What to do when you feel stuck - Part 1
Hello Financial Healers,
Last week I got an email from a paid subscriber. They like the new direction the newsletter is going, but they want the recordings for live coaching sessions (not just the videos sent out on Monday). I believe I recorded the last two Q & A’s, so if you’re a paid subscriber, look for those to go out this week. As always, if you have questions, please drop them here.
What to do when you feel stuck - Part 1
We all enjoy life when it’s rosy, right? When our kids are getting along, our spouses are happy, and our bank accounts are cushioned. Well, sometimes we find ourselves in a tiring season, especially with money. These times are never fun, but as an agent of capacity, we must learn to go through them.
A few weeks ago, I found myself working with a younger client who confessed, almost in tears, “I’m $20,000 in debt. I can’t afford groceries. I can barely afford rent. What do I do?”
I first reminded him that everyone feels stuck at some point — whether it’s financial, spiritual, or physical. Sometimes events just happen and we have to adapt as best we can.
In my client’s case, he was panicking due to his debt situation. There are countless stories of terrified swimmers who caused their rescuers to drown. This panic-induced destruction also happens in other areas, like finances.
This is why gaining control of your mind is key. When you’re in a scary season, take a step back, breathe, and realize, God is still in control.
Now, I don’t know everyone’s situation who’s reading this email. You might be doing great with money. Maybe not. But I do imagine some of you are toiling with debt, so I hope this example helps.
Back to my client’s story: in his case, poor spending habits were the impetus of his trouble. He needed to quickly realize why he was making bad decisions and implement a fix.
It’s hard to hear, but sometimes I think we are our own problem. In fact, 90% of growth is accepting that we are both the solution and problem. Some might find this disheartening, but I believe it is liberating. If we’re causing an issue, then we have the capacity to change it. I know this because Scripture says:
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” - Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)
Breaking free
To help my client, I walked him through some steps. First, I had him realize his actions were putting him further into debt. He agreed to pause and analyze his spending habits. Second, I gave him two powerful debt-killing tools: Debt Snowball and 4x4 Sweep. Third, we went after his thoughts — What do you believe? What lies are causing you to act this way?
Eventually, we found a lie that was rooted deep inside his childhood. It was a painful memory that involved shame and humiliation. In this moment, he believed he was stupid and incapable of making good decisions. This belief followed him through the years causing severe anxiety. This insecurity seeped into other areas and affected his finances.
Once we removed the lie, we asked God for His truth, which was, “You’re a genius filled with great ideas because you have the Mind of Christ.”
We replaced the lie with truth and created a plan to walk in Kingdom finances. My client left the session feeling encouraged, hopeful, and ready to grow. I’ll talk more about some of the financial exercises I gave him later.
In the meantime…
I hope you’re enjoying this Financial Healing Journey. Download the free handout if you haven’t already (it’s the same one as last week), and join us live this Wednesday for My Money Time (3:30 PM [CA time]).
I’ll see you soon.
Blessings,
Stephen K. De Silva