When you’re struggling with money, financial confidence is usually nowhere in sight. If you’re not vigilant, things can spiral out of control, putting you in an even worse financial position.
How can you gain financial confidence even when you’re not sure how you’re going to be able to pay your bills or support going after a goal of yours?
You start by getting clear. You must know where you are financially now and where you want to go.
More explicitly, you need to know how much money you earn, how much you spend, how much you owe, and what you want in life.
Be especially clear about this…
You must be crystal clear about what you want because you are working with your subconscious mind, which does not think.
Saying things like, “I want financial freedom” or “I don’t want to have to worry about money ever again” isn’t good enough because the subconscious mind doesn’t know what that means to you. This part of your mind merely accepts images and then moves them into form. So, you must give it a specific image to work with.
If you’d like to gain financial confidence, starting as soon as today, I suggest that you pay close attention to this blog post. The ideas I’m about to share with you could change your life.
But reading about these ideas and strategies is not enough. You must move into action.
Where do you stand?
No matter how much money you make, it can be stressful if you’re not aware of your income and spending.
To start gaining financial confidence, figure out where you stand right now so you can build from there.
Take some time determining what money is coming in and where and how much is going out. You can do that by keeping track of your (or your family’s) income and expenses for one month. You can do this using pen and paper, a spreadsheet, or software.
This can be an eye-opening exercise that, at a minimum, will allow you to see where your money is going and if there are areas that you need to address immediately.
Where do you want to go?
While you’re tracking your money, fantasize about how much money you want—and for what. Don’t just say you want more money to live better. Ask yourself how much better?
Get out a sheet of paper and draw up a list of all the “things” or “activities” that you want/plan to spend money on. For example, how much do you want to spend on food, your mortgage(s), clothes, car, education, vacation, recreation, insurance, savings, utilities—and anything else that is important to you.
Just let your imagination go and visualize how you really want to live. Then, fill in the amount of money it will cost you to do so.
Start taking steps to get there
There are many benefits to knowing how you want to live and then setting financial goals to get there.
For example, instead of feeling uncomfortable, apathetic or not in control of your financial affairs, you will be aware of your financial status without being controlled or boxed in by it.
Rather than fretting about your current results (what is), you’ll put your focus on the results you want (what can be). You’ll feel empowered and inspired to move toward what you want rather than feeling bad about your current situation.
And when you are feeling overwhelmed, one of the most powerful things you can do is take a paper and pencil and write down everything you want. You write and write and write, squeezing everything you can think of out of your head.
By seeing these things written down, you have a visual representation of the hidden desires you carry around. Instead of trying to get them all right now, you can pick the most exciting thing on the list and work towards it. Focusing on one goal that really excites you instead of a long list will make you more likely to achieve it.
Also, by going after financial goals, you develop invaluable skills, knowledge and habits that will percolate throughout other aspects of your life.
Here are three actions you can take right away to start improving your financial confidence and results:
1. Focus on what you want. Think about your goals and where you are going instead of what’s currently in your bank account.
2. Decide to make a significant financial improvement. When you decide to make a major move, you have to flip your thinking onto a higher frequency. That’s what allows you to take the necessary steps to go after something that’s way beyond where you are now or have ever been.
3. Increase your awareness. Read to learn more about who you are and the laws of the universe, so you will trust that your goals and dreams are coming true. Also, read to learn about how money can be a tool for helping you get wherever you want to go.
As Henry David Thoreau said, “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.”
Get a new pep in your step
When you commit to increasing your financial confidence, you will reduce your stress, raise your awareness and build the courage to achieve your goals.
However, you don’t have to be confident before you start working on your goals—financial or otherwise. Confidence is built over time through study (gaining knowledge) and having the courage to take action.
Commit to learning about yourself and financial literacy. Also, come up with ways to generate different streams of income so you can have all the money you need to create the life you want.
You’ll be delighted with the results.
To more and better,
Sandy Gallagher
P.S. Want to prime your mind for financial abundance? Get our manifestation download below.
