You should probably read the previous three parts before reading further…this post will make much more sense if you do:

< click here to read Part #1 >

< click here to read Part #2 >

< click here to read Part #3 >

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So now lets link inflation to us -our families- in a very personal way over time (the last 56 years).

I included “Home” in this chart for this stunning fact…in 1970 a family only had to work a little over 3000 hours to buy a home with cash they had saved. In 2026 a family has to work close to 8000 hours to buy a home with cash. That means 2.5 times more hours to buy a median priced home in 2026 vs 1970. That is a staggering statistic!

Now let’s look at the annual cost of “essentials” during that same time period…

Here’s what you are looking at…every family essential costs a greater share (percentage) of annual income now vs 1970. That is personalized inflation…less and less money left at the end of the month in your checking account. But hang on you say…our wages are also going up! You wanna bet? Well, granted they are going up but check this out…

Real wage growth is not keeping up with the cost of any family essential!! And again…that is FACT!!

How do you “fix” this problem of wages not keeping up with inflation? Well, I hate to say it, there are only two ways to fix it:

1 – Increase your income.

2 – Lower your family’s expenses.

That’s it…there really isn’t any other way to go about it…it’s painfully simple.

So what is the ultimate answer to our economic situation…our terrible economic situation that is 6 decades old? What is truly at stake in our lives and our family’s lives?

Oddly, it’s not about numbers…it really isn’t.

It’s about “regaining control.”

It becomes something deeper, a philosophy of living, a response to instability, a plan for resilience, reclaiming of agency, and maybe even creating a quiet, spiritual moral argument about what actually matters in our life. And trust me…that all takes time to emotionally/spiritually digest and organize into reality.

There really is a pivotal word in that paragraph…”agency”…maybe the single most important concept of all. To me “agency” means making choices and the feeling that your actions still matter. It is a sense you can influence your circumstances, adapt, contribute, protect, create, provide, and improve your life and the lives of others…especially your family and community.

When people lose agency (our ability to choose, or our unwillingness to choose), we begin feeling trapped, helpless, dependent, overwhelmed, passive (acted on)…and emotionally exhausted as a result of all that. And I think a huge number of people today quietly feel exactly that way…emotionally and spiritually exhausted. Kinda like “everything important happens to me” vs “I control my own life.”

Here’s my thought…when we restore agency, the ability and the desire to chose, we regain control. We take back control of our own lives, our own destiny…we are no longer acted upon…we act. We regain control.

Strangely enough when I think about gardening I think of statements I’ve said to myself in quiet moments:

• “I can still produce something.”
• “I can still provide.”
• “I can still learn and adapt.”
• “I am not helpless, I can still improve my situation.”
• “My efforts still matter.”

Think carefully about the world today, our society…to me it is trying to, or already has, made us consumers, spectators, renters, subscribers, and dependents. And those attributes are in direct contrast to what humans are meant to be…producers, creators, problem-solvers, participants, neighbors, and contributors. Being the former vs the later is a disconnect that can and does create enormous emotional emptiness in our souls.

I think people emotionally and spiritually understand that disconnect in today’s society and many are starving for a “restoration” without realizing what they are missing or even what to restore to. They/we suffer the loss of agency and accept being acted upon…also without realizing it.

• We feel exhausted every time we can’t pay all the bills.
• We feel it when we can’t buy fresh produce.
• We feel it when we can’t take our family on vacation with max’ing out a credit card.
• We feel it when we can’t share charity with others.
• We feel it when we can’t provide for our families in the ways we wish.
• We feel it when we are not in control…when our actions seem powerless against the world.

The answer my friend is taking back control…and when we do, we restore our agency. And when that happens…the exhaustion starts to fade away…and we begin to live life as it was intended.

Forget about the economists. Don’t obsess over the numbers and percentages. Ignore the endless noise from the talking heads.

Just be you…the real you. The “you” you were meant to be from the very beginning!

Think carefully about what truly matters…your family, your community, your congregation, your neighbors. Serve them. Help one another. Stand together in good times and in bad.

Become more self-reliant so you can become more useful to others when they need you. Stronger families create stronger communities, and stronger communities create resilient societies.

The truth is, no one is coming to save us…we save each other.

Do the right thing…ALL of the time.

Now more than ever, we need each other to do exactly that.

Tomorrow I wrap this all up, a closing of sorts, sharing my final thoughts. Probably the most important part of this series. I hope you will take time from your busy day to come back and read it.

← Click here to head Part #3

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Articles in this Series –

• Economics 101 – Part #1 of 5
• Economics 101 – Part #2 of 5
• Economics 101 – Part #3 of 5
• Economics 101 – Part #4 of 5

Related Articles –

• Resist !

 

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