Debt Magic – Clear your mind first

Everywhere you look its coming at you. Like a plague from biblical times the debt tsunami is washing over the land and not sparing anyone. Switch on the TV you get talk of the credit crunch and job losses. Read the newspapers and you get scary statistics of foreclosures. Turn on the radio and all you hear are talk shows with someone telling their tale of debt woes. At work it seems that it is all anyone ever talks about “How am I going to afford this month’s mortgage payment”.

There almost seems to be a collective acceptance that we are all doomed and that somehow if just join hands together that the debt Tsunami will wash over us and we will all be spared. Yes there is strength in numbers but at the same time do you want to be dragged under by the weight of everyone else?

As they say a problem shared is a problem halved and I agree up to a point. When people start trying to halve that problem over and over again it just becomes toxic. You see it doesn’t take much to create a panic. When you have a few friends where all they talk about is their financial situation then it is going to have an adverse impact on the way you think about your financial situation. Misery loves company so to speak.

So where is this all leading I hear you ask? Simply put if you really want to solve your financial problems then you need to detoxify your mind of all the negative self talk and negative financial propaganda. You need to realise that the media are screaming negative headlines only to sell papers. They are not worried if they ruin your day. They just want you to buy their paper and if that means using scare tactics to do it then so be it.

 Freeing up mental capacity 

Think about the mental capacity that you will free up if you can clear the negative financial news from your mind. Ok you have your own debt situation to be worried about but why are you bothered to be worried about the financial situation of people you don’t even know. It’s terrible when someone loses their house without a doubt but why are you worrying about it? You could be next? Well you will be if you don’t stop focusing on everyone else’s debt worries and start focusing on your own.

Stop listening to the media and to everyone else. Deep down you know what you have to do to get out of debt. You may not know the exact steps but what you do know is that you need to change. You are only hindering your progress by listening to reports of financial chaos in the media. Trying to reduce your debt while listening to and reading about financial trouble is like a person on a diet trying to lose weight while working in a bakery. You may laugh but you are making life so much more difficult for yourself. You are cluttering your mind and making yourself stressed.

To free your mind of the excess financial stimulation you simply need to turn off your TV, Radio and close that newspaper. Why not include the internet in that list? Well the great thing about the internet is that you chose what you want to see and read. If you don’t want to read horror stories about debt then you just don’t look them up. You have a choice. With TV, radio and newspapers you are not given much of a choice. Either sit there and listen to the news or turn if off. The choice is yours.

When someone at work tries to corner you and moan about their debt situation don’t listen. Be polite but make your excuses and don’t listen. Don’t talk about your situation to anyone only your closest friends and family and be careful that you are not overloading them with your problems. Yes the mental release is nice but you have to be wary of doing too much talking and not taking enough action. I urge you to cut the negative stimulation about debt and financial problems out of your life.

Do it for one week and see how you feel about your debt.

You will be surprised at the difference it makes. You will gain so much mental clarity about your own financial situation that it is well worth the effort. No longer will you have other people’s debt stories floating around your head and causing you stress. You will be able to tackle your own debt problems with greater efficiency.

I’m not saying to bury your head in the sand. This is the worst thing you can do when it comes to your debt problems. What I am saying is that you aren’t doing yourself any favors by reading about other people’s debt woes.  You get more of what you focus on and if you are focus on debt and debt related misery then I’m sorry but that is what you are going to get more of. You need to stop focusing on the negative feelings that surround debt you need to stop wallowing in your martyr status. When the music stops and you are the only one left standing you won’t feel too clever and your martyr status won’t account for much. Harsh but true.

Where to now? Try cutting negative debt influences out of your life for one week - seven days. That’s not too much to ask is it? You won’t be sorry and the feelings of relief will make you want it to continue it. Then once you have done this you will be able to revaluate the steps you need to take to get out of debt in a different light. You will be approaching your debt problems from a place of power and not from a place of fear. Those negative lingering voices will have been significantly reduced and this will allow you to take empowering action on your debt situation.