We are trying to get out of debt and after going over numbers again today it never seems like it’s gonna happen, and after spending time crying today, I just need to get up and make it happen one step at a time. -Amber
Amber left this comment on my Instagram back in December and it’s one of those comments I’ve thought about a lot since reading it. I think many of you can probably relate.
Maybe it feels like you’re working so hard to make progress on paying off debt and for all your hard work, you have little or nothing to show for it.
You’re tired.
You’re worn out.
You’re sick of having to say no to extras in the budget.
You’re exhausted from working extra hours or having a spouse who is working extra hours.
Maybe you just got one credit card paid off and then you had a medical emergency and now you have the same amount of debt — or more! — to pay off.
It feels like you are fighting a losing battle.
You just can’t ever seem to really get ahead.
You’re frustrated that your husband didn’t get that raise he thought he was going to.
You’re tired of living in a less-than-desirable apartment that is too small for your family.
You’re overwhelmed by all the bills coming in, the rising costs of living, and just trying to make ends meet.
You just want to give up and give in… and maybe go shopping without having a budget, for once.
Can I just encourage you today? You are not alone.
There are many, many others out there who get what you are feeling. I read their comments and emails every week. And my heart hurts for you and the financial struggles that so many of you are going through.
Here’s what I want to encourage you with: Don’t give up. Don’t throw up your hands and give up on your budget.
You might feel like you are stuck, like there’s not a lot that you can do to fix or change your situation. But there is always something you can do!
What You CAN Do
- You can choose to make the most of today, exactly where you are. (“Bloom where you are planted!”)
- You can choose to look for the blessings and be grateful for them. (The more you look for something, the more you’ll usually see it!)
- You can choose to approach saving money as a game or a challenge. (“Let’s see how little we can live on today! Let’s see how far we can stretch this meat to last this week. Let’s see how creative we can be with what we have in our pantry!”)
- You can choose to celebrate any win, no matter how small. Because a win is a win! (You stayed within your small grocery budget this week? Totally a win! You put $5 extra toward your debt? Absolutely a win! You found a way to make do with what you had? 100% a win!)
- You can choose to focus on the next right thing you need to do — instead of being overwhelmed by everything you need to do, want to do, or feel like you should do. (When you start feeling completely overwhelmed, ask yourself: “What’s the next right thing for me to do?” And then just focus on doing that.)
- You can choose to set small goals — for today, for this week, for this month. (Stop focusing on big picture of how much debt you still have to pay off. Just focus on paying off the debt you can this week and this month.)
- You can choose to make the right decisions to help you make progress today. (How do you replace bad habits with good habits? By making one right decision at a time! You can do this!)
Take baby steps. Live fully present today. Do the next right thing. Don’t give up!
What encouragement do you have for Amber or others in her situation? Share in the comments!
photo credit
