Spring is here. Vaccines are available. And for the first time in a long time, I am starting to make plans. I have a week-long trip with my daughter, a visit to my parents, and a few dinners planned. To friends, acquaintances, and people I've only met once who are inviting me to something this summer or fall: I'll be there. (safely)

The fact that so many of us are starting to make plans means that the economy is looking up: the Federal Reserve chairman has suggested that the economy could grow rapidly, and uber-banker Jamie Dimon is predicting economic blue skies that could last "years" He says, "The economy is going to be a very good place to live. People are ready to return to restaurants, concerts, and bars. People are ready to shop. People are ready to get in touch with the word again, and that will propel the economy forward.

But before we all go back out there, let's draw the line at the economic lessons learned from the pandemic and prepare economically for the next chapter.

Now, first of all, kudos to you for getting through. It's no secret that women (especially women of color) have been hit harder than men over the past year. Whether it be unemployment, lost productivity due to family caregiving obligations, the need to tap into emergency funds (or, if you don't have cash savings, the need to use more of your credit limit).

Even when it doesn't feel like it, you did well.

What I learned: oh no, the stock market. The stock market is up 87% from its lowest point in March 2020. You may have heard that "the stock market is not the economy," and that is true. The stock market is "forward-looking" and does not represent what the average American is experiencing economically at any point in time (as evidenced by the speed of the recovery). Instead, the stock market represents expectations for broad corporate growth and profitability prospects.

The fact that companies can find ways to grow and prosper in (and thanks to) a pandemic: this is capitalism in action. And this brings us to the lesson that investing in the stock market (aka investing in corporations) has historically created wealth in this country, and for some, generations of wealth. (No, there is by no means a guarantee that the market will go up every year, but historically it has been on an upward trend.)

And, as we have seen, the market has been on an upward trend for many years now.

However, we also know that as well as the wage gap and wealth gap, there is a gender investment gap (open in new tab) which means that women are leaving far more money on the table than men. In future columns, we will help women learn how to get started investing.

For true wellness, we need to add economic wellness to the old saw of emotional, physical, and spiritual wellness. Often left out of self-care, lack of money management can seriously impair wellbeing. Money is our number one source of stress. Taking action, such as saving and investing, can reduce that stress.

And no one, I repeat, no one, needs more stress after the past year we have spent.

The fourth thing we learned: we learned more about the character of the company we work for. Has your company adapted to your need for flexibility? Did the company support its employees so that they could work in a way that suited them? Was there flexibility in vacation time? Did it continue to promote diversity? Did it inspire you to not be afraid to advance in your career? Maybe you want to stay with the company, but maybe it's time to move on.

And if you were one of the many women who left their jobs last year (many of whom were laid off and others who had to leave to care for children or family members), remember that there is still hope. As the economy recovers, we hope that businesses will hire more people.

As a final lesson, a member of the El Revest community put it this way: "If you don't take care of your own money, you don't take care of your own life.

Let's get that straight before we return to the field.