Alright y’all know I love to have “real talk”, so as usual I’m just going to put it all out there. Have you ever found yourself calculating out your expenses vs. income for the month and realizing not only are you broke, but you are broke AF because you don’t have the funds to cover your basic needs? (If you don’t know what AF is google it or ask the closest pre-teen). While I am admittedly super OCD about finances and budget, on more occasions than I should I become just a little comfortable when I have a little extra to spend.
This moment of a little extra to spend came upon us about 1 month ago, and for 3 straight days we spent… I mean like spent! I would love to say it was on groceries, or household supplies, but to be super honest it was on wine, and more wine, maybe a cute outfit, probably some unnecessarily elaborate bridal shower gift, and more wine. The result… Broketober aka the month of brokeness that immediately follows frivolous spending.
So what do you when you hit Broketober? While I am not a financial expert I just play one in my job… sometimes, what I will say as a helpful tip, if you have not started an investment account outside of your 401K or other company retirement plan, do it now!! Even if it means only putting $20 a month in the fund, it will be worth it. It’s the difference in being broke AF (me) vs. dead broke (not me.) It gives some light at the end of the tunnel of knowing, I may not have money to spend on anything other than bills this month, but at least I have a nest egg that is available for my future.
So, the real question is what do you do when adulting hits you in the face? I used to panic, like major panic attacks. My entire body would be one big knot of tension, my teeth were mercilessly ground at night (according to my dentist) and breathing was just not a thing I ever did so sometimes I would have bouts of vertigo from not breathing like an adult. I still have moments where the panic wants to replace the common sense of knowing panicking will not solve any of these issues.
Instead of panic, there is faith. Instead of screaming, there is praying. Instead of struggling, there is an internal “come to Jesus” moment of what needs to change to reset my priorities. You see, we trick ourselves into reacting to every stressful, adulting moment, and once we figure out a temporary solution, we breathe a huge sigh of relief, consider that problem resolved and move on… until it happens again… and again. We resolved the problem, but we did not get to the root of the cause to permanently reset the actual situation.
So today, my fearlesslymadeyou tribe, I am resetting instead of reacting. I am speaking truth to my situation, developing a plan of action that will gradually build me out of Broketober for good, and back into that state of my life where I focused on how to live out my purpose in the right way without indulging just because something feels good. The “feel goods” are temporary, the state of being whole and led by purpose is a permanent way to reverse the situation and proactively position yourself for personal success. So how will you approach adulting? Are you going to run, hide, react, scream, panic, or are you going to face it head on like the empowered men and women that you are with purpose and a proactive spirit?
