“I want to stop living paycheck to paycheck”
Is this one of your goals for 2020?
If so, you are not alone.
And you will most likely fail.
Not what you wanted to hear, right?
Living paycheck-to-paycheck is a horrible place to be.
You feel ashamed. “How did I let this happen?” “If only I had more [fill in the blank] I could overcome this.”
It feels impossible.How are you supposed to get free when the interest rates, fees, and minimums keep increasing? You have already maxed out your credit lines and can barely
You feel like you have become an expert at knowing which bills have the lowest fees for late payments, deciding which bills you can pay late this month because you paid on time last month, and you know exactly how late you can be without being evicted or having the electricity turned off.
But, there is a way to finally break free from the stress and uncertainty of living paycheck-to-paycheck. For good.
And it is simple.
It is not easy, but it is simple.
Yes, you need a plan…
A budget, spending plan, income allocation, or whatever you want to call it…
But you need more than just a plan to succeed.
You need to rephrase your goal. The mind does not recognize negatives. When you think “I want to stop living paycheck-to-paycheck” your brain focuses on “living paycheck-to-paycheck” and you will find you are even more entrenched in the paycheck-to-paycheck hamster wheel. Find something empowering like “I have more than enough money to pay all of my monthly expenses” or whatever feels empowering to you. If you do not believe this is possible start with “I am open to” or “It is possible that”.
You need to know WHY you want accomplish this goal. Without a deep, true, core WHY you will not stay the course. It will be too easy to make excuses… or cheat… or make yet another exception. Dig deep. A core WHY is something that is a core value and need for you. Love, acceptance, joy, peace, etc.
You need to write things down. Where are you now? What are your goals? What are the small, daily, actionable steps you can take to get there? Focusing on the small steps will help keep you from feeling overwhelmed and will help keep you moving forward, even when it does not seem like you are making progress. Remember, it is the small hinges that swing the big doors.
You need mentors, friends, and/or a community to support you and hold you accountable. You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Choose wisely.
You need to have some skin in the game. I have been told that I am doing you a disservice by offering you so much for free. I am on a mission to help at least 1 million people break free from the stress and uncertainty of living paycheck-to-paycheck by 2030. To do this I have to get my message out and educate and empower the masses. So charging for my knowledge is not in alignment with my core values or my mission. But, there are other ways you can make an investment in yourself. Buy a book. Buy a budget planner. Take a course. I will have online courses in the future to help you level up that much quicker. And, if you really want to accelerate your success I am available to help you one-on-one.
You need to know when to pivot or make adjustments. This is where a mentor, coach, or friends can really make a difference. Stick to your plan for a pre-determined amount of time. When that time is up, evaluate your results. What worked? What did not work? Keep what is working and figure out if what is not working needs more time or needs to be adjusted.
If you are unsure what to do next, or if you feel stuck, I offer free, no sales pitch (I promise) First Step financial strategy calls were we will discuss where you currently are, where you want to be, and your best first step to start down the road to financial success. My scheduling link is http://www.calendly.com/jenniferharter.
Are you ready to do whatever it takes to be able to say “I broke free from living paycheck-to-paycheck in 2020”?