Admittedly, old habits can seem hard to break. When you get into your own daily routines, you tend to wander along through your days without changing too much. This is because routine is comfortable and change is tends to feel very uncomfortable.
When it comes to money, people get set in their ways with how they do things just like we do in other areas of our lives. We pay our bills, put money into savings (ideally) or we avoid our bills and over-spend; everyday waking up and going to work so we can keep our lives moving.
Many times, when we have never-ending debts we tend to shrink away from our obligations because they feel so overwhelming. I know I was stuck in the cycle of doing just the bare-minimum to keep my head about water but when I started to make itty-bitty jolts of progress or when I had money in my pockets it felt weird. I was so used to being broke and struggling that having things go any other way were super forgein. I had to re-train my brain to get more and more comfortable with the idea of things not being how they historically had been. Who would've guessed that as terrible as being in debt felt that having money in my account would feel strange too.
Getting Out of Your Money Comfort Zone…
1. Avoid the Trap
For life to evolve there needs to be change. The good news is these changes do not have to be big, giant steps. It is the small, progressive steps that tend to make the bigger difference. If you want your money to grow and do better things for you, you have to be willing to step outside of your comfort zone and start changing your ways, especially if debt is still something you are hanging onto year after year.
2. Make a Commitment to Yourself – Do it for You
It all starts by making a commitment to yourself to make small changes that will have a significant impact on your financial life. Step out of your comfort zone and get proactive about your debt. Call your creditors and deal with the matters at hand rather than just letting the phone ring off the hook, throwing those bills on a shelf or in the back seat of your car for another day.
3. Find a Way to Make Extra Cash
Consider a part-time job or invest a few hours in a hobby that could net you some money to be used for extra payments on debt. It may not feel right at first to take on the extra work or to even make money on something you actually enjoy doing (what a concept right! it's amazing that we often feel guilty about that) but as you progress through your commitment to change, the benefits will start to outweigh any negatives. You can slowly begin to become debt-free while simultaneously knowing that you're doing all you can to change your life and ways.
4. Evaluate, Often
You have the power within to create a better life, especially your financial one. Investigate the ways in which you might be in a money rut. Evaluate your money situation and see if you could cut down on your standard expenses (even the ones that you might normally glaze over thinking they are set as they are), notice if you are wanting to spend every last penny, and see if you are avoiding putting yourself out there to make some extra money with odd jobs or seeking a raise or promotion at your current job.
Changing habits can be so uncomfortable at first but to have the lives we want we must be open to the idea of changing our ways.
Are you in a money rut? How are you going to bust out of your financial comfort zone?