well-being, and decreased relationship satisfaction. Aligning values and habits is more important than just being thrifty.
5. Differences Aren’t Always Destructive—Unless They’re Secretive
6. Partners can have very different approaches to money (tightwad vs. spendthrift, saver vs. spender), but when these differences are out in the open, couples can thrive. The problem comes when one or both partners start hiding financial behavior.
7. Transparency and Planned Conversations Are Crucial
8. Touch base with your partner regularly about money—don’t just spring it on them when tensions are high. Scheduling money talks and setting clear parameters for what needs to be discussed helps keep communication healthy and nonjudgmental.
9. Joint Mindset Beats Scorekeeping
10. Healthy couples focus on “how can we work together?” instead of “who spent more?” Moving away from tit-for-tat or exchange norms toward a communal approach—“we’re on the same team”—makes it easier to address challenges and prevent financial secrets.

Resources Mentioned

• Dr.Jenny Olson’s website: http://www.jennyginolson.com/
• “Tightwads and Spendthrifts” by Scott Rick
• “Money Together” by the Boneparths

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode or you’re navigating finance in your own relationship, share it with your partner or anyone who might benefit. And remember, nothing you hear on the podcast is a substitute for personal financial advice—always consult your own advisors!

Catch us next time for more on financial wellness, or check out Dr. Jenny Olson’s research for more insights.

Welcome back to Modern Financial Wellness, the podcast dedicated to helping you cultivate a healthier, more empowered relationship with your money. I’m Jim Grace, your host, and today’s episode is an essential listen for anyone interested in understanding how our minds – specifically, our executive functioning skills and neurodiverse traits like ADHD – affect our day-to-day financial behaviors and overall financial well-being.

If you’ve ever struggled with procrastination, felt overwhelmed managing your finances, or found it hard to translate long-term goals into short-term action, you’re in the right place. Whether or not you have a formal ADHD diagnosis, today’s discussion is full of insights and practical tips you can apply immediately to your financial life.

1. Executive Functioning Skills Are Essential for Financial Health Even if you don’t have ADHD, understanding executive functions like organizing, prioritizing, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and goal setting is crucial. These skills help us clarify our financial goals, adapt to challenges, and make thoughtful decisions amidst life's distractions.

2. Procrastination Is Emotional, Not Just Logistical Laurel highlighted that procrastination is often rooted in emotional management rather than pure time management. By pausing to identify what's holding you back emotionally – fear, anxiety, perfectionism – you can better address procrastination in your financial life.

3. The ERAS Framework Provides a Practical Path Forward Laurel introduced the ERAS model (Expectation, Reality, Adjust, Start), which helps you process emotional reactions and create actionable steps. Whether you’re feeling stuck by financial comparisons or overwhelmed by vague goals, working through ERAS builds clarity and momentum.

4. Social Value and Emotional Responses Influence Financial Choices ADHD and executive functioning challenges can make us especially sensitive to social dynamics, like people-pleasing and comparison. Recognizing how social acceptance or rejection influences your financial habits can help you redirect your energy towards more meaningful, self-affirming goals.

5. Start Small, Focus on Behavior, and Build Agency Big changes begin with small steps. Focusing on one concrete behavior at a time – and understanding why it matters to you – lays a foundation for lasting financial wellness. Agency and clarity, not just freedom or abundance, are at the heart of true financial well-being.

Throughout the show, Laurel and I referenced a host of fantastic resources for further learning, including:

• Books:
• Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain by Lisa Feldman Barrett
• How Emotions Are Made by Lisa Feldman Barrett
• Emotional Agility by Susan David
• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• Experts:
• Tim Pichel (procrastination research)
• Mark Brackett (Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence)
• Daniel Pink (decision-making and behavior change)
• Ethan Kross (Chatter, Shift)

You can find links to all these resources (and more) on modernfinancialwellness.com, both on the episode post and the dedicated resources tab.