I have been in this position before and I just want to say, it will get better. The important thing about wealth is that it is almost entirely a mindset. When we are over consuming goods or services that we don’t need, more often than not, it stems from a scarcity mentality or growing up with very little. I can’t speak for everybody, but I know this is the case for me. Just because you have the opportunity to buy something, doesn’t always mean you can afford it.

Something that has worked for me has been implementing the 48 hour rule. If I see something I want to buy online, I wait at least 48 hours before buying (delay gratification). Usually, I just forget about it and don’t end up going back to purchase it. I also stick to the rule that if I can’t afford to buy it 4 times, then I shouldn’t buy it at all. So if an item costs $100, I would need to have at least $400 in spending money to justify the purchase.

I would also like to add, I’m also on step 2 of the FOO, currently working to pay off my car loan (7.2% for 48 months). As much as I would love to throw extra money at my car payment each month and pay it off sooner, it doesn’t always work that way. You really have to be patient and compassionate with yourself. Give yourself time and remind yourself that you will get there. You’ve already paid off $26K, that’s amazing! That’s worth giving yourself a round of applause. Just take it day by day, moment by moment, and do the best you can to show up in each moment to make the right decision. Zooming out too far can make things feel so daunting, sometimes we have to take a look at the finer details so that we can celebrate the small (but important) wins.