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If your childhood was anything like mine, you know that He-man was lit!!!
I would turn up every time He-man would wield his sword and emphatically proclaim, "I HAVE THE POWER!"
Oddly enough, whether you've experienced He-man from a rambunctious seven-year-old boy's eyes or not, this is exactly how we treat money. Think about every social media post you scroll past around payday...
Now, think about every post you scroll across 10 days after...
We have all experienced the boom and bust cycle of living paycheck to paycheck. A recent study by the National Endowment for Financial Education found that nearly 4 out of 5 households are one missed payday away from experiencing a severe financial shock.
The consequences of financial shock are not just about money. Financial stress can change the way we think - literally. Think about when you've made your worst financial decisions. They probably came at a point of an extreme high (i.e., overconfidence) or an extreme low (i.e., alligator brain). In either case, months later, you probably looked back on those decisions and thought to yourself, "I must have been out of mind."
You were!
And this is exactly how social media and marketers want to keep it. In some cases, unfortunately, you might be involved in toxic personal relationships that are conspiring to do the same. They want you to experience emotional extremes because extreme states can be manipulated and encouraged to make rationally irrational choices. Said more simply, you might find yourself having a lot of "It seemed like a good idea at the time." moments.
Are you okay with this... How much longer will you allow someone or something to rule over you?
No, really, is this your King?
It does not have to be. You can choose to reclaim your power. The best part is that you don't need a sword like He-man to do it. Your greatest power lies within you. Find your balance. Reclaim your thrown. You know what's best for you. Not me or anyone else.
You can develop the mental and emotional balance that promotes better financial decision-making, which includes but is not limited to creating and sticking to a spending plan, impulse control, and higher levels of self-esteem. To do this, though, you will need to take an assessment of your mental and emotional states when you hang out with friends and family, spend time on social media, and evaluate the rhythms of your day.
Find what is throwing you off balance and take small steps to reduce its impact on your life. Find what brings you to a balanced state and take small steps to do more. You don't need a fancy calendar to get started. Text yourself whenever you have an epiphany.
Use that information to create new boundaries and routines. You have the POWER. Your financial well-being needs you - own it!