Live long enough and life will remind you of the recklessness of your younger years.
Consequences of immaturity act as quicksand when starting to move forward toward a solid foundation.
However, our past choices are covered and atoned for just as much as our sin is in Jesus Christ.
It will be hard for you to move forward at times, but with Jesus, we have hope that this life can still have purpose and a guaranteed path to eternal rest in heaven.
While you tarry on this side of heaven, you can take control of your focus and begin to see yourself as God sees you. There is no reward for holding yourself hostage to past mistakes.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. -Philippians 4:8
Here are 10 ways you can stop lamenting your past and begin to prioritize your financial wellness as a proactive steward of your resources:
Read your Bible often.
Your Bible is the key to recognizing how to live a life pleasing to the Lord. As a believer, you have the privilege to worship the Lord at all times in your heart, mind, and soul. Allow the Bible to give you the foundation you need to focus on the worship of the Lord and not yourself and your past.
Decide how you will show up for yourself.
Every day is a new day to get things right. As you learn new skills to make better financial decisions, you can now choose to act on that knowledge. This is an internal knowing and does not have to be validated by anyone but you and the Holy Spirit.
Proactively correct past mistakes.
Make a plan to pay your debts. Begin to track your spending for opportunities to increase saving and investing. Maybe consider selling items that no longer reflect your financial values. Resist the temptation to dwell on the things you have no control over. Everything else is fair game.
Prioritize wellness daily.
You have to be healthy and whole to be present on your stewardship journey. Make a list of budget friendly activities that bring you joy and plan to do those things regularly. This simple activity will improve your outlook on life tremendously.
Celebrate small wins.
It is hard to do the same things for a long time with minimal progress. Define milestones for yourself and plan how you will celebrate them. Sweet treats, lunch or dinner dates, and alone time are worthy options. Achieving the big goal is a blessing, but your commitment to the daily action plans is noteworthy as well.
Teach your family along the way.
As a mama, you always have an audience looking to you for guidance. Talk to your children about the changes you are making and how it will affect their future. Now, you are getting a head start in giving them the tools to dodge the traps that set you back in the past.
Document your progress.
Track your progress through journaling, calendars, trackers, or memory keeping. Documenting can be as formal or creative as you would like. There is a power in being able to see how far you have come at any point in your financial wellness journey.
Limit your time on social media.
Social media is curated to keep you invested in what creators have to say. As you rebuild your trust in yourself, it is key to be critical of the messaging you allow to fill the void of mental impressions you have worked so hard to remove.
Cultivate healthy friendships.
It is natural to distance yourself from those who hinder your progress toward better. But it takes intentionality to identify and invest in friendships that encourage you. Find time to share with those who make it easy for you to relax in your authentic self.
Become a mentor to others.
There is always someone who needs to be encouraged. You can be a blessing to church family, neighbors, and coworkers by appropriately sharing with them how you are growing and inviting them to join you. Try adding nuggets of financial wisdom to Valentine’s and Halloween treats or consider becoming a coach or expert in your community.
You have to take care of yourself mama! That will require a delicate balance between working toward your goals and giving yourself grace to just heal.
If you need more encouragement as you figure out how to find that balance, sign up for resources from Faithful Mama Budget to be delivered right to your inbox.
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