35
Chapter 2: Improving Your Relationship with Money
Book I
Taking
Charge
of Your
Finances
It can be daunting to owe a bundle to your creditors and to be faced with the
change and sacrifices that are necessary to turn your finances around. Success
may require every ounce of determination and self-discipline you can muster.
It definitely requires that you be able to maintain a can-do attitude -- a get-
out-of-debt attitude -- over a sustained period of time, because your finances
are probably going to improve gradually, not overnight.
A positive, I-can-get-out-of-debt attitude is key to turning your finances around.
You have to believe that you've got what it takes. Here are some proven
strategies for helping you believe in yourself and set your resolve:
Draw strength from tough challenges you've faced in the past. Maybe
someone in your family had a serious illness, you went through a
divorce, a close relative or friend died, or you experienced a major dis-
appointment in your career. Think about what you did to get through
those tough times and use the memories to remind yourself of your
strengths and abilities.
If you believe that you're largely responsible for your family's finan-
cial problems, don't beat yourself up about what you did or didn't do.
You can't change what happened, and letting feelings of self-recrimina-
tion and guilt bog you down makes it a lot harder to do what you need
to do now. Benefit from your mistakes and move on. When negative
thoughts come into your head, shrug them off, knowing they cannot con-
trol you after all.
A negative attitude can be contagious. If you act bummed out all the
time about your family's financial situation, your bad attitude is likely to
spread to everyone else in your household. If you have kids, don't forget
that they are observing how you behave in the face of adversity, so set a
good example.
Remember that you're not the only person who has ever experienced
financial problems. Millions of people have been where you are and
have had to do what you must now do to get out of debt. If they can do
it, so can you!
Get inspired by reading a book or watching a documentary about
someone who had to overcome something difficult. These types of
stories are plentiful, but if you need some suggestions, consider Franklin
Delano Roosevelt, Nelson Mandela, Helen Keller, or Stephen Hawking.
Motivate yourself by visualizing your future. Close your eyes and think
about what life will be like when you don't have a lot of debt, you're not
stressed out about money all the time, you've got a comfortable balance
in your savings account, and you and your family can afford a few extras.
Don't stay silent about your money troubles. You don't need to shout it
from the rooftops, but let your close friends and family members know
that you are going through some financially tough times, even if you
have to swallow your pride and admit some mistakes. You may need
their support and encouragement. If you've kept your financial problems
