The Power of Mini Vacations for Your Mind and Body - Dr. Jennifer Dragonette
Emotional Balance Sheet with Paul Fenner
Release Date: 10/23/2025
The Scoreboard We Never Chose
Emotional Balance Sheet with Paul Fenner
Why do so many people feel financially behind — even when the numbers say they're not? Often, the problem isn't the plan. It's the expectation. Charlie Munger, near the end of his life, gave a one-sentence answer that cuts straight to the point: reasonable expectations. In this conversation, I look at the gap between the life we imagined and the life we're living, and what happens when we never examine where our financial expectations came from in the first place, which may be one of the most underrated financial insights there is. I share the story of a family that had done almost...
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The Story That Spent Your Money
Emotional Balance Sheet with Paul Fenner
Why did a three-minute sideline conversation with another parent almost make me rethink my entire financial plan? This week, I'm digging into why the financial stories we absorb from the people around us, the casual mentions, the social media posts, the dinner table comments, are doing more to shape our decisions than any spreadsheet or data point ever could. I share what I see when families come into my office feeling behind, even though their numbers say otherwise. I talk about how stories hijack our sense of enough and keep moving the goalpost, and why Theresa and I wrestle with the exact...
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The Questions We Forget to Ask Ourselves
Emotional Balance Sheet with Paul Fenner
How much of what you believe about money, success, and parenting is actually true, and how much is just where and when you happened to grow up? This week's episode digs into the uncomfortable questions we rarely ask ourselves about our own blind spots, and gives you a practical filter to sort values worth protecting from scripts worth questioning. I share stories about the gap between what we think we know and what we've actually experienced. From parents struggling to accept their kids' different paths to the life transitions that revealed how little we understood, this episode is about...
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Pessimism Sounds Smart, Optimism Builds Wealth
Emotional Balance Sheet with Paul Fenner
Why does bad news feel so convincing while good news feels like a sales pitch? If you've ever caught yourself doom-scrolling financial headlines and then second-guessing your entire plan, you're not alone. In this episode, I explore why pessimism sounds smart, why optimism has been the better long-term bet, and how busy parents can filter out the noise without burying their heads in the sand. I share a story about a client who almost made a fear-driven decision and talk about my own battle with pessimistic thinking. This week's action: notice where your financial anxiety is actually coming...
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What To Do When The Plan Stops Working
Emotional Balance Sheet with Paul Fenner
You made the plan. You ran the numbers. You did everything right. So why does it feel like you're one unexpected expense away from starting over? This week, I am focusing on what happens when the plan stops working, and why that might not be the disaster you think it is. I share a story about a family whose perfect five-year projection fell apart after an unexpected health diagnosis, and what they discovered in the rebuilding. I also cover my own experience navigating career changes and raising triplets +1 when plans rarely survive contact with reality. Your action step: Look at your...
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The Price and Pressure to Create Perfect Memories
Emotional Balance Sheet with Paul Fenner
What happens when the opportunities we give our kids become the pressure we put on ourselves? Dr. Jennifer Dragonette, our resident therapist expert, is back with us to dig into the gap between what we want for our families and what our families actually want. It started with a cruise my triplets didn't enjoy, a conversation with another dad at a basketball game, and an NHL hockey player from our local high school who was the star goalie in the recent winter Olympics. Our conversation focuses on the instinct to provide our kids with opportunities we never had, and how that instinct can...
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Can We Really Do That?
Emotional Balance Sheet with Paul Fenner
What happens when you're doing everything right on paper but still feel one car repair away from a financial meltdown? Or when you're fully present with your kids today but have no idea how you'll pay for college in five years? Most families I work with fall into one of these two camps, and both are fragile in different ways. This week, I'm exploring Morgan Housel's idea that the best way to deal with uncertainty is to save like a pessimist and invest like an optimist. I share stories of two families on opposite ends of this spectrum, why holding both mindsets at once feels so...
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Why Quiet Time Is Your Most Valuable Financial Skill
Emotional Balance Sheet with Paul Fenner
I'm wrestling with a question that's been on my mind lately: Have we given money a job it simply can't do? There is a complicated relationship between money and our emotions, and how we sometimes hope numbers and bank balances will take away our fear or anxiety, even though those are emotions, not equations. Inspired by Carl Richards' book "Your Money," I talk about how our financial lives and our feelings are tangled together, especially for those of us in the thick of parenting, where there's never really an "off season." With insights from thought leaders like Morgan Housel, I explore...
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When Money Buys Everything Except the Time to Enjoy It
Emotional Balance Sheet with Paul Fenner
You're earning more than ever, but do you actually control your time? Most families discover that financial success came at a cost they didn't expect to pay. In this episode, I explore the real dividend money provides: not fancy stuff, but time autonomy. I share the pattern I see in families who've achieved financial success but lost control of their schedules, and why the finish line with kids at home comes faster than you think. This week's challenge: Name three things you did for money that cost you time. Then ask if the trade was worth it. Connect with Paul If you're a family with...
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Places to Hide Aren't Roadblocks
Emotional Balance Sheet with Paul Fenner
Ever feel stuck between wanting to start something new and actually making it happen? Whether it's launching a business, updating a resume, or initiating a difficult conversation, something often gets in the way—and it's not always what we think. We often label our hesitation as "roadblocks," but more often than not, those roadblocks are actually places we hide from fear—fear of the unknown, failure, or disappointment. Roadblocks are often external barriers we point to, such as busy schedules or endless tasks, which usually cover our inner fears. What's the thing you've been...
info_outlineHave you ever wondered why you get sick on vacation?
I share my all-too-relatable experience of getting sick on my recent anniversary trip across Italy, Greece, and Turkey with our resident therapist, Dr. Jennifer Dragonette. Dr. Jen dives into why our bodies often choose downtime to recover, exploring our hidden demands we carry and how American work culture fuels our “earn your rest” mentality.
But, as always, our conversation expands, weaving in discussions about present-moment awareness, how to build restorative habits into daily life, and why those five-minute “mini-vacations” might be just what your nervous system needs. Dr. Jen and I also tackle bigger questions: When do you know it’s time to seek professional help, whether that’s in therapy or financial advice? What stigma holds us back, and how much can talking to the right person or connecting with others change our experience?
From the pressures of social comparison to embracing change as parents, this episode is packed with relatable stories and actionable advice. Whether you’re guilty of pushing through without a break, curious about the real signs it’s time for extra support, or just looking for ways to slow down time and savor life’s moments, I hope this conversation provides a little reassurance that you’re definitely not alone.
Please enjoy my conversation with Dr. Jennifer Dragonette.
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And feel free to email Paul at pfenner@tammacapital.com with any feedback, questions, or ideas for future guests and topics.
Resources Featured in This Episode:
Finding Harmony in Life, Work, and Family
Inside the Family Office: A Family's Journey Working with a Financial Advisor