How to stay motivated and overcome the hopelessness caused by debts?

Good Morning, Astral souls!

@yourpsychosis.com, I want to continue to be honest —about life, about struggle, and about what it feels like to carry the weight of debt. It’s something I’ve experienced personally, and I know how quickly it can chip away at your sense of hope and motivation. What surprised me the most was how few genuine ways to stay motivated and overcome the hopelessness one experiences while getting out of the debt cycle.

During my dark period of hopelessness caused by debts, the biggest challenge I faced was the circumstances and incidents that could delay and hinder my progress on this journey. The overwhelming financial situation can suck you into a world of hopelessness, leaving you with a single, haunting thought: Will I ever be able to overcome my debts???

Now you will have to make a choice :

Your first option is the one we have all been tempted by or may have chosen out of comfort. This option is called a pity party, which starts with you crawling into your bed, crying, and accepting that you have hit rock bottom and your rock bottom has hit the marianna trench.

The second option is to know yourself well and understand that it’s okay to hate yourself for getting into a financial mess and feeling suffocated by thoughts of how big a failure you are. However, you know yourself well enough to get out of the mess you have created, because you now understand debts better than you did before, and if you can get yourselves in one, you can get yourself out of it, too.

I am now debt-free, having chosen option two. My key takeaways are: choose action over self-pity, trust in your ability to change, and use your knowledge about debt to move forward. I hope my learning experience and the 7 steps I took helps you overcome helplessness and motivate you to keep believing in a debt-free version of yourself.

1. Imagine the Positive What-ifs

I know it’s going to be hard, but if you think about it and do it, it will be easier. It can be easy. Imagine – what if I give it my all one more time and try just one more time? Before I let myself get sunk in? What if things got better? Who will I share this good news with? Will I throw a party to educate people on debt? Or write a blog about, just like G did!!

2. Forgive yourself

Make a nice cup of Tea or get a glass of water and sit down with yourself. Relax and remind yourself of the rock-solid human being you are, who has not only overcome emotional, mental, spiritual, and psychological challenges but has also made some bold decisions that were never made in the family. You have taken risks and made mistakes in the past, which have led you to become a better person. Similarly, the financial mistakes we make can make us better financial decision-makers for the years to come. So, forgive yourself for the bad decisions.

3. Have Patience and be patient with yourself

In my journey to becoming debt-free, I learned that the biggest reason for feeling hopeless when in debt is the lack of clear thinking and Patience. Debts are designed to provide us instant gratification and delayed freedom. Once you accept that you can’t pay all your debts today, and that it will take time. Be patient with yourself, as only you can change your financial situation.

Being patient with yourself will help you appreciate your perseverance. You may feel like you’re missing out, but be reassured: the delays do not matter as much as becoming your most confident self. The takeaways here are to value patience, trust the process, and focus on the enduring positive changes you are making in yourself.

4. Enjoy paying off your debt

Make paying off, checking off that one EMI, paying that one credit card minimum due, a fun activity by adding some cute rituals. Create a debt-checking journal and every time you pay off an instalment, check it off and dance to your favourite song. I used to sing to myself the “Heroes” from the “Foo Fighters” because I was, and I am, my hero, and smile.

5. Surround yourself with people with an abundant mindset

I know a negative mental block is making you question: How do I hang out and surround myself with people who are rich and financially free while I am in debt?
Well, you don’t have to find such people practically. You can listen to a money podcast, watch testimonials from people who have overcome debt, and join a community of individuals who have achieved freedom from debt stress. There, you can learn about the techniques and methods they used to become money-blessed.

6. Celebrate your little success

Every time I paid off a debt or finished paying off any remaining credit cards in full. I would go out and donate a bit of Money to someone in need and buy myself a nice cup of black coffee. Doing this reinforced my belief that I will soon be debt-free. Even in this state, I realised I am a giver and can practice compassion, which sets the tone for me to be compassionate to myself as well. This realisation enabled me to navigate those tough days more easily and prepare myself for celebrating even greater success in life, which I knew I would witness.

7. Take care of your overall well-being

Think about what you would do once your debts are paid off. I will tell you what most people do: they join a fitness class to lose the weight they’ve gained from stress and stress eating. Visit doctors for the anxiety they have developed towards Money, or worse, get into debt again to relive the same cycle. To ensure you not only overcome debt but also use this challenging period to develop a mentally and physically disciplined life. Don’t wait for your debt to be paid off to go for a walk, eat only home-cooked healthy food, and read about how to restart building your wealth once you can save.
Keeping yourself busy with all the possibilities and learnings will help you stay hopeful and optimistic, which in turn motivates faster debt repayment. A key takeaway: immersing yourself in positive actions and learnings shifts your mindset and progress.

The energy of hope is infectious. Key takeaway: If you give up now, you miss the chance for hope and positive change. Ask yourself: if you give up now, what’s the alternative?

Love

G