Fitness and finances affect us in similar ways. Each is heavily influenced by mentality rather than capability. Anyone can have excellent credit, a healthy routine, and money in the bank. Yet, so many people struggle with health and finances.
Why is it so hard to live a healthy lifestyle? Why is it so difficult to keep money in the bank and avoid gathering debt? Our mental health and mindset subconsciously affect every aspect of our lives. If we don’t have the right mindset, we often self-sabotage due to the underlying negative beliefs causing our actions.
If you constantly think you can’t be healthy or don’t deserve to have the money, you will find yourself mindlessly acting rather than being intentional. You might have deep-seated guilt from years of eating poorly or spending aimlessly. The lack of willingness to eat well or work out is more of an emotional issue than a physical inability.
I’ve learned many things on my fitness journey, but these three lessons have stood out the most.
1) Finding the Right Program is Important
If you’re anything like me, you’ve tried countless diets and various exercise programs. Each program seems exciting at first, filled with the promise to become the healthiest version of myself. Unfortunately, many programs, even those that have fast results in the beginning, eventually fail or are entirely unsustainable.
Different techniques mesh with different personalities, body types, and even gender. The common factor in these programs failing is that none of them were what I TRULY needed. I knew there had to be a program that worked for me; I just had to find the right one that fit my lifestyle and body type.
If you’ve never tried budgeting, it can feel scary and overwhelming. There’s no one-budget-fits-all strategy. Everyone has different goals, priorities, and necessities. You need to find a system that you can stick with that truly works for you, your family, and your lifestyle.
Budgets should be simple and easy to follow. As your financial coach, I want to see you succeed. So I don’t want to set you on a path where you are likely to fail. If it is overly complicated, you will probably give up. On the other hand, if your budget is made custom to you and it makes sense, there is a greater chance that you will stick to it.
2) Don’t Be Afraid to Try Something New
We are often scared to try new things in our regimens. For example, I love strength training workouts, but sometimes I avoid increasing the weight that I’m lifting. When I finally add more weight to my routine, I feel like I have conquered something new and feel proud of myself. Not only is it a confidence boost, but it also helps show my progress. It’s all about your progress, not your perfection when learning any new habit.
Even if you are already budgeting, don’t be scared to revisit your goals and tweak your numbers. You’ll never know what you can accomplish if you don’t regularly review your goals and make changes. Challenge yourself to save more and pay off bigger debts in a shorter amount of time. Pick up extra hours or even add a side hustle that brings in more income. Then, when you are determined to improve something important, keep pushing yourself to see the amazing results you can achieve.
3) Results Don’t Happen Overnight
No matter how much money we spend on weight loss programs, incredible results won’t happen right away. If you want results, you have to put in the hard work and celebrate the small wins on your journey. If you do find a “quick fix,” it probably won’t be a longtime solution. Setting the foundation of hard work with slow results can feel overwhelming at times, but you need to focus on the long term goals and how it will benefit you in the big picture.
New habits take time to build, and getting rid of old habits takes even longer. When setting your goals to pay off debt, remember it will take time to adjust to new money habits like tracking and budgeting. You might feel like you’re not progressing as quickly as you intended, but if you stay focused on how much impact your small steps create, it will all be worth it. You should prepare your budget monthly by reviewing what you’ve spent to tailor your plan accordingly. Continuously updating systems will help you develop healthy financial habits, which will lead to incredible, life-changing results.
Everything worth something is a process. Strong relationships aren’t built overnight, nor are flourishing businesses. Foundation and hard work are critical to any life venture. Don’t give up.
If you are interested in learning more about budgeting and gaining financial freedom, set up a free consultation to see how I can help you.