Personal finances can feel overwhelming. With so much emphasis on saving, becoming debt-free or simply keeping your head above water, it can be easy to avoid looking at the bigger picture.
But what do you miss out on when you keep your focus on the most pressing parts of your financial life? It could be a long-term strategy for lasting financial wellness that works for you.
If you’re looking to improve your financial life without getting lost in a spreadsheet, consider these three wellness goals that focus on your emotional relationship with money, your understanding of the big picture and your ability to choose financial options that match your goals, ethics and lifestyle.
Goal #1: Make Peace With Money
Finances are often emotionally fraught. Whether it’s battling generational poverty, dealing with debts you got into early in your adulthood or regulating your emotions when dealing with financial stress, making the math add up often requires more than just a calculator. But you can make a powerful change by re-evaluating your relationship with money — and prove to yourself that you can weather financial storms when they arise.
Build Emotional Wellness into Your Finances
Do you avoid bills? Schedule a monthly “financial date.”
Once a month, give yourself some low-pressure time to look at your finances, plan your bills and find ways to make the most of your money. Dealing with your needs is easier when you’re not under pressure, and can help you overcome anxiety about your bank account.
Feel like your choices don’t align with your goals? Test the “money stories” you tell yourself.
We inherit more than just our heirlooms and personality quirks from our families (or the people who raised us) — you may also be carrying around generations of emotional financial baggage. Write down what you learned about money as a kid, how those things influence your financial decisions today and what your ideal financial future looks like. You might notice some gaps between what you learned and what you want — and that’s a great place to start looking to change your habits.
Get anxious every time you head to the store? Incorporate mindfulness into everyday spending.
If you have a hard time making everyday purchases, you’re not alone — engaging in stressful activities, like checking an account balance or grocery shopping, can trigger emotions that make clear-headed decision making difficult. That’s when you can incorporate mindfulness techniques into your routine: Practice mindful breathing before doing a stressful financial task, write down your feelings after a big purchase or confide in a friend about a stressful financial topic. Being honest with how you feel is the first step to overcoming financial panic!
Goal #2: Grow Your Financial Literacy
You don’t need to be rich to have a healthy financial life, but understanding how money works can empower you to make better, more informed decisions (or help you avoid things that sound good on paper but don’t do much for your bottom line). A great wellness goal is simply to stay curious. This could mean:
- Understanding how your 401(k), HELOC or another core topic works every quarter to broaden your perspective.
- Learning the “anatomy” of your credit score so you can make informed choices about borrowing.
- Researching how different life stages — like your 30s or 50s — change your financial priorities.
As the old saying goes, “Knowledge is power.” The more you understand how systems like interest rates or credit utilization work, the more prepared you are to make smart decisions when it matters most.
Goal #3: Establish Clear Personal Boundaries
Maybe you’re good at managing your finances but can’t say no when a family member calls for assistance (again). Establishing boundaries is a vital step in protecting your peace of mind and your personal stability. This might involve having an honest “money talk” with a partner to ensure you’re both on the same page, or establishing a financial support plan with a loved one who is constantly in need of more cash.
This goal can also apply to people who are trying to de-influence their finances — by learning to say “no” to social pressures, you can avoid making financial decisions that don’t actually benefit you. When you choose how you manage your money based on your own values rather than someone else’s expectations, you are practicing true financial wellness.
Achieve Your Debt-Free Goals
Becoming debt-free is a common goal — 3 in 4 Americans rate it as central to financial success — but achieving a $0 balance on your credit cards is much easier said than done. However, with Accredited Debt Relief, you can get to debt-free faster and for less — much less.
See how our program can save you 40% or more per month on eligible debt payments, and discover how you can become debt-free in only 24-48 months.