My emotional relationship with money was one of avoidance. I couldn’t even open up my bank account for the panic and fear it would instill in me! I was in denial and lived from pay check to pay check, never conceiving of having savings let alone a system for automatising beyond periodic payments for some of my bills.
Before undertaking the Ultimate Money Makeover my situation consisted of paying the immediate bills, always leaving myself last or even out of the equation entirely! I lived week to week and took risks with our money in the hope that something would pay off! I couldn’t see the programs that were impacting my relationship with money and how this spilled over into my relationships with my husband and family. My life was very contracted and limited in a sense that I was blind to what is possible and also to what I was doing. I didn’t know how to be financially literate so this was really limiting not to mention exhausting as it seemed that no matter how hard I worked or how many hours I put in, there was never enough money to go around.
I have done some work around money issues before, but no course has ever had the practical component that this one has alongside the emotional components. I believe that it is the combination of working on the underlying emotional programs that drive my money consciousness, coupled with the system that Pam helps you to put in place that gave me the confidence to move past my programming.
Implementing the steps was surprisingly easy. I am calm in my approach, knowing that I will be checking in on my finances fortnightly before I get paid and have a plan for the future that is unfolding. I feel more empowered about money. I love being paid each fortnight and knowing that I am a good steward of my money. My husband and I no longer fight over money. We communicate about it calmly and brainstorm about our future and what we want to achieve.
My management of money is not perfect by any means, but I am no longer afraid to check my bank statements and I know my numbers! I check on bills and make sure that I am not paying too much for things. When I realise that I am avoiding something, I use the skills taught in the program to release and let go of the avoidance and come to a clear mindset from which to act from. It has been a total overhaul in terms of how we spend. We now consider whether we actually need a purchase and what value it will add to our lives.
I am now looking to the future with a whole new mindset and learning things I never felt were possible before.
Steph, Victoria