This approach is NOT a solution to any problem. Despite knowing this, many people still ignore the problem and hope it will go away. Interestingly, if they stopped long enough to clearly see the problem, they would be surprised it is not as bad as they THOUGHT.

We blow things out of proportion in our minds

How many times have you thought something was way worse than it was? I will raise my hand as a person who has an over-active imagination, who created so many catastrophic events that were never realized. The only thing I did was CREATE unnecessary stress for myself. If you do this often enough, you may start suffering the negative effects of increased cortisol and adrenaline. Wondering why your blood pressure and waistline are increasing? Think your body is responding to chronic exposure to cortisol and adrenaline.

What DO I Know About Financial Problems?

I won’t bore you with the details; however, I was a struggling resident living in NYC with over a hundred and twenty-five thousand in debt. I had to pay rent and try to pay off my debt every month. I had no one to help me, so I became pretty savvy about dealing with money.

Many people run from money because they feel or think money is evil. Stop for a second, take out a dollar bill and look at it. Then put it on your table, walk away and come back.

• Did the bill get up and hit you?
• Did the dollar bill call you horrible names?
• Did that bill abuse you in anyway?
• Did that dollar bill make you cry?

Okay, realize that money is not evil. Money is a NEUTRAL currency that is inanimate, it only takes on life when someone gives it life by using it. The life that money takes on depends on the person USING the money. Thus, the person using the money is responsible for the good or evil that’s done [money is just one of the tools they use to create change]. Note, the change can be positive or negative.

Getting Your Finances In Order Requires A Decision

The first thing you have to do is make a decision. DECIDE that you are ready to confront the issue and you will not budge until you have a complete and accurate assessment of the situation. You need to know how much, to whom, when due, and penalties.

1. Next, acknowledge that your finances are a mess; however, give yourself some love for finally doing something about it.
2. Take it out of your head. We tend to exaggerate, and often our financial woes are not as bad as we believe or think.
3. Use an EXCEL spreadsheet [this is what I grew up on] to accurately account for all your debt, fixed expenses, and income.
4. Prioritize which debt needs to be addressed first [I opt to go with the one with the highest interest rate or the one that compounds the interest].
5. Contact the vendor and see if you can negotiate the balance or make an effective payment plan.
6. Consider consolidating your debt on to one card, especially if you can get a much lower APR for a period.
7. Be willing to make the sacrifice – you may not be able to splurge like you used to. However, never make it such that you feel you are not living. Remember, everything in moderation including budgeting.
8. Stick to you budget and remember, small consistent steps will get you to your destination in better shape than trying to pay it off all at once.
9. Become savvier about how you spend your money. Don’t be too proud to shop on sale or look for deals.
10. Eat at home. I know your friends go out to lunch every day and you want to join them. Stop trying to keep up with your neighbors. BTW- who is to say they are not in debt as well and are living on their credit cards.

Remember Your Objectives

You want to get out of debt, stick to your plan and budget, and decrease the stress response due to your financial situation. Be cognizant of the fact that your choices due in part to your beliefs or patterns of thinking are what got you to this point. Thus, at some point, you may want to examine:

• your story,
• your MAP,
•  and the GPS you have been using.