What do you do when you can see something for your life that the people who love you can’t quite see yet?
I’ve been thinking about that a lot.
I finished my fourth book this year — Zella’s Money Choices, the sequel to Charlie’s Money Choices.
What I care about most in this story is Zella’s journey.
She’s a University of Washington student with a big dream. She’s ambitious. She wants more for her life. She can see a future that feels possible to her — even when the people around her don’t completely understand it.
Her family loves her. They support her the best way they know how. But they can’t quite see what she sees.
I think a lot of us know that feeling.
How is a young person supposed to navigate college, work, money, family, relationships, expectations — while also trying to figure out who they are and what kind of life they want to build?
Life is complicated. And somehow, we’re all expected to learn how to navigate it while we’re already living it.
The right people at the right time
Zella doesn’t get everything right. She takes a shot. Things don’t go according to plan. She gets discouraged. She has to adjust.
And along the way, she discovers how much the right people matter.
The right people at the right time can speak life into your situation. It sounds like:
“You got this.” “I believe in you.” “I’m pulling for you.”
The older I get, the more I pay attention to those voices.
If you have something on your heart that you can’t seem to shake, maybe you don’t need the entire plan yet. Maybe you just need to take the next step.
And sometimes you won’t see your biggest cheerleaders until you take that step. So don’t wait for them. Do your part.
That’s a big part of Zella’s Money Choices. Yes, there are money lessons in the story. But there’s also a young woman trying to build a life she can see before everyone else can.
I think there’s something in that for all of us.
— Tony
If you’re a teacher, counselor, or group leader — consider reading Zella’s (or Charlie’s) with a small group. I’ll join the Zoom myself and answer whatever your students want to ask, the same way I did with Charlie’s. Honestly, that was my favorite part. Reach me at connect@tonydoble.com.