Hasta La Gadget!

While you were sleeping, I was up at 4 a.m., getting ready for my 5:40 a.m. train that would deliver me to New York Penn Station at 8:45 a.m., an hour before a big pitch meeting. And I beamed with pride because I looked like I’d slept for nine hours the night before, and felt zero jitters after slamming a 5-hour Energy the moment my feet hit the bedroom floor.

In the midst of what feels like a self-care craze, I appreciate the “get more sleep” and “you can’t be everything to everyone” advice that so many successful women have shared. I agree. Of course, I’m a much better person when I’m well rested. And I wouldn’t be effective if I didn’t prioritize. Yet, like many professional women, I walk the very fine and precarious line of wearing fatigue as a status symbol and can be guilty of carrying my productivity as a metric for self-worth as if it were a coveted Birkin bag.

So why tax myself and welcome what some may feel is undue pressure? Frankly, I love what I’m doing. The Simon Sinek quote that has been floating around since his TED Talk on restoring the “human” in humanity so perfectly captures why I welcome a busy life in pursuit of my dreams: “Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress,” Sinek says. “Working hard for something we love is called passion.” I am fortunate that I get to work in the dynamic, competitive, and fast-paced world of beauty and retail, identifying trends and thinking about new market opportunities, but doing so with the goal of helping women look and feel great while tackling their own complex lives. And as an advocate for women, I hope to one day do even more to empower girls and women on a broader scale.

This means I’m busy. And I love it. The truth is, I’m fueled more by what I love and by the goals that lie ahead. To me, that is part of having a life of well-being. It also means I have had to work hard to create time for myself to rest, reflect and recharge. When I need to clear my head, I take my dog for longer walks. I quiet my mind by reading before bed. I generally wear dresses to work to remove the decision-making process of pairing separates. And I try to manage my personal life the way an effective leader would approach guiding her team at work: only do the things that only you can uniquely do. Let others do the rest. So I have a house cleaner and I outsource my least favorite chore, doing laundry. Sometimes my dog goes to daycare. I make it work by not doing all of the work myself. I find that women have this tendency to want to do it all and to do it all perfectly. But I don’t need credit for how shiny my floors are or how perfectly pressed my dress might be.

I made the decision a long time ago that I would have a life and career with meaning, and that to the greatest extent possible, they would be integrated. That work would not be just a way to earn a living; rather, I see it all on my personal continuum. For me, the desire to do more, be more and contribute something meaningful to the world means embracing a few sleep-deprived nights when the output is a presentation on advancing women in business leadership or a speech to underserved teenage girls on why they should dream big.

As I approach 35, I reflect with gratitude on the series of hard-won lessons I’ve learned in building a fulfilling life and making it work on my own terms. I have learned that it is not about having “it all” — it’s all about having what I want.

Pursuing your dreams often means sacrificing sleep. Garnier Ultra-Lift® Miracle Sleeping Cream™ combines the hydrating and recharging power of a mask with the light refreshing feel of a cream. This anti-aging formula reduces signs of dull, dry and tired looking skin. Skin is firm, looks younger and well rested in just one week. Visit Garnierusa.com/sleepwiththis to learn more. #SleepWithThis

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Going inside one of Detroit’s best jazz clubs Cliff Bell’s is always a bit of an escape into an air of the past. Beautifully restored from an era very far removed, it’s history always kind of feels engrained within the walls. For that, it’s a great place to see someone like Leon Bridges, a new face in soul music from Fort Worth, Texas who’s style and sound is something out of the chitlin’ circuit of the 1950s and 60s. At the ripe age of 25, has only been writing music for a few years now, but has an innate timeless quality about him that is genuine.

The crowd at Cliff Bell’s wasn’t necessarily eclectic, but more so ranged from your older folks who probably grew up listening to their parents 45s of music quite similar to Bridges to your tattooed millennials who found out about Bridges virally online.

Leon Bridges ran through an amazing set with his 6-piece band including “Coming Home” and “Lisa Sawyer”, a couple of the songs already released that have lead to his huge online buzz, along with songs from forthcoming full-length album due out June 23rd. Bridges comfortably understands those simple everlasting virtues that music can have and delivers it marvelously with such tenderness. He’ll sing you a ballad one moment, and then take you to church the next; all with a real smoothness that never feels kitschy.

Bridges’ sudden rise has been because of the Internet, and when you walk to the show this past Thursday evening that has been sold out in advance, you can only wonder who are these people that had enough sense to buy a ticket in advance. There’s an anomaly in Detroit sometimes where the people are actually involved in the music scenes are starkly behind and oblivious to new exciting artists that hit the radar. Shit, I’ll be honest in saying that I didn’t even know whom Leon Bridges until this past week, but he really only has been buzzing for a short time now. That’s the beauty of the Internet though; the underdogs of music can find their own lanes. Even in the crowd, the girl next to me was asking the guy she was talking to how he came across Leon Bridges’ music and he said through some blog he visited.

Leon Bridges has the talent for longevity, whereas his material is already strong enough that he can go through a whole live performance without loading it up with a bunch cover tunes; something that might be a typical move for other artists with nostalgic qualities about them. He rests on the idea of looking and sounding sharp at all times, and that is his winning ticket.

For more information on Leon Bridges, visit leonbridges.com, and check out this commercial presented by Beats By Dre featuring Leon Bridges’ song “River”:

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Tesla has revealed Tesla Energy, its ambitious plan to make sustainable electricity more practical by putting rechargeable batteries into homes and businesses. Announced at Tesla Motor’s Hawthorne facility today, Tesla Energy consists of a wall-mounted lithium-ion battery that can operate in multiple ways, including as a backup for power-outages, as a way to “stockpile” power when traditional energy suppliers are … Continue reading

The craft beer industry is booming to the tune of $19.6 billion and at every taproom, brewing and brewpub there are craft beer fans on their phones. From Untappd, craft beer’s leading social media platform, to NextGlass, which helps beer noobs find something else they’ll like based on algorithmic recommendations, screens and phones are omnipresent. it’s a veritable #socialanalog

That’s part of what led Colorado’s New Belgium Brewing Company to launch its Beer Mode app. The app, when activated, lets users put down their phone and enjoy a beer. “Activate Beer Mode and we’ll automatically post preselected messages to your social networks so you can give beer your undivided attention.”

The Geek Shall Inherit The Earth

Beer, by its very nature, is social and there is a trend among some craft beer drinkers to gamify that social experience but not with apps or red plastic cup drinking games. These folks are making old-school gaming — card games and board games — new again.

“Beers and board games are both extremely social in nature, so it only makes sense to combine them,” says Cheryl Harrison, organizer of the Beers & Board Games Club in Columbus, Ohio. “Especially when meeting new people, a beer or two can help everyone relax and have a better time while sitting down to conquer a game together.”

Harrison’s Beers & Board Games Club, founded in 2013, boasts more than 250 members who gather monthly at different breweries or beer bars to drink and play.

“Play is proven to enhance creativity and happiness, but no one ever takes the time to ‘play’ as an adult,” Harrison says.

Architectural renderings of Dungeons & Drafts — set to open in Fort Collins, Colo. in June.

A Haven For Geeks, Gamers and Beer Fans

In February the Kickstarter campaign for Dungeons & Drafts — described by co-founder Manny Garza as a “Medieval-themed, board game, vegan gamer tavern” — exceeded its funding goal of $9,600 in 6.5 hours. In total, the campaign raised nearly $58,000 from over 700 backers to bring the gaming-centric, beer-focused tavern to life.

We’re talking a mere board game, here, people. The very definition of #SocialAnalog.

“For too long geeks have had to endure noisy sports bars and venues without readily accessible polyhedral dice just to have a drink with friends. Well, no more! Dungeons & Drafts is here to provide geeks from all walks of life with a welcoming place to call their own, kick back with a pint, and play a game with friends,” the Kickstarter campaign boasted.

We just passed the 1,000 mark on attendees for our Grand Opening. Brace yourselves….

— Dungeons & Drafts (@DungeonsDrafts) April 30, 2015

Dungeons & Drafts will feature an extensive board game library and video games, as well as a menu of Medieval and Old-English themed foods. They will also offer vegan, gluten-free and vegetarian menu choices, as well as a drink menu featuring locally curated beers from Colorado, cider, meads, and game-themed cocktails. Manny and Melissa Garza’s “geek tavern” is set to open in June in Fort Collins, Colo. – with more than 1,000 people having RSVP’d for the opening night.

Thinking & Drinking is a 300 question card game designed to foster conversation.
Each card also features a U.S. craft brewer and beer.

If Giving Up Cheese Made You Immortal, Would You Do It?

The “immortal cheese question” from the card game Thinking & Drinking has people debating between eternal life and cheddar, mozzarella and gouda, says the card games creator Jonathan Cooper. “People always want to negotiate when this question is asked. They always want to trade years of their life for pizza,” says Cooper. Cooper is the co-creator of Thinking & Drinking, a card game featuring more than 300 questions that’s designed to get people talking while they’re out enjoying craft beer. In fact, each card also features the profile of a U.S. craft brewer.

Very excited to have @SouthStBrewery featured in @ThinkingDrink – http://t.co/hNIh2iRInF #DrinkLocal #CraftBeer #Beer #Virginia #VaBeer

— Thinking&Drinking (@ThinkingDrink) April 30, 2015

The social analog board game includes questions like:

• Which Could You Go Longer Without, The Internet Or Coffee?
• What’s one moment in your life you wish you could relive?
• Which movie/tv president would you actually vote for?

“We just wanted to introduce people to breweries that they might not yet know,” said Cooper. “Gaming and beer are perfectly matched because they’re both great social lubricants.”

More than 300 breweries, including recognizable names like Colorado’s New Belgium Brewing Company and Georgia’s SweetWater Brewing Company and local brewers like Pennsylvania’s Crystal Ball Brewing Company and Kentucky’s Apocalypse Brew Works, are profiled in the game.

There’s also a wide-range of beers profiled in the game including a jalapeno porter called Feugo by Twisted X Brewing Company in Texas, a Maple Bacon Coffee Porter by Funky Buddha Brewery in Florida, and the Fussy Sipper Pumpkin Peach Ale from Smokehouse Brewing Company in Ohio.

Brewin’ USA simulates craft brewing from making the beer to distributing it across the U.S.

Starting Your Own Brewery – The Game

When Adam Rehberg set out to create Brewin’ USA he wanted to take everything that goes into craft brewing — the barley, the hops, the production and distribution — and get it into a single board game.

“I started brewing about 10 years ago as more of an engineering-nerdy-thing, which opened my eyes to craft beer. There is something about the brewing process that makes it a very fulfilling process,” says Rehberg. What he managed to do is take that four to eight week brewing process and distill it down into a tabletop board game that pits players against each other for ingredients and marketshare — it’s like Risk and beer had a baby.

In Brewin’ USA players are tasked to become the best brewery in the country by competing for resources, brewing beer and even fulfilling the ever-growing demand for the — fictional — beer. “I like the problem solving and challenge most about games,” says Rehberg, noting that he was “definitely challenged to make the game an extremely solid representation” of the craft brewing process.

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The older you get, the more confident you’ll feel about your money, right?

Actually, no. According to new research from LearnVest, it turns out that age doesn’t necessarily correlate with financial confidence in the way you might expect.

The study, which surveyed more than 100,000 people, found that there’s a U-curve when it comes to money confidence by age. Those under 25 actually reported feeling more confident about their finances compared to those in their 30s and 40s.

So what gives?

Well, the findings seem to show that feeling empowered has less to do with how much you make, and more to do with the financial responsibilities you bear.

So the more of them you have as you age — the mortgage, the college fund, the paltry nest egg, you get it — the less confident about money you’re likely to feel.

Still, every demographic faces its own set of money worries, so we asked financial pros to pinpoint one big challenge that tends to plague people in each decade and offer tips on how to tackle it — with confidence.

20s Financial Confidence Challenge: Saving on a Starter Salary
In your 20s, you may be getting your first real paycheck — but it may have fewer zeros than you’d like.

But that didn’t stop 39 percent of the under-25 set in the LearnVest survey from labeling themselves as financially confident. Perhaps it’s because they’re thinking ahead: Government data shows that income grows 111 percent by the time people hit the 25-to-34 age bracket.

Still, the promise of a higher income can be little comfort when you’re scrimping. Lauren Ray, a 23-year-old content manager for an SEO firm, graduated in 2013 with more than $55,000 in student loans.

She currently lives with her parents and calculates that it will take her about 17 years to be debt-free. “When I receive my paycheck, the first thing I do is make a payment on my loans,” says Ray, who lives in Bensalem, Pa. “It’s overwhelming to think about the amount of money I owe — and the time it will take to pay it off.”

Even if it’s just temporary, how can you defeat starter-salary malaise?

1. Start paying yourself first — now. According to a recent study, millennials have a savings rate of -2 percent, which means they are living paycheck to paycheck or going into debt. But fewer family money responsibilities means now could be a good time to get in the habit of diverting money from your paycheck into savings.

RELATED: Pay Yourself First: The Habit That Can Help You Build Wealth

“A lot of times [20-somethings] like to spend and then save what’s left over,” says Daniel Wrenne, a CFP® with Wrenne Financial Planning. “You have to acknowledge that you have to save first — otherwise you’re not going to do it.”

2. Start your nest egg, no matter how small. Young people have more time to take advantage of compound growth, so consider funneling whatever you can into a 401(k) or a Roth IRA — even if it’s just 1 percent.

“Then commit to increasing your retirement savings as your income increases with the cost of living,” says CFP® Catherine Hawley. “I think you can be really confident if you’re saving 20 percent of your gross income. But not everyone can do that starting off, so do what’s possible for you.”

3. Don’t feel pressured to pay off student loans ASAP. Although the stress of your loans might be weighing you down, you don’t want to funnel all of your money toward paying down your student loan debt — to the detriment of making progress on other financial goals.

“Come up with a payment plan that you can actually afford now — but that also gives you clarity on when you’ll pay the loans off,” Hawley says. “Your circumstances are going to change, so know that you can always take a different strategy in your 30s.”

RELATED: Money Mic: Student Loans Dashed My Dreams of Buying a Home

30s Financial Confidence Challenge: The High Price of Nesting
If you’re less concerned with catching the latest indie band and more preoccupied with the color of the nursery, welcome to your 30s — the decade of “real adult” responsibilities.

Fact: The average age of a first-time homebuyer is 33, and 30 is the average age at which college-educated women first give birth.

The increased financial responsibilities that come with establishing roots could be why those in the 35-to-44 bracket were the least financially confident in the LearnVest study. After all, home, hearth and a growing household all amount to higher expenditures.

So how can a 30-something’s finances withstand the pressure?

1. Spend for the life you have, not the life you want. Lauren Bowling was looking forward to entering her 30s with a husband, a new home — and plans to start a family.

So she and her fiancé bought a 2,000-square-foot, single-family house in Atlanta — only to call things off three months later.

RELATED: 4 Couples, 4 Home Purchases: How Much Can They Afford?

Luckily, the home was in her name and the mortgage was affordable, but that still doesn’t mean she thinks it was the right investment.

“I let romance get the better of me, and we bought a home for the future, rather than what was needed for us at the time,” says Bowling, a financial blogger. “It was more home than we needed as a couple. Now I wish that I’d bought something much smaller and in a better neighborhood.”

As evidenced by Bowling’s story, while it’s O.K. to have a wish list, it’s important to know when you need a budget reality check.

“Being conservative [with what you can afford] can give you more flexibility if you decide to change careers or spend more time at home with your kids,” Hawley says. “Your hands aren’t tied by that large mortgage.”

2. Inflate your savings instead of your lifestyle. Another reason to keep those housing costs down? Lifestyle creep.

“If you see the money in your checking account, you end up buying the nicer towels, the nicer car — things that, in the long term, you won’t have much to show for,” Hawley says. “Those [could be] small increases to your retirement account instead — that’s really where you’re going to be growing your wealth over time.”

3. Simplify your financial picture. With so many financial responsibilities to juggle, cutting back on the number of accounts you manage can help you keep better track of your financial progress, suggests Wrenne.

That could including rolling over old 401(k)s, limiting the number of credit cards you carry, or using an online tracking tool to see all your finances in one place.

“I think simplification should be a big consideration — there’s no reason to have, say, six checking accounts when two is much easier for you to manage,” he says.

RELATED: More Money, More Problems? The Dangers of Lifestyle Inflation — and How to Avoid It

40s Financial Confidence Challenge: The Sandwich-Generation Crunch
Once you enter your 40s, you’ve got a three-pronged potential strain on your finances: college costs, retirement and your parents’ care.

The average family has saved just over $15,000 for higher education, according to Sallie Mae data — which, unfortunately, isn’t enough, considering a four-year public university costs almost $19,000 just for the 2014-2015 calendar year.

Meanwhile, Pew Research shows that about one in seven middle-aged adults provides support to an aging parent and a child.

Given all of this, it’s no wonder that only a third of LearnVest respondents in the 45-to-54 age range said that they felt financially confident. But how can you when your money worries span generations?

1. Set college expectations early. Only 8 percent in Sallie Mae’s college study said they would “limit college choice based on cost.”

But if you plan on helping to foot the bill, it’s O.K. to tell your kids that the bank of mom and dad has a threshold, says Sheryl Garrett, a CFP® with the Garrett Planning Network.

“The younger, the better [when it comes] to planting the seeds of reality,” says Garrett, who’s already told her daughter that out-of-state college tuition will be her responsibility. “You can say, ‘If I fund college, I’m going to have to rely on you when you graduate.’ I’m sure most children would prefer that you take care of yourself.”

RELATED: Calculating College ROI: How to Tell if You’re Getting the Best Bang for Your College Buck

2. Prioritize the parent money talk. Now is the time to start asking your folks about their finances — and what they hope will happen as they age. How long do they intend to stay in their home? Can they afford nursing care? Do they have an estate plan?

“You have to be careful in your approach, but you still have to bring it up,” Wrenne says. “I always tell clients, ‘Blame it on me.’ Tell them your planner is bugging you to get this information.”

For further ideas on how to broach the conversation, Google “40/70 Talk.” It’s called that because it’s the eldercare discussion you should have by the time you’re 40 and your parents are 70.

3. Assess your retirement progress — stat. Crunch some numbers: Are you on track to replace 85 percent of your income in retirement? Will you have to stretch out your retirement timeline? Are you budgeting for increased contributions?

“Usually the 40s is when people realize that they’re either doing pretty good — or they’re way behind and start to get freaked out,” Wrenne says.

But that’s still better than keeping your head in the sand. “Once you’ve admitted to yourself that you need to work on your retirement strategy, ask yourself: What do I need to change? Where can I make improvements?” Wrenne says. “Then you can build a new plan going forward and monitor your progress.”

RELATED: 6 Signs You May Need to Revisit Your Retirement Plan

50s Financial Confidence Challenge: Prepping for the Retirement Transition
In the LearnVest survey, financial confidence inches back up in the 45-to-54 and 55-to-64 age groups, forming the second half of the confidence U-curve.

That could be because big-ticket financial responsibilities, like mortgages and college costs, start to wind down in your 50s — even as earning power remains strong.

Of course, there’s still your nest egg to think of: 68 percent of Americans ages 50 to 64 say they’re worried about not having enough for retirement.

“I know I don’t have enough saved,” says Beth O’Donnell, 54, the owner of a business consulting firm who lives in Philadelphia. “Like everyone else, I got slaughtered in 2008 and have only now regained all I lost. I worry constantly about losing my business — and therefore my income. At this age, unemployment is long-term and often permanent.”

O’Donnell’s story begs the question: How can you help boost confidence when retirement looms large?

1. Play catch up. Once you hit 50, you can contribute an additional $6,000 to your 401(k) and an additional $1,000 to your IRA above the current 2015 limits.

Do that every year from 50 to 66 and you’ve funneled an additional $112,000 into retirement — not bad considering that doesn’t include compound interest or the regular contributions that you’re hopefully already making.

2. Be realistic about your exit strategy. Some 50-somethings may view retirement as the only way to end a career they are so over — but “don’t get trapped into retirement as an escape from your job,” Garrett says. “That often leads to a decision to retire before you’re truly financially ready.”

Instead, calculate how your retirement income might change based on several age scenarios — and remember that working is still a possibility.

“A lot of people don’t want to quit cold turkey,” Hawley says. “They either want to cut back their hours or switch to a job that reflects a pet passion they can turn into an income stream.”

RELATED: Semi-Retirement: Are You Cut Out For It?

3. “Practice” your retirement. Sometimes the idea of retirement is more romantic than the reality. You may think that beachside cottage is for you, but if you’re used to the hustle and bustle of a busy 9-to-5, will you enjoy that investment?

Before you decide how you want to spend your golden years, visit the places you’re thinking of moving to, as well as the activities you plan to pursue. How will you spend your time? How will you spend your money? Can you live a simpler life — or do you need your creature comforts?

“Getting a sense of that change,” Hawley says, “will really help you experience [retirement] before you’re thrown off the deep end.”

RELATED: 5 Ways to Retrain Your Brain to Save More for Retirement

This post originally appeared on LearnVest.

More From LearnVest
5 Confidence-Boosting Money Mentors to Have in Your Financial Corner
Financial Power Trip: How to Show Your Money Who’s Boss
5 Common Financial Confidence Killers–and How to Quash Them

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LearnVest Planning Services is a registered investment adviser and subsidiary of LearnVest, Inc., that provides financial plans for its clients. Information shown is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended as investment, legal or tax planning advice. Please consult a financial adviser, attorney or tax specialist for advice specific to your financial situation. Unless specifically identified as such, the individuals interviewed or quoted in this piece are neither clients, employees nor affiliates of LearnVest Planning Services, and the views expressed are their own. LearnVest Planning Services and any third parties listed, linked to or otherwise appearing in this message are separate and unaffiliated and are not responsible for each other’s products, services or policies.

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