Financial wellness is one of the easier pillars of wellness to audit, simply because most people know where they are on the spectrum. Most of us aren’t confused or unsure, we might just be unhappy with our position. When you think of your finances, ask yourself some key questions; 

1. What stresses you out? – Money is one of those things…it’s usually a key stressor. If it isn’t one of yours, consider yourself lucky. If it is, ask yourself why? Why is it stressful? What do you want that you can’t have? What are you scared of? What would make you sleep better at night? Is it that you can’t pay your bills? Is it that you’re not saving for your kid’s college fund? Identify exactly what financial goal is stressing you out, so that you can address it. 

2. What do you want? – Money is a means to an end. No one wants dollars stacking up in their account for the sake of seeing the number. Everyone wants something (or many things). What are your financial goals? Quitting your job? Paying off your house? Setting up your kids for success? 

3. What feels like your biggest obstacle? – When I’m stressed about financial affairs, I usually am thinking about some sort of blockage. Some obstacle that feels so insurmountable that it scares me. What’s yours? What keeps you up at night? What makes you wonder if everything will be okay? If you could address ONE thing in your financial portfolio, what would it be? This is probably where you’ll want to start. 

So now you have your goals, your starting point, and your stressors. What now?