Taking care of your financial health.

“I just had the best budgeting session!” – No one, ever.

It’s easy to scroll through social media and see people touting the run they completed, their success in waking up early to go to the gym, or the salad they packed for lunch. Focusing on physical wellness is celebrated. For many, openly talking about seeing a therapist is also embraced, rather than taboo. Focusing on mental wellness is a good thing. But, no one wants to talk about financial wellness.

There are various reasons for this. We might feel ashamed of our financial situation, worried that we’re the only ones who don’t have it figured out. We might subscribe to the idea that we shouldn’t openly talk about money or money troubles. Perhaps we’re worried that our friends won’t like us if they knew the truth about our bank accounts. By not talking about any of it, working on it, or seeking help with it, we keep it all wrapped up in its tidy little shame box. And that creates problems.

A person who is financially well is able to:

1.    meet current and ongoing financial obligations;

2.    feel secure in their financial future; and,

3.    make choices that allow them to enjoy life.

How do you begin to start focusing on your financial wellness? Start by assessing how financially well you feel. Are you meeting current and ongoing financial obligations without using debt? Do you feel secure about your financial future? Are you making choices that allow you to enjoy life? Take some time to write about these and take stock of how you feel.

If you’re not feeling financially well, assess your income and your expenses. Get clear on how much money is coming in and how much money is going out. Get clear on whether your money is going towards things that bring you satisfaction. Is some of your money going towards securing your financial future? Do you have a current, realistic plan in place?

If doing this work feels like a chore, I want to offer you a reframe: You’re doing this work for your financial health. And just like starting a new exercise routine can be a struggle, so too can building new financial habits. Some financial wellness exercises include tracking your expenses, creating a spending plan, setting boundaries, and meal planning.

It’s okay to start slowly. Recognize that your financial health is just as important as your physical and mental health and give yourself room, both in time and emotionally, to prioritize it as well. Wellness is multi-faceted. Perhaps soon, we will be able to proudly exclaim that we just had a satisfying budget session!