Taking an attitude inventory to get your finances on track

Julie Murphy • July 20, 2011

The last few weeks I’ve been talking with people are who unhappy and feeling stuck in their lives. It’s time for them to take an attitude inventory. I thought this would be a great time to revisit a post about this from earlier this year.

When was the last time you did an attitude inventory? You need to know where you are right now to get to where you want to go. Taking stock of where your head is at is a necessity if you want to be on the path to financial fitness.

And your financial health depends on more than just your accumulation of wealth; your attitude about your finances and yourself need to be taken into account when considering your current state. So taking an attitude inventory is a good way to assess all of the above. Here are a few statements you can ask yourself to get the ball rolling.

The main reason why I work is so I can buy (or have) the things I want.

So what’s your reason for working really? The answer to this question is eye opening. Now, I’m not faulting you for liking nice things. But if those “things” are all you’ve got to look forward to, it may be time to do some re-evaluating.

If I just had enough money, I would be happy.

It’s pretty easy for us to equate money with happiness since that’s what we see every day. American culture encourages us to place money at the center of everything. So we work very hard to make as much of it as we can only to realize that it doesn’t bring us happiness. If you truly believe that more money would equal more happiness, take a deeper look at your attitude
inventory.

I make poor financial decisions – small and large – that I later regret.

We’re human, which means we’re not perfect. We all have moments when, in retrospect, we would have made a different decision. How often do these moments happen for you after you go on a spending spree? Or after you purchase a house or car? If the answer is often, it’s time to make some changes. Start with the inside, and figure out why you spend irrationally or erratically in the first place.

I feel happy and satisfied with my life .

It really all comes down to this. Life is peaks and valleys; even during a peak, not many people can say that everything in their life is exactly the way they want it to be. But many are still satisfied because they have created the exact life they wanted. If you aren’t happy, this attitude inventory is a step in the right direction. And remember to be honest. Judging where you’re at won’t help you get to where you want to go. Take this exercise as a way to get to know yourself better and connect with the “you” you’ve been ignoring.

Sign up for my weekly words of wisdom (in the top right-hand corner of
your screen) for encouraging thoughts each Tuesday. And be sure to check out my book, The Emotion Behind Money, for guidance and healing. You can take control of your finances.

Tags:
Chicago financial planner, Chicago finance, emotion behind the money, finance,
money, Chicago personal finance, Julie Murphy, attitude inventory

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