Debt is something that we all have probably had a problem with from time-to-time. In my younger days, I had accumulated a good bit of debt. At that time, I felt like I would never be able to keep my head above water, but I was able to do it. I just had to stay motivated and keep my mind in a positive state. If you want to be able to eliminate debt, you have to understand that keeping a positive mindset is absolutely crucial. If you stay motivated, you’ll be able to stay on track and get through the struggles of eliminating debt. Below, I’m going to give you some ways you can stay motivated when trying to eliminate debt.
Stay Focused
It’s important that you sit down and understand why you want to rid yourself of debt. Once you have the reasons why you want to a live a debt-free existence, you should write all of these reasons down on a piece of paper and make multiple copies. Now, tape these papers to areas that you’re going to see frequently, such as your bathroom mirror. That way, every morning when you brush your teeth or brush your hair, you’ll be reminded why you want to live debt-free. I would also suggest keeping a list in your wallet/purse. That way, when you’re about to buy something, you have a little friendly reminder that may help you avoid unnecessary purchases.
Set Goals
It’s extremely important that you list out some goals that will help you stay on track. This is especially useful for those of you that have accumulated a large amount of debt. Get out your calendar and start writing down your goals on the calendar. It’s extremely important that you set realistic goals that you can stick to.
Reward Yourself
It’s important that you give yourself a little treat if you stick with your goals. Did you have a great month when it came to saving money and paying off your debt? If so, you should reward yourself. Get yourself something that you really want and will make you feel good about yourself, because you’ve been making some excellent progress. Maybe you could even go on a little mini-vacation to get away from things for a little while?
Make a Debt Reduction Chart
One of the things I like to do when it comes to any goal is to set up some sort of visual progress reminder. I love to see how much I’ve progressed towards my ultimate goal. An easy way to do this with your debt is to take a picture of the amount of debt you’re in and then next month, you can take another picture. It’s an excellent motivator when you get to see the numbers dropping right in front of your eyes.
At the end of the day, you have to remember that your situation is only temporary and you’re doing what you can to correct the problem. It can be hard at times and you may even feel hopeless, but you have to keep moving forward and eventually you’ll get there.
