With this post, I am introducing the first of what I hope will be a very long line of “Steps,” each of which I think you can do in one day. As Procrastinators, we tend to get lost in thoughts of how things are just not doable. My goal is to help you break out of the cycle of non-activity, in different areas of your life.
Step of the Day: Pay Down Your Debt
We might as well start with one of the hardest topics to take on — debt. Debt is Procrastination in the form of money. It represents actions and items we have chosen to remove from the present-day view by telling ourselves and others that we now “owe.” Debts, whether they be large or small, have a way of locking our thoughts about our future into submission.
We will say —
- I can't leave this uninspiring job because I owe so much in student loans
- I can't reconnect with my grandmother because I haven't started to pay her back
- I can't begin to imagine a different course of action because I wouldn't have the funds available to support my plans
One of the most debilitating characteristics about having debt is it makes us feel we are unable to fight against it. It makes us forget we get to make choices about our money. It makes us forget how to take a closer look at how we purchase things. Very interesting. And in forgetting to do those things — would you believe it? — our debt grows and our our confidence and trust in ourselves shrinks.
So for today, start to reverse the debt cycle. I swear, this does not have to feel painful. In fact, it will probably feel like a relief, a no-brainer even. Here are some suggestions for what you may want to do as your first step:
- set up an automated payment with your credit card company or through your bank and avoid future late payment fees
- call someone to whom you owe money and discuss how you will begin to pay that debt in increments
- if you are already making payments towards a debt, increase that amount as even upping it by $10 will help you to get in a better mindset
None of us enjoy having debt. All of us would enjoy having less of it to worry about. We can become overfocused on the actual dollar amount of the debt. Although the dollar amount is real and has meaning, it is only one piece of your debt. Another major piece is how you are behaving towards having the debt and paying it off. So, do yourself a huge favor and turn your attention towards paying down your debt today.
I invite you to share your debt-defying actions here. Congratulations on making your move!
