As we face money problems, we don’t need to panic. We don’t need to be paralyzed by fear, and we don’t have to deny reality to get some peace. We don’t have to relieve our consciences by shifting the blame, and we don’t have to cynically abandon hope. I’ve learned that money can buy you experiences and things, but it can’t give you what it takes to be happy. Our debt can steal money from us, but it doesn’t have to steal our hope.
There is no mountain of debt so big or money-problem pit so deep that we can’t climb out of debt with the right help and resources. We can face our money issues with hope, not because we are wise or able, but because we aren’t alone in the mess. It is not true that no one will ever understand you and your plight. Facing the prospect of admitting the inability to fix the mess should not be seen not as doom, but as the doorway to seeking the help.
In many cases, getting out of debt takes several years of sacrifice to enable sufficient margin to overcome the debt. But when unexpected events or setbacks consume that margin, we can fall resigned to the notion that being debt-free is impossible. We lose heart, feel resigned, or maybe even feel hopeless. We will experience setbacks, but having an accountability partner will encourage us during those moments and get us back up and sticking to a spending plan. Understand that making sacrifices now will enable us to start a new chapter in our financial life marked by contentment.
You are not defined by your debt or past decisions, but you will need to choose that you’re done with debt. Matter of fact, go ahead and decide that right now. You can’t solve a problem while continuing to create it. This means not using your credit card or taking out personal loans for things you can’t pay cash for. Those habits have gotten you where you are now, and they won’t help you get out. If you want something different, you have to do something different. This is a journey of fresh starts and new beginnings, we don’t have to give in or give up. We can give ourselves to new and better habits.
