How I got myself out of $187,000 worth of debt
Anyone who’s been in debt would agree that it’s, to say the least, a stressful experience. At times, it can feel as though the weight of the world is bearing down on your shoulders, and nothing you can do will make a difference to your situation.
But that doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel. Sometimes the solution can be as simple as looking at the problem from a different perspective.
That’s the theory of Simone Milasas, author of the new book Getting Out of Debt Joyfully. And if anyone would know it’s her – at one point she was $187,000 in debt.
Milasas says, “You might expect me to say that it felt wonderful to be free of debt, but that wasn’t so for me. I felt strange not having debt. I was more comfortable being in debt than out of it.
“My point of view is no one needs to have a money problem. No matter your situation, you can change it.”
So how did she manage it? Well without giving too much away, Milasas attributes her success to following a few differing rules and thinking outside of the box.
1. Ask questions when a solution isn’t working – Instead of waiting for a problem to slowly correct itself over time, Milasas believes you should examine it with a fine-tooth comb. She says, “When a great idea doesn’t deliver results it can be hard to digest the rebound results. Ask yourself, what can I do to make this work differently?”
2. Be willing to depart from a linear pattern – With problems like debt issues it can be tempting to follow a defined structure, but Milasas believes this can be limiting. She says, “Structure and an ABCD approach can hinder your possibilities and opportunities to create more. There is a plethora of possibilities around us if you are willing to receive them.”
3. Don’t wait for a solution, create a solution – When you’ve got a problem it’s not going to solve itself. Milasas says you need to get onto the front foot, “Don’t sit around and wait for somebody to hand you the answer to your problem. Be open to receive other's contributions, but willing to make the change for yourself first.”
In the end of the day, Milasas believes it all comes down to commitment.
She says, “When people aren’t 100 per cent committed to their life or business, of course everything is not going to turn out like they plan. If you are only 20 per cent committed to a project, a relationship or a business, that gives you 80 per cent to justify why it’s not going to work out even before you’ve failed.”
Have you ever been in money trouble? How did you get out of it?
For more information visit Getting Out of Debt Joyfully.