Money, Cancer and Running – all connected

In May 2019, I told you my suicide attempt story. In that story, I confided my massive struggles with finances. I carried in me wave upon wave of shame about my lack of knowledge and understanding of how to live within my means, how to create and maintain a budget, how to understand my finances. In general, when it came to money I was LOST.

Financial help IS available

Fortunately I got help. I didn’t die from my suicide attempt and when I survived I had a renewed commitment to get help and to learn about money and money management. One of the resources I found was Prepare+Prosper, a local organization here in Minnesota that works with individuals and families to build brighter financial futures. 

Money Mentoring

One of the programs they offer is financial coaching through a program called Money Mentors. I got a coach who I met with every month for an hour. Along with meeting with my coach, I attended a support group monthly with others getting Money Mentor support. Being in a room with other low income people like me, people who had made a decision to get their financial life in order was profoundly healing and transformative. 

Financial Goals for Financial Wellness

My coach helped me set financial goals and decide what I most wanted to learn. Then she supported me every month for 6 months to actualize my goals. She did an incredible job of not judging me and meeting me exactly where I was. She offered all kinds of resources and insights about budgeting, assessing my income and expenses and figuring out what I wanted to do next to feel financial freedom. Best of all she cheered me on and affirmed my efforts. 

Budgeting Can Be Fun

A tool she told me about is an app called Spending Tracker. My Money Mentor coach helped me set it up, thank goodness! I am proud to say I’ve logged every expense I’ve made using this app for more than 3 years. This app has helped me create a monthly budget, stay within my budget, and to save money. In fact, for the first time in my life, I have more than $2,500 in savings. For some people, that might not seem like much, but given the bottom of the barrel I was at, this is a reassuring amount to have in the bank.  It’s the start to my Emergency Fund.

The Prosperity Game

Last week, I invited you to join me in playing The Prosperity Game with my friend and amazing facilitator Robert MacPhee. A few of you decided to join the game. The last day to join the game is TODAY, Friday, August 28th, 2020. It’s been a week, and already I am challenged to face my assumptions about abundance and value. I’ve attempted to play this game a few other times, and I don’t think I’ve ever been able to finish the game. 

I get overwhelmed with the amount of money coming in and I can’t answer the two questions we answer each time we get an email from Robert:

1. Where did the money come from?
2. What will you do with the money?

Questioning worth

Seems like those would be easy questions to answer, but when the check is $128,000 or $512,000 the feelings of “how would I ever get a check for that much money” and “I’m not worth that much” kick in and punch me in the gut and the heart. 

This go around, I’m playing through to the end. We are ALL worth lots of money. After all, money is something humans made up. We are ALL worthy of abundance. 

Reminder of worth

Typing that, I had to take a deep breath and let that reality settle in my being. I’m bolstering my courage and finding my strength and playing all the way! If you are inclined and can relate, I’d love a bit of cheering on. Please leave a comment below and remind me that you believe in me. I will give the love out too!!

No cancer and the joy of running

This week is the 10 year anniversary of my mastectomy. I’ve been cancer free, NED (No Evidence of Disease) since I had that breast cut off in August 2010. To commemorate, I’ve started running again. I’m on Week 2 of the Active Couch to 5K run program, another app on my phone. It feels really good. All the swimming and biking I’ve done this summer makes running easier to start up again. Also I’ve now been doing strengthening at least 7 minutes every day for more than 45 days. I think that helps make running easier too!

Here’s to abundance, prosperity and health for all of us!!

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