The Power of Getting Real with Yourself

Posted On 11 April 2024

Last updated on April 15th, 2024

Chances are that you’re reading this because you want to change something about yourself. Since this is Canoosa Finance, it’s probably the balance in your bank account that you want to increase. It could be your weight. Or maybe you want to get into (or out of!) a relationship. The whole change process starts with getting real with ourselves.

We all know the basics of life. Finances are really quite simple – spend less than you make. Weight? Eat less and exercise more. To find the special someone, date more people.

It would be awesome if it were that easy. The problem, though, usually is us. We tend to lie to ourselves, make excuses, and even throw in a little self-sabotage for good measure! Our challenge is to overcome ourselves.

Acknowledge Where You Are

The first step on the road to self-improvement is getting real with ourselves. George Carlin talked about using soft language. As a society, we try to soften words, so they don’t make us feel bad. A “used car” is now a “pre-owned automobile”. “Broke” can now be referred to as having a “negative cash flow”. I agree with George that the softer versions don’t have the same impact.

It’s natural for us to stand naked in front of the mirror and say, “Yeah, I’m a bit overweight.” (I know I have!) Truth is, I need to lose about 40 pounds. That qualifies me as fat – plain and simple! Same goes for money. If our bank account is as empty as the Grand Canyon, we need to admit that we are broke.

When we can learn to be honest with ourselves, we can then start to look at our current situation and figure out what we need to do. If we lie to ourselves and say that we don’t have a problem, we don’t have anything we can fix. This would mean that improvement is only a matter of chance. So, having another donut won’t do any damage – it’s just a couple dollars and a few hundred calories!

Determine Where You Would Like to Be

In order to plan out a journey, we need to have a starting point and a destination. We can move on to another destination after we reach our next planned destination. This is your goal or dream! What would we really like? We also need to ask ourselves why we want that. Is it for ourselves? Do we want to show off, or prove something to someone? Or do we want it just because we are told that we should want that?

The most motivating dreams are the ones that we want for ourselves. Some people want to be rich; others are happy as long as their bills are paid and they can do what the want. It really does not matter if you want to live in a mansion or a cabin or an apartment. The real question is, “What do you want?”

Start Your Journey (Do Something!)

Now that you know where you are and where you want to be, you can start your journey! The important thing is to start where you are right now. Set a goal that is achievable and go after it.

In January of this year, I realized that I was not being as active as I could be. My daily step goal was 6,000 steps per day. Why that number? There was no other reason other than that was what my phone had set for me. I was not hitting that goal most days. So, I decided that I needed to do something to change that.

Morning Walks

Part of getting real with myself was deciding to walk outdoors first thing in the morning. I get up at 5:00 am. My plan was to walk after brushing my teeth in the morning. With my boots on, I went out and walked around our backyard for about 10 minutes, or 1,000 steps. Walking in the cold, dark morning, an amazing thing happened! The fact that I was making progress towards my goal early in the day helped encourage me to achieve my daily target.

After a few days of walking at least 6,000 steps, I increased my goal to 7,500 steps. I was able to achieve that goal every day as well! 10,000 steps are considered to be “active”. I am proud to say that I am now walking 12,000 steps per day! I am not planning on raising my goal past 13,000 (12,500 is considered “very active”). There are other things I need to do besides walking.

It Takes Commitment & Consistency to Change

I am talking about walking because it is a daily goal. Transferring money into savings when you get paid is great, yet it does not happen every day. Reading can be another daily goal. For some great reading check out my Recommended Books page.

My daily step goal was not high in the beginning. It was fairly easy to achieve. Now, I am so much more active! I am not out of breath like I was in January. My blood pressure has been excellent the last couple of months. It has been good for me physically and my SweatCoin balance has grown. If I had just tried to start off walking 13,000 steps, I would have failed!!

It is better to work your way up to a bigger goal by adjusting your goal as you go. This way you have success as you go. Consistency makes a big difference. Also, setting a goal of your own makes it more meaningful.

Getting Real with Yourself

Getting real with yourself is powerful! Acknowledging that you are not where you would like to be is important. You don’t have to like where you are currently – you just have to acknowledge it.

When you set a goal that you want, it is easier to achieve. It could have to do with your health. It could have to do with your wealth. Maybe you’ve never had $1,000 in your savings account. If so, that would be a great goal! Learn to automate your money and before you know it, you’ll have it. Then, you can set your next goal.

People Only See the Results, Not the Work

We tend to only see athletes when they perform, not when they are practicing. Nobody sees me walking early in the morning. It does help me have a better day, and they can see my better attitude.

Others won’t see your bank account balance growing, although they will see you not as stressed as you were. It is an amazing feeling to have money in the bank. It allows you to overcome challenges, and it also allows you to take advantage of opportunities that come your way. This increases your financial durability, the abundance in your life, and helps empower you.

You can bring the change you want into your life. It will take consistent effort and a commitment to your goals and dreams. You can do it, and you can be unstoppable!