Falling And Getting Back On The Right Path

This was a very interesting week. It took me back to a few months ago when I was thinking really hard about where I am and where I want to be. Sometimes, I'll realize I’m executing on all the right things, but then I make some bad decisions. That’s when I have to pick myself up, dust off and keep going.

Before I started writing about my financial fitness journey, I didn’t treat my finances like it was a priority. I always told myself I wanted to be financially successful and not live paycheck to paycheck but my actions didn’t always match up to those goals. Dipping into credit cards after running out of money in the checking account and going out to spend large amounts of money on drinks and food aren’t actions of a mindful and smart consumer.

Since I’ve started documenting my journey, I’ve been good about spending well below my means. I hold myself highly accountable for every buying decision and I beat myself up every time I feel like I’m not on the right path. This past week, I fell off that path. I stretched myself a little bit too thin and reached for that credit card. I hated having to do it and It affected me for a few hours.

I’ve been trying to practice a lot more self awareness so I took this as an opportunity to learn more about myself. A few months ago, making bad financial decisions like this would have led to other bad decisions. Pretty much, the sentiment of “If I fail at this, then I must also fail at other things”. This is a very destructive way of thinking. I had to calm myself down and talk it out. I chose to buy lunch at work everyday instead of packing it myself. I chose to spend money at the bar and buy multiple rounds of drinks instead of maybe just one round. I chose not to visit stores and find more items to flip in order to generate more revenue. I made bad choices, that affected my bank account at the end of the week, so I have to be accountable for that. Not anyone else.  I also am very privileged to have the opportunity and the ability to work, have funds to splurge on food, and have people in my life that would want to enjoy time spent together over drinks. This is not the case for many other people so I have to keep that in perspective.

I’m learning good personal finance tactics and have been growing from it. Having a setback doesn’t give me an excuse to throw a pity party and want to scrap everything, because all it was is a setback. Even having the remorse of the bad decisions is a good sign because it shows me that I should know better and that I will do better. This is a priority for me and I’ll work harder at it.

I’m dusting myself off, and I’m getting back on the path. I’ll do better next time.