My interest in personal finance was sparked shortly after I began my first full time job after college, at an agricultural biotechnology lab. During that job I spent many, many months counting seeds by hand. One by one I counted tens of thousands of seeds. For a good while, I believed that was the best that I could do with myself. Then one day I told myself the truth and I realized that I wanted more out of life. I wanted to be able to travel, have adventures, try interesting new restaurants. I wanted to exercise those choices in a healthy and responsible way so I sought out to do just that.
I started devouring personal finance information and enjoyed the process of implementing the things I learned. I love learning about the fine details and how to make the most of the money I had. Even more exciting for me is learning about how to plan for the future. My journey has been one of excitement and allure. As I explored the online personal finance community, I realized that there are so many people in emotional despair due to their financial circumstances. It’s tragically heartbreaking for me to hear stories of people whose dreams have withered away and their hope lost in the wind because they lost control of their finances. There are so many issues and emotions wrapped up in money matters that aren’t being addressed, it’s no wonder so many people are struggling financially.
For me, financial health means the ability to make choices. It means being surrounded by opportunity and potential instead of being imprisoned by lack, negative emotions and obligations. One must be open to opportunity, forgiving of mistakes, ready to accept knowledge, and not be crippled by the fear of failure. Once I changed my mindset I was able to change my financial experience and I uncovered the power to engineer my life. As my knowledge expanded and my financial health improved, my life began to change in ways I never imagined were possible for me.
There are approximately 138 million Americans struggling financially, that staggering number equates to just over half of the population! Until that number is significantly reduced, there is much work to be done. There are so many underserved and under supported individuals in that need a partner in their walk toward better financial health. A partner that will travel the challenging journey with a spirit of forgiveness and education, not shame and judgement. We all have the potential to spend wisely, plan effectively, save more, and borrow responsibly.
With the right tools, information and support, each one of us can be financially healthy!