February Money Reset – Getting Back in Control After Summer

January in Australia is magic. Sun, beach, long lunches, late nights. Life feels light and money barely registers. And then February arrives and everything lands at once. Christmas. School costs. Credit cards. Quiet business months suddenly picking up again.

Suddenly you’re thinking, “Wow. This feels a bit out of control.”

In this episode, Phoebe shares why February has become her annual reset month and how she uses simple habits, practical clean-ups, and mindset shifts to get back into calm, confident money mode every year.

There’s no shame in this conversation. No spreadsheets. No deprivation. No pretending you should “know better by now.” Just real, doable ways to feel clearer, more organised, and more in charge of your finances.

You’ll hear why clutter affects spending, how to spot your money leaks, how to shift from low-value to high-value habits, and why awareness beats perfection every time.

If February usually feels messy for you, this episode will help you reset and move forward without beating yourself up.

Inconsistent income doesn’t mean you’re failing — it means you’re living in the real world.

In this episode, Phoebe shares a story about a friend who couldn’t cover rent and bills after a rough business year, and unpacks what so many freelancers, business owners, contractors, creatives, and commission earners experience: feast-and-famine income is normal.

The solution isn’t shaming yourself or trying to budget like you’re on a salary. It’s building a system that doesn’t panic when income wobbles. You’ll learn how to find your “minimum survival” number, create a cash cushion that calms your nervous system, separate earning from spending, and give every dollar a job so you can stay stable in quiet months and smart in big months.

This is how you stop spiralling, start financially adulting, and build calm, confident control — even when your pay isn’t consistent yet.

This New Year episode is a real conversation about what happens after the big change when the noise stops, the adrenaline wears off, and you’re left asking, “Who am I now?”

After selling my mortgage broking business at the end of 2024, I stepped into a season I didn’t fully expect. Less hustle. More space. And a whole lot of identity recalibration. This episode is about that in-between phase — the one we don’t talk about enough where growth doesn’t look productive, but absolutely is.

We unpack why active rest isn’t quitting, slowing down, or losing your edge. It’s a strategic pause. A deliberate decision to let your nervous system catch up to your life. To stop forcing clarity and allow it to land.

I talk about identity lag that disorienting gap between who you were and who you’re becoming — and how it quietly influences money decisions, self-worth, and the pressure to “do something” before you’re ready. Especially for women who’ve built success by being capable, busy, and useful.

This episode is an invitation to stop making decisions from an outdated version of yourself.

Because sustainable wealth doesn’t come from grinding harder. It comes from alignment. From choosing work, money, and lifestyles that actually fit the woman you are now not the one you had to be to survive.

If you’re in a season of change, reinvention, or quiet rebuilding, this one’s for you. You’re not behind. You’re not lost. You’re recalibrating.

And that might be the most powerful move you make all year.

Episode Chapters

00:00 – Welcome to 2026 and why this year feels different 00:19 – When life changes faster than your identity 01:13 – What really happens after you sell the business 02:37 – Active rest: not lazy, not indulgent, essential 06:43 – Identity lag and the money choices it messes with 10:03 – Why alignment is the real wealth strategy 13:16 – Permission to grow into who you’re becoming