Like many of you, I’ve faced challenges with money – from struggling to make ends meet to dealing with unexpected financial setbacks. The stress, the fear, the constant worry about how we’d pay the bills, and the crushing feeling of hopelessness was overwhelming. These experiences shaped not only my relationship with money but also my understanding the importance of what it means to truly achieve financial freedom.
In 2017, when my husband and I found ourselves in the worst financial fear we’d ever experienced, it was a battle just to stay afloat. I was having anxiety attacks, I couldn’t sleep. The constant weight of financial anxiety had seeped into every part of our lives, and I just couldn't bear it anymore. Something had to change—and I realized that change had to begin with me. Like so many, I was never taught how to manage my money properly. My parents never taught me, but how could they, when they were never taught themselves? And the same went for their parents. My family had been stuck in financial struggle for generations, and I became determined to break this cycle. I made a promise to myself, and to my family, that we would never, ever be in that position again.
I didn’t know exactly how I was going to turn things around, but I knew I had to try. I needed to find a way out – not just temporarily, but for a lifetime. The failure, the deep feeling of fear and defeat that I was running from, is what ultimately became the driving force behind everything that followed. It was the catalyst for change, and it pivoted the course of our entire lives.
The journey that followed wasn’t easy. There were endless sacrifices, setbacks, and moments where it felt like we weren’t making progress fast enough. So many times I felt stuck, and was ready to give up. But little by little, with lots of life in between, we started to turn things around. We paid off all of our debt, we started saving, and we rebuilt our financial lives from the ground up. Along this journey, I learned more than I could have ever imagined about money, mindset, and what it really takes to create lasting financial security. I also discovered so much about myself, and realized how powerful my transparency and vulnerability could be for those around me who were facing the same fear and desperation I once did.
