The following blog post is part of The Road to Financial Wellness blog tour. The Road to Financial Wellness is a three-month, grassroots campaign promoting financial empowerment on a national level and encourages people to pursue their dream lifestyle. Find out more about local events near you.
When I agreed to participate in Phroogal’s blog tour I had a number of different thoughts that went through my mind as I thought about the idea of financial empowerment. In fact, it wasn’t lost on me that the week before I had written a new post introducing myself to my old and new readers and shared that one of the areas that I most struggled with when it came to my money was mindset.
Mindset is Everything
In order to begin feeling empowered financially you have to believe that you can take control of your financial situation and “own your finances” vs. letting your finances own you. For my entire adult life I have dealt with various levels of financial distress. And, it’s painful to admit this but I believe that I’ve allowed these negative financial situations to go one for as long as they have because I didn’t believe with 100% of my being that I could turn things around.
As a child I spent years watching my mom struggle and work hard. I learned the lesson of thrift, focus, integrity, and frugality. Unfortunately, I also learned the lessons of not asking for enough, financially based guilt, and not saving for the future.
No, I’m not throwing my mom under the bus. What I’ve learned on during the past 5 years as a personal finance blogger is that we learn lessons from the people around us. Like our parents, friends, and colleagues.
My mom’s money mindset has changed quit a bit but it has taken years for her mindset to change. I’ve worked for years to believe that I can change my financial life. Truly believe.
Now I Do
I’ve spent a number of years working on believing in myself, working hard, connecting with other people who believe with their whole heart that they (and I) can be financially empowered. These supporters, friends, and cheerleaders have been a part of a very intense process of changing my mindset-no easy task.
At the end of 2014 I took the leap into self-employment at the time I had a vague idea how that would look. I thought I would go into social media and blog management and love it. Well, I went into it and I hated it LOL! BUT, I still made money. In fact, I can’t even believe how many ways there are to make money outside of a traditional job.
My leap has ignited and fueled by a mindset that believes that I can make as much money as I need and want to as long as I work hard and with consistency. Needing to stand up for myself in business negotiations, asking for what I believe I should earn, and walking away from opportunities that just aren’t have been key to my mindset change.
Begin Now
If you’re trying to change your financial life it takes time to change deeply ingrained beliefs and habits. I never thought it would take me 5 years to change my mindset so profoundly. If you want to earn more, save more, pay off debt, or just imagine a different financial life. Start now. Because changing your financial life is a b$tch. There are so many messages, people, and land minds along the way. You have to start now because it is highly likely that you will have to try, try, try again.
Financial WellnessÂ
Should be taught in school but it’s not. It’s up to you to find a tribe of people who will believe and support you as you work through your financial journey. It’s up to you to educate yourself about money. It’s up to you go to the library and check out books, find personal finance blogs, and reach out to financial institutions to educate yourself. You can do it!
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I think it’s so much easier now to be able to get info to help you with your finances. There seems to be no good reason you can’t get on the right path (speaking to young people here) right away!
It is a heck of a lot easier I actually have a post that I want to write about that. I think that we can include older people too 🙂
You are so right! Mindset is everything…it’s our mindset that can hold us back or propel us forward. Thanks for participating, friend!
Mindset is the key to everything. Have gone through a huge mind shift recently.
As you and Melanie said, mindset is everything. I’m glad I finally shifted mind to think the right way. I wasted valuable time holding myself back with dumb thoughts.
I am not sure if they were dumb thoughts vs. just not being informed or imagining that you can have a different reality.
Having the right financial mindset directly correlates to one’s financial wellbeing. And that will lead us to live our dream lifestyle!
Thanks for being a part of this road trip and blog tour Michelle!
It is absolutely my pleasure to support and be a part of the awesome work that you’ve been doing!! See you in August.
My mindset was the first thing I had to change before I started improving my financial situation. Love this post!
Mindset has been the hardest freaking thing that I’ve had to work on. Jeez.