Count labour, name real constraints, set an affordability boundary

A money total can miss much of what a step requires. Count time, labour, preparation, research, mistakes, transport, emotional energy, recovery time, and help from other people, including unpaid help. You do not need to invent a wage rate to recognise that work has a cost.

For example, a “free” workshop could still involve travel, childcare arrangements, two hours of attendance, and time afterward to recover. A borrowed tool may save money while requiring someone else’s time. Making these visible gives you a more honest basis for a decision.

You can name practical constraints without disclosing your household history: schedules, transport, disability access, credentials, childcare, or another condition that matters here. These are not measures of commitment.

Ask whose action could change a barrier. Some are limits you choose to protect. Others belong to a program, workplace, or service—for example an inaccessible location or missing information. Do not treat every obstacle as something you must solve alone.

An affordability boundary names what the next step is not allowed to jeopardise: rent, a work shift, health, rest, or a responsibility you choose. You can state the boundary without revealing amounts. Ask only what this decision needs; stop probing when it goes beyond that.

Journal minimum: Save at least one short note in a Try or Reflect box for this lesson. You do not have to answer every question. Write what you noticed, a question, or what you still do not know. If you have not tried the activity, say so. You can use the example instead of personal details. This leaves something to return to in later lessons. Saving is not sharing.