Can the same principle be used to get out debt and lose weight? Yes.
In the past 20 years, it has become socially acceptable to have debt. It used to be that people saved money for what they wanted and then bought it; now it is the other way around. The cost is high, and not just the interest—debt is stressful. You may be so used to having debt and using credit cards that you don’t even realize the toll it takes on your well-being. Once you are debt free, you won’t believe what a relief it is.
When I started my first job after graduating, I felt rich. In no time I had tapped into five different credit cards and a line of credit. I dreaded opening the bills, never knowing exactly how much it would be. I had no idea how stressful this was until I paid off all my credit cards and loans. To do so, I used the plan described by Jerrold Mundis in, How to Get Out of Debt, Stay Out of Debt and Live Prosperously.
It took me about two years to pay off over $10,000 dollars of debt when, according to my calculations, it should have taken nine years. This is thanks to the law of attraction. Savings start to attract money (like attracts like), just as debt attracts more debt.
All that debt drains your energy.
This makes it very difficult to attract the people and opportunities you want. If you are in way over your head, contact a credit counseling service in your community. Or contact the Debt Management Program run by the federal government. They will arrange a monthly repayment schedule with all your creditors. However, the skills and habits you develop to pay off your debt are the same ones you will need to build financial freedom so you can retire early. Don’t be discouraged. If you feel buried under debt, get the Mundis book. The more closely you stick to the plan outlined in the book, the sooner you’ll be out of debt and the easier it will be to attract what you want.
The Law of Attraction and Debt
You may have heard the spiritual principle, what you resist persists. This is a corollary of the first law of attraction, “Like Attracts Like.” The idea is that if you have positive thoughts, you’ll attract positive things. And if you have negative thoughts, you’ll attract negative things. Let’s take a look at Resistance. If you resist anything, it will persist. It may in fact even get worse because of all the negative energy you are giving it. For example, if you resist your credit card debt, you will not get out of debt and are very likely to get even deeper in credit card debt. Like attracts like, so debt attracts more debt. What are the signs that you are resisting your credit card debt?
Here are a few:
- You cringe every time you get what looks like a credit card bill in the mail and dread opening it.
- When you open the bill, you are shocked that it is higher than you realized.
- You have never sat down and added up your total debt load.
- You are consistently using your overdraft protection on your checking account.
- You may have tried a few get rich quick schemes or multilevel marketing businesses.
These are all indications that you are resisting your credit card debt. If you want your debt to go away, you must stop resisting it. Get that it is perfect that you have debt. You don’t have to like it, but it is perfect. Your debt is showing you that you have not yet learned how to manage money properly and respectfully. Or your debt is showing you that you have unmet emotional needs driving you to spend. Instead of ignoring (a form of resistance) your debt, you need to acknowledge it. Learn everything about it (e.g., how much, interest rates). Then, create a plan for handling it. Only then will you have gotten over resistance and on the road to true wealth and financial freedom.
How to overcome resistance?
Forget about relying on inspiration—that only lasts a few minutes in most cases. Although by all means, grab inspiration wherever you can find it to get started. But don’t expect it to get you across the finish line. You’ll need to conquer resistance to do that. One way to beat resistance is to tackle it head on. Get as much support as you possibly can. Line up an unbeatable team behind you and go for it. Start small, but start. The moment you start, you’ve beaten resistance that day. Every day you wake up, resistance will be ready to knock you down and claim its victory if you let it. And every day that you don’t let it, you will have won another round. The more rounds you win, the easier it gets.
What are you resisting? Tell the truth about it, get all the facts, put your support team and systems in place and get on with it.
There is another way around resistance. That is to put in place a much bigger goal that dissolves all resistance. For example, instead of a goal to get out of debt , try putting in place a goal to be financially free (i.e., to have enough money saved or income streams so that you don’t have to work). Now that is a goal worth getting excited about! Then, getting out of debt becomes a minor part of a much greater, more exciting plan. Read the related article, “Play for Financial Independence” by clicking here.
How to Lose Weight, too?
Oddly enough, this strategy works for weight loss as well. Few get excited about weight loss or dieting. It sounds restrictive, boring and like no fun at all. But, put in place a much larger goal and the weight loss part of it becomes automatic. For example, put in place a goal to run the New York Marathon, or enter a ballroom dance competition. Or simply set a goal for Ultimate Self Care. This includes things like getting a nutritionist, regular massages, manicures, and pedicures. And it also includes engaging in physical activity that you love. Now, set in place a reward for good work—a new wardrobe selected by a personal image consultant. Now that sounds like fun!
Both approaches can work—you can beat resistance by tackling it head on or you can beat it by going around it with a much bigger, more appealing goal. I prefer the latter method, of course!
Enjoy!
Talane
If you liked this tip, 100 more life coaching tips can be found in the book, Coach Yourself to Success, by Talane Miedaner.
