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A Better Money Mood
We've all been so depressed about our money situations that we often forget to be thankful for the things we do have. Here's how you get a better money mood!
Today's been one of those days. You know the kind of day where you just know that everything would be ten times better if only you had more money. Got a flat tire? No big deal! Had to take a sick pet the vet? Like a drop in the bucket! Yup, that's been my day. And I have to say, I was totally in a mood with my money situation because the truth is, I'm no where near where I want to be financially.
But, as I was trolling the Net to soothe my aggravated nerves, I came across a blog that made me stop and think a little bit. Mr. ToughMoneyLove has a great blog where he's known to say the things we need to hear, no matter how much we don't want to hear them. One of his recent posts addressed the issue of being in a better money mood.
Mr. ToughMoneyLove talks about the inherent relationship between money and psychology. In that realm, we can find better attitudes towards our money by being grateful for the things we do have instead of focusing on the things we don't. To do so, Mr. ToughMoneyLove says to take about two minutes to think of a few things that enrich your life and, without which, you would be poorer. For Mr. ToughMoneyLove it was the fact that he and his family were able to gather at their vacation home overlooking a lake.
So, forget the stock market, bailouts, inflation, and all the debts you owe for just a few minutes. Consider the positive things you have in your life, be it provided by money or relationships, and just reflect on them.
As I sat there reading the article and feeling disgruntled about my life, I began to think about what I have. For me it's the fact that I'm independent and don't have to depend on someone else for my well-being. I can work and pay my own bills, thank you very much! With some reflection I began to realize that it's not my money situation that makes the difference, but how I choose to handle these minor emergencies. I can choose to be miserable and let it affect my entire mood or, I can choose to let it go and move on. I'm choosing to move on.
What about you guys? What's your current money mood and what in your life are you most grateful for? - Kristy Young
Yes, today was a bad money day for me too. My fiancé had some serious dental work that we both knew was coming up today and while his teeth look wonderful, we're paying thousands out-of-pocket because even my excellent dental insurance isn't that great, unfortunately. So there's one more bill to add to the pile for both of us. Despite that giant drawback, I'm still happy to have a cozy home with a rent we can afford and the peace of mind to know that even though this was a (large) financial setback, we still have a plan and are sticking to it.
Same here. Especially if you live in America, the land of plenty, there's always something to be thankful for, even if you haven't finished paying it off!
They say this is the year where we will all learn to live within our means ... that sounds great, but I have to tell you I've been living there for a long time, the problem is the means don't go as far as they used to while the cost of living continues to increase.