If you’re stressed out due to finances, specifically: credit card debt, you’re definitely not alone. I could Google up some statistic here about the percentage of people in debt, how far in debt they are, blah blah blah…But I’m not going to, because it doesn’t matter; it’s not the point. The point is that you can’t get out of debt when all you think about is your debt. I repeat. You can’t get out of debt when all you think about is your debt. Take back your mind with the below tips and get yourself out of debt.
Replace Your Negative Money Beliefs to Get Out Of Debt
I know it’s hard to control your not-so-happy thoughts when you’re financially stressed, but it isn’t impossible. Anytime I start spiraling and feel those negative money beliefs (lies!) trying to take hold, I just say “STOP”. Seriously, try it. You can shout it mentally or out loud, whichever works best for you. Stop the thought in its tracks, and replace it with a better one. Scroll through this list of money affirmations and find one or two that fire up some emotion in you. Write them down and refer to them anytime your thoughts wander into the danger zone.
Make Gratitude a Habit to Get Out Of Debt
Gratitude is one of the most powerful energies in this world. Being grateful for all that we have, all that we are able to do, and all that we have been blessed with is a fantastic habit. Many people do this when lying in bed at night, before going to sleep. It’s a good practice for sure, but an even better one is to be grateful all the time. Especially when things aren’t going so hot. When someone or something is frustrating, annoying, just plain pissing you off, take a second and find your attitude of gratitude. With regard to your soul-crushing debt, step one is to be grateful that the money was there for you when you needed it. Doing so will change your frustration to appreciation, and break the negative thought pattern. Ready for a real challenge? Try to be grateful for what hasn’t yet come to you. Be grateful for your future success, your future ideal financial situation, your future life.
Think Abundantly to Get Out Of Debt
Your thoughts create your reality. We are insanely powerful creators, and literally bring into our realities the very things we think about. That’s because when we focus on something, we are constantly brainstorming (consciously or not) new opportunities and new ideas on that topic. If you continue to focus on your debt instead of your abundance, you’ll attract more ways to get further into debt. Not good. Thinking abundantly, on the other hand, will cause you to think of new opportunities, new ideas, new ways to create more of that abundance in your life.
The easiest way to do this is to think from the end. Put yourself in your future self’s shoes and feel into your brilliant, financially abundant, debt-free life. Do this as often as possible and get creative with it. Pretend like you’re the director of your own movie and plan out the perfect life for yourself. The more you think about it, the more you’ll find that ideas, opportunities and people will show up in your life, ready to help you move toward your new, abundant life.
If you’re having a particularly difficult time tuning out the debt-talking squirrels in your head, try using a guided meditation to quiet your mind first. Do a quick Google search for ‘guided meditation to relieve financial stress’ or something of the sort, and give one or two a try.
Keep An Open Mind
If you’re relatively new to the self-help world, the above tips might sound like one big joke to you. I get it. There are plenty of solid tips out there for paying back debt, and I strongly encourage you come up with a plan of action to do so. However, I also encourage you to keep an open mind with regard to the “inner” work in this post. Instead of thinking “What if it doesn’t work?”, try this on for size: “What if it does work and completely changes my life?”
After all, what have you got to lose?