Financial Peace of Mind – Do You Have It?

There used to be a time in my life, where I would wake up at least once every single night, worrying about how to make the next rent check or pay the gas bill. And that was after tossing and turning for hours worrying about money. It’s not a good place to be and I am glad those days are behind me. That’s why when I read the article below, I knew I had to share it with you. Financial peace of mind – or not having to worry about money constantly  – is such a great feeling. Read on to find out how you can get it as well.

Financial Peace – How to Get it and Keep It

You might have heard people say that “money doesn’t buy happiness” and that “the best things in life are free”. But have you ever been so broke or in debt that all you did was consistently worry and stress over money? Did you know that the majority of people in North America who get divorced say that money fights were one of the main issues? While money may not buy happiness, one thing is certain: if you don’t have peace in your financial life and control of your personal finances, it will taint every other area of your life and absolutely drain you of your happiness and security.

So what can you do to get control over your money, eliminate the financial stress and gain the financial peace which will enrich every other area of your life? Let’s start with some things that most people never even consider about money…

First, ask yourself if there is anything that you can begin to do today which you know will make your financial life easier in the future. Maybe it’s to start saving money, even if only a few dollars a week. Maybe it’s to start paying a little extra on the principle of your car loan or your mortgage. Maybe it’s simply to start saying no to at least one impulse purchase per week.

No matter what the first step in your debt elimination might be, if you are like most people you are not yet using all of the knowledge that you already have when it comes to managing your finances and getting out of debt.

This is the same reason that anyone doesn’t do something they “know” they need to: their conditioned behaviors are telling them not to. Sure, this may not make logical sense…that’s the point. Conditioned behavior is not rationally driven, it’s emotionally driven.

Your emotions are the motivating force behind your behaviors; rational thinking is normally only used to defend or to support your emotional conditioning.

Just think about the habit of saving. Why don’t people develop this habit and feed it until it becomes second nature? Sure, the rationalization might be: “I don’t have enough to save because I’m just getting by as it is!” or “I’ll start saving once I get _______.”

However, these are all rooted in fear, which can be overcome by acknowledging the thing which gives fear its power: uncertainty. The best way to erase this uncertainty is to start taking control by planning ahead and by managing your money on purpose. While this may not bring you more money or less bills right away, it will give you a much greater feeling of certainty while will eliminate the majority of fear.

Think about it, how much easier is it to deal with something bad if you are certain that it is going to occur? It’s much easier because it puts you in a position where you are forced to take action and deal with it.

Do this: take a twenty dollar bill and give it to someone who you really trust to hold it for you. Make sure that you don’t ask for it back….no matter how bad things get. Just pretend that you don’t have it and that you must get by without it. This will make you certain of what you are up against and you’ll be amazed at how much more resourceful you’ll become. As you build your savings and slowly increase the amount, you’ll gain more confidence, more certainty and more momentum. Against these three, fear doesn’t stand a chance.

Then start keeping track of everything that you spend and everything that you make. Even if the picture is ugly, writing things down will give you a greater sense of certainty. This alone will shut down the majority of the anxiety and worry about money. Now instead of playing the “income vs. outgo will I have enough” tape over and over, you can park those thoughts and focus on a plan of action.

These two steps alone will begin to change your conditioning and habits regarding money management. It won’t happen overnight, but then again bad money habits are never formed overnight either. Get started right now on improving your financial literacy, while you are still thinking about it and you’ll have taken the first step on the road to financial peace.

So now you have a plan and a reason to get started.

John and Linda Ballis from http://wheeloflifebook.com are the authors of the practical step by step guide to life balance “The Wheel of Life’s 8 Keys to Success”.

If you feel that you could use some help in balancing your life so that you are happier and more contented, you have more wealth, and better health and relationships visit our website and purchase our book and download our many free resources including a free, instantly downloadable relaxation MP3.

For more articles you can also visit our blog at http://wheeloflifeblog.com.