Identify your WHY behind your efforts. Better education for your kiddos. Breathing easy at night. Not panicking when your pet starts vomiting. A dream house, with a dirt bike track, a pool, on land, with even more pets? Oh wait, those are some of mine! Identify some of your values that will guide your debt-free journey.
Acknowledging the motivation behind your money habits is key in getting tangible results and finding your way back if you fall off the bandwagon. Do you splurge on yourself, or others based on illogical reasoning? If you are an emotional eater, who buys junk food after a stressful day, it is your job to manage your emotions and be prepared for hunger to strike during times of stress. Thus, saving the price of a combo meal, the price of otc meds to manage inflammation post-food-splurge and the price of low energy and mood that often follow a crappy carb coma.
Open your mind to the concept that we have a relationship with money. That means how you feel towards money, about people who “have it” and “don’t have it”. If you think people who have money are snobby, chances are you will avoid having more money, subconsciously you will sabotage or repel money coming to you or keeping it once you have it. If you believe that people with money are smart and generous, and you believe yourself to be smart and generous, you are far more likely to build on that belief with growing wealth.
- If you feel a lack or insecurity like you don’t trust that your money will stay (think back to childhood here). Even if you become rich, you may not stay rich because of your distrust. Yes, this happens. So take the time to examine the prevailing notions you have about money. Consciously shift your mindset and behaviors helps you rewrite the story, your story, about money. You could replace the fear of not being smart enough to I am not smart enough, yet! Then take action to get smarter.
- It boils down to our beliefs, many of which were established as children. As adults, you have to choose again what you want to believe in. If you mindlessly go through life these beliefs that you subscribed to as a child it will cause problems. It’s critical you connect the dots and become conscious of the factors that you have control over. So you don’t have to wonder…
How did we get here?
Money is the number one relationship argument. Do you want to stay in a healthy relationship? Manage your money better. Financial insecurity is among the most uncomfortable burdens that cause distress, depression, insomnia, disagreements, and more. This internal work needed to transform your financial situation is just as important as taking charge of your money and making smart moves with it.
Historically I am not a ‘saver’, I have managed my budget since living on my own at 19, off the salary full-time veterinary assistant who also was attending college full time so I know how to ‘make it work’ but that wasn’t building wealth. I wasn’t one to excessively spend money but there was unnecessary spending over the years and by the time I was in my 30’s my financial picture looked a lot different, and had me concerned. I went through a divorce, I had a family, of course, we have pets, I started multiple businesses, I socially drank, I owned a house, etc. All of these things added to my debt. Regardless of the life events that have occurred, your current occupations, or situations, or any of it, you too can feel the results of financial independence with the right decisions and changes in behaviors. BELIEVE THAT. I believe in you and your ability to have the resourcefulness, creativity, and drive it takes to achieve the life you desire.
I am still in the process of becoming debt-free, being financially independent, building knowledge, and wealth. What I have shared with you along the way are some of the beginning pieces to the debt-relief puzzle. Helping you leave the fear, limitations, and arguments that money can bring into your life behind you. Creating space for abundance, peace of mind, comfort, confidence, and freedom that each step can make in reshaping your financial health. There is light at the end of the tunnel. You just have to take the first step toward it.
