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Worried About Bills, Investments and Work?

10 Ways to Make the Most of Your Money and Your Life

These events could include, for example, a major illness, a parent being laid off, volunteer work you did, etc. You need not have a long laundry list of major events – the two or three most important and formative occurrences will do.

Having taken the time to reflect upon your background and how it colors how you relate to money, take the next step and spend some time consciously reflecting on your current feelings and attitudes toward money. Can you identify with any of the following?

1. Are you stressed about money?
2. Are you frequently juggling bills and trying to figure out whom to pay next?
3. Do you watch your investments daily or not look at your investment statements out of fear?
4. Are you looking for a hot investment tip that could multiply your money quickly?
5. What financial secrets are you keeping from your spouse (and others)? What would cause you feelings of humiliation and embarrassment?

Remember that there are no right or wrong answers to these questions. In working with clients, I've found that simply taking the time to think about and reflect upon one's history with money provides invaluable insights that enable people to cultivate better financial habits. Quite often, people who go through this process say things like, "I never took the time to consider why I do what I do with money or even what I'm doing." Don't beat yourself up if you can't handle developing thoughtful responses all in one sitting. Some people find these questions bring up strong memories and emotions, so you may need two or three sessions to complete this task.