Ignoring your money doesn’t mean financial freedom, empowerment or even financial literacy. Ignoring your money ensures financial ignorance. Financial freedom means that you know where you are, you know where you want to be and you’re trying to get there. 

So, how do we stop ignoring our money so we can start to have a good relationship with our money?

1.Check your bank balance

This is scary for some people, but it’s totally necessary. You need to have an understanding of your situation. You need to do at least a cursory scan of your numbers at least once a month to know where you spend your money and to make sure that all your bills have been paid. I like to also check for fraudulent charges on my debit and credit cards during my monthly checkup.

2. Be thankful every time you check your bank account

Instead of opening your bank account and groaning, cringing or bracing for the worst, I want to look at each transaction as a way that you used your money. Then be thankful for that.

Did you eat out with friends? Wasn’t that fun!

Did you pay your electric bill? Imagine living in a country where they don’t have reliable electricity?

Be thankful!

3. Check in on your retirement accounts

Remember your 401k? When was the last time you looked at it? Do you know how much you have in your account and if you’re on the right track for retirement? If you only start to track your retirement accounts when you’re close to retirement, you will never have enough to retire. You need to start saving as early as possible to take advantage of compound interest.

Bottom line? The earlier you save the more your money grows throughout the years.

4. Give your money some love

I want you to be thankful for where you are right now. Even if that place isn’t where you want to be, be thankful. Find something to look forward to and be thankful.

5. Your attention and attitude is everything

If you honestly believe that giving your money more attention means that everything will fall apart, that’s exactly what will happen. Just remember that what you focus on is what you create. If you focus on all of the good things that you did this week to secure your financial freedom (like interview for that higher paying job or submit that freelance proposal), you don’t have the space to focus on not being successful.

You really should pay attention to your money. And while you’re paying attention, don’t forget about gratitude!

Make sure that you focus on all of the ways that you’re abundant. Don’t focus on all of your shortcomings. If you are always reminding yourself of your shortcomings, you will create more of your shortcomings. Instead, try your best to instead focus on the ways that you’re amazing!