I think in a world of “get rich quick”, particularly all over our social media feeds, it is easy to feel defeated about our debt. I just started this journey and some days I feel amazing about my progress, while other days I am Sisyphus, and the boulder rolls right back down over me.

At the end of the month, I always feel overwhelmed. I know that credit card bills are going to be due, student loans must be paid, and rent will be due. This overwhelming sense of financial constraint can be incredibly heavy.

It is so important when embarking on your debt free journey to remain patient with yourself. Progress is certainly not made in a single day. It is also important to remember this feeling and carry it with you as you dig out of the hole, to remember why you NEVER want to get back in the hole again.

It can be easy to compare yourself to others and see monumental strides in someone else’s life. At the end of the day, everyone’s journey is different. Most credit card debt in this country is rooted in this desire to “keep up with the Jones’”, so don’t let those same comparisons keep you in debt. Everyone has a different journey.

As bills are coming up this month, prioritize what is the most important to you and save where you can. Do you need that haircut this month? Do you already have food in the fridge at home? Do you need another television subscription? I hate limiting myself as much as the next person, but we all have to remember… it won’t be this way forever. I need to keep reminding myself of the progress I am making.