Through the years, I’ve had the absolute privilege of hearing stories from hundreds of thousands of our clients who have annihilated millions of dollars of debt. It is so amazing to watch people go from being dead broke to debt-free and financially independent. I’ve watched couples and families be restored and children learn how to succeed financially from an early age. It really is so rewarding!

It’s not uncommon to hear people complain about the economy, their debt, or any number of other financial problems. And I know for a fact you have the power to change those circumstances… trust me I have seen it. But, I would be lying if I said you would never make another financial mistake even after becoming debt-free. I’d be lying if I said all of our clients had perfect finances, because that is simply not the case.

The truth is, it’s really easy to get distracted. You may start paying off debt and making wise financial choices. You start building up momentum, but the next thing you know, you are standing in a department store with your arms full of new clothes, or you are at the local home improvement store buying supplies to remodel your kitchen.

And why? Because the truth is, you have the money.

I had a conversation with one of our team members about this very thing recently. It was so profound, I just have to share it with you. Elyssa, who is the Event Coordinator for DaniJohnson.com, has been coming to First Steps To Success for 8 years, and been on our staff full-time for 3 years. She paid off $16,000 of debt in 10 months, and is now completely debt-free. She is a beautiful example of everything we teach here at DaniJohnson.com, and she’s such a joy to work with.

Well, Elyssa bought a house recently and she has had a visitor since she moved in. This visitor is a raccoon who comes in and out of her attic as he pleases. She bought a special trap to catch the raccoon, but lately he has not shown his furry face around her house. So now the trap is just sitting in her garage.

She told me, “I realized it’s really easy to let that $70 trap sit in my garage now. It’s not really a big deal, so I’m not in a rush to return it and get my money back. And it’s because I have the money.”

Elyssa has $70 sitting in her garage for the same reason you may have 3 bottles of lotion and 4 bottles of shampoo in your bathroom. Or for the same reason you have a grill you haven’t used in 3 years sitting in your backyard. Or for the same reason you have 4 different kinds of cereal, 2 different kinds of lunchmeat, and 3 half-eaten bags of different kinds of chips in your pantry. Because you have the money.

Do you understand what I’m saying? Whether you’re debt-free or you’ve just started exploring the idea of becoming debt-free, this is one decision you will have to make over and over and over again. And that is the decision to keep moving forward!

What Elyssa did was really smart: She realized, “Wow, I made a mistake. I need to fix it!” She did NOT beat herself up over it, and she didn’t just throw in the towel and say, “Well, what’s the point of trying to be financially responsible, anyway?” That would be ridiculous!

But a lot of people will realize they’ve made a mistake, but they will let that mistake push them 10 steps in the wrong direction. You just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other, taking one step at a time in the right direction.

That’s why it’s so important to surround yourself with like-minded people who are moving in the same direction you are. Surround yourself with people who will hold you accountable and spur you on to reach your goals.

I don’t know what kind of environment or community you live in, but I do know the DaniJohnson.com community is here for you! There are over 240,000 people who gather on our Facebook page to encourage one another and to hold each other accountable to their goals. If you’re not already a part of that amazing and dynamic community, I’d highly encourage you to connect today!

You can also create your own community by simply sharing The Daily Fix with your friends, family and coworkers each day. Please post this message on your own social media accounts!

If you are looking for more encouragement, tips, tricks or strategies I will still be here all week on The Dani Johnson Show at 12 pm ET/11 am CT. You can find the show on your radio and please remember you can always stream today’s show right here on our website. I can’t wait to share this time with you!

In great faith,

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