How I Dealt with a Tax Fiasco

First off, a big cheer for everyone who attended the 9D Abundance Breathwork session this past Sunday. I’ve heard great feedback like:

“I felt so grounded and grateful.”

“I’ve done breathwork before and have always felt anxious. The guidance and coaching throughout this session, along with the beautiful music, made me feel much more calm and safe.”

“I’ve been feeling a level of happiness and joy that I’ve never experienced before.”

We’ve got another Abundance Breathwork session coming up this Wednesday and then we’ll move to a new topic for June. If you’d like to do the Wednesday session, all the info is here:

https://www.christinamarlett.com/9d-breathwork 

And now, onto the Great Tax Fiasco of 2024.

In the Beginning

Once upon a time, I made so little money in my business that I paid no taxes. That was simultaneously fun/not fun.

There were a number of times when I wanted to quit, but I persevered and now I get to pay taxes - hooray!

It’s not the most fun I’ve ever had, but I certainly am grateful to have enough income now to make a contribution tax-wise.

At the beginning of making enough money, I didn’t realize taxes were going to happen that particular year, so there were a few stressful times when I didn’t put any money away and then when tax time rolled around, there wasn’t really anything left… goodbye savings.

We switched accountants at one point and the new one suggested I start putting away 25% of my income. Lightbulb moment! It sure pays to have smart professionals giving guidance.

Progress

The next time taxes rolled around, I had more than enough money to pay them! I had extra!

It was so fun to invest that extra money in some new coursework and certifications for myself. 

The following year, there was extra money again! That time, I thought it would be fun to take the family on a trip so off to Mexico we went. Alas, the family did not enjoy it as much as I thought they would, so this year, I decided I would keep the extra money for my business. 

I carefully calculated, based on the last two years’ figures and determined I would have enough to get my Spiritual BEST and the 9D Breathwork Certifications.

Maybe you are getting a sense that all didn’t go as planned. 

Where it all fell apart

Last year, partway through the year, I got a notice from the government saying that because I made a certain amount of income (more than ever before), I would now have to pay my taxes in scheduled installments. Those payments came out last September and December.

My first mistake was that I thought that meant I was done for the year so the leftover amount went into my calculations for what I thought was extra. 

Not so, said the government. It turned out that I still had another payment due in March and then when that was done, it also turned out that their calculations were way off and I owed thousands and thousands more dollars than they initially said.

Hence the tax fiasco. I had spent all the extra money on my new certifications.

Plus, the quarterly payments went waaaaayyyyy up for this year. Yikes!

Essentially, I was back to square one from many years ago. I felt so foolish.

I was terrified to tell my husband, Paul. I generally take care of most of the money for the family because, in the past, he found it too stressful. He likes security and I’m more of a risk-taker.

Over the last few years, I had come to feel pretty darn masterful with the saving strategy but with this new scenario… well… let’s just say that my mind went into overdrive with all sorts of devious ways to keep the news to myself. 

Whenever I’m faced with a choice where there’s an easy option and a harder one, I endeavour to choose the one with a growth edge so that I don’t have to learn the same lesson again.

And so, even though it was so uncomfortable and scary (not because my husband is mean or anything like that - it was more that I felt like a total failure) I decided to tell him everything. 

I worked up the courage and burst into tears when I told him the news. To soften the blow, I had also come up with a plan so I shared that as well. 

To my surprise and relief, Paul handled it like a champ. He was totally okay with it. In fact, guess what I learned?

By choosing the scary option of telling the truth and being vulnerable, I learned that Paul has changed so much when it comes to money and he wasn’t actually stressed out by the news. 

In fact, he took me out for lunch and said he was so proud of me and grateful that I shared the fiasco with him. Imagine that.

The Takeaways

I learned that:

1- I will wait until after taxes are done before I spend any of what seems to be leftover

2- being vulnerable is uncomfortable and worthwhile - I wouldn’t have known that Paul has had so many shifts around money without leaning into the fear and sharing the truth

3- feeling foolish isn’t the end of the world like I used to think it was - it’s just another temporary experience

4- I don’t know where the money is going to come from to pay the September and December tax payments this year, but I’m looking at it as an opportunity to grow my trust that I am fully supported and very abundant. Money is always really about trust. 

So there you have it, my tax fiasco of 2024. I hope you found a useful little nugget in that story somewhere. 

May you have a week filled with gentle growth, opportunities to be vulnerable and deep connection as a result.

With expanding love and growing courage,

Christina

>Creator of Courageous Self-Care

>I didn’t even include the part about actually paying the taxes. That was next level fiasco filled with tears of fury. Maybe another time…

>I just got back from the dentist and although I was feeling very anxious leading up to it, it was the best appointment yet. I think the 3-6-9 Cleanse we did a few weeks ago helped a lot. Also, the hygienist was a gem. Thank you heavenly helpers that I hired!

Around the time that Paul and I got married, some 26ish years ago, there was a great Ann Landers article called 15 Words to a Better Marriage. 

We’ve used the 15 words over and over and they have indeed contributed to our long-lasting great relationship.

Now, I would love to recommend these 15 words to you. They’re not just great for a marriage, they’re fantastic for any meaningful relationship.

They are:

I am sorry.

Please forgive me.

You look great.

Let’s eat out.

I love you.

So good, right? Give them a go this week and watch the receiver light up whenever you say them.

Here’s a lovely romantic song. It’s called Carried Away and it’s by Companion. 

I always love a song in 6/8 as this rhythm has a circular, lilting feel to it. Paul and I learned to Viennese Waltz many years ago before we got married. In fact, we were in a Debutante’s Ball!

We practiced our waltzing for many months and, for whatever reason, our teacher mainly played the song I Feel Pretty because it was the right speed. You will never see that song as a favourite from me. 

Carried Away would have been a lovely and welcome addition to the practice roster. This song causes me to dance around the room; not necessarily in a Viennese waltz, but certainly in a flowy, inviting way. 

Enjoy. It’s gorgeous. 

Listen to Carried Away by Companion on iTunes

Listen to Carried Away by Companion on Spotify