How to Find Your Money Step One - Andi Smiles (2024)

Priorities. We all have them and sometimes we have more than one, two, or ten. I’m the type of person who loves to be engaged in a lot of different actives- that’s what makes me feel alive in the world. So I often I feel like I don’t have priorities I have equiorities- lots of things I want to focus on and give an equal amount of my time to.

While I love having a bunch of equiorities that nourish me, when those extra 30 minutes come a knockin’, I need to make a choice about where to focus my time and energy. And when there is a lot of stuff on the dock, that is challenging.

Money is no different. Actually it is different-it’s harder. There are SO many things to focus on when it comes to money that it’s overwhelming to pick a starting point. Especially if there are a lot of areas that need attention. Especially if those areas are hard to face.

A solid Step One is the hardest thing to find and the most necessary thing to do.

Why is it so necessary? Because when you accomplish a really good Step One you want to keep going. The obligation is removed from the process and you are acting from a place of achievement. And achievement can ignite a whole lot more than a Step Two- it can ignite a personal revolution.

Cool- a really good Step One is important. I still have no idea how to get there.

Fear not! Here are the steps to help you get laser focused on your Step One. And don’t forget to grab the free workbook!

Complete the Money Balance Wheel

The Money Balance Wheel is an awesome tool to help you get an overview of your money life and identify what specific parts need work. It’s broken up into 8 categories:

 Income: how much you earn, how you earn it

 Spending: how much you spend, where you spend, why you spend

 Deductions: how well you understand your deduction, how well you are maximizing them

 Organization: how you track your money, how to keep your records (physically and digitally)

 Saving: how much you have saved, how much you are actively saving

 Debt: how much you owe, your debt pay off plan, actions you are taking toward your debt

 Retirement: how prepared you are for retirement, your retirement plan, actions you are taking toward your retirement

 Owner Self-Care: how you pay and treat yourself as an owner of your company

One of these categories doesn’t quite fit into your life? Change it! Use language that works for you and feels most relevant for your life now.

Instructions:

For each area of the Money Balance Wheel, rank your happiness on a scale of 1-10. 10 is the most fulfilled and 1 is the least.

For numbers folks: Write your score for each category inside the wheel.

For visual folks: Consider the inside of the wheel a 0 and the outer edge a 10. 10 is the most fulfilled and 1 is the least. Draw a dot wherever you fall from a scale of 1-10 in each category. Now connect the dots. Your wheel might looks like a lop-sided spider. That’s a-ok!

Identify an Area that Calls to You

Review your wheel and CELEBRATE, all of the areas with the highest score. Yes, even if your highest score is a 3- celebrate it!

Take a moment to really appreciate everything you’ve done to get to that score. Reflect on what has made it possible for you to get to that score. What did you tap into to make that happen?

Now, identify three areas of that you most want to increase the scores. Hint! This does not need to be the lowest scoring areas!

For each area, visualize what a 10 would look like. Don’t get caught up in the details of making it happen, just enjoy the luxury of imagining it already happened.

Ask yourself:

 Which of these visions am I most compelled by?

 Which of these areas am I the most emotionally open to work on?

 Which of these areas fulfills my needs right now?

After answering these questions, go back to your Money Balance Wheel and look at the three areas you visualized. Which one stands out the most to you?

That’s the area to start with.

Set Specific Goals

Now that you know which area you are going to be working on, it’s time to set goals. Start by writing out your vision for a 10. This doesn’t need to be a long description, in fact, the more concise your vision, the more powerful it will be.

Here are some prompts:

In my vision for ____(area)_____, I have: _______________________, _______________________, _________________.

Everyday I _____________________________________________.

I feel _____________________________________.

Using your clear and concise vision as a guide, write down 5-7 steps you need to take to get you there. They can be as tiny as you need them to be.

What steps can you take in the next 3 months to move this vision into reality?

What is one step you can do in the next 1 month to move this vision into reality? Circle that step and write a done date next to it.

That is your Step One.

But we aren’t done yet!

Develop An Accountability System

It’s important to hold yourself accountable to your Step One. eeeeeeek! Accountability! You mean I really have to do it? Yes, I mean you really have to do your Step One.

First think about how you are going to hold yourself accountable. Will you write a To Do list and post it on your wall? Add reminders to your phone? Set deadlines in your calendar? Give yourself a reward for every step you complete?

We are all motivated by different things so be sure how you are holding yourself accountable is actually exciting to you.

Second, enlist a Step One buddy. Ideally this will be someone who is also working on their Money Step One. Be each other’s cheerleaders and check in regularly about how it’s going. After your Step One, work together to set goals for your Step Two.

If you can’t find someone who is working on a Step One, then find someone you trust to hold you accountable. The point is- find someone who is not you or your dog to hold you accountable.

Bask in the Glory of Completing Your Step One

Like, for real. When you complete your Step One allow yourself to feel really awesome. Why? Because so often we achieve something and immediately move to the next step. We don’t even give ourselves time to celebrate our accomplishment.

My challenge to you is, after you complete your Step One, don’t move into your Step Two for 24 hours. Instead, use that time to savor the feeling of accomplishment. Talk about it. Write about it. Draw about it. Mediate on it. Whatever you need to do to be fully present in feeling accomplished.

Let the accomplishment sink in and become more than a fleeting moment. Let is become a lifestyle.

Move On to Your Step Two

Easy! Refer to the steps you could take in the next 3 months and repeat the process.

Every three months go back to your Money Wheel to review your scores and re-envision your 10. If things shift, that’s okay! Keeping the process alive and moving keeps it relevant and doable.

The last step?Grab the free workbook and get STARTED!

What’s been holding you back from finding your Money Step One? How can getting started enrich your life?