How To Move Closer To Financial Happiness

If you aren’t quite to the point where you’d describe your financial situation as “happy”, or if you feel that your finances are creating a gap between how you live and how you want to live, where should you focus your first efforts at improving?  After 20 years of working with people on financial matters, here are my observations ranked in order of what you should do first.

Important Areas of Focus	Specific Action Step To Take
Breathing Easier	Stop spending more than you make.  Now!
Sleeping Sounder	Build up cash reserves.  Start small, if necessary.
Heart Beating More Regularly	Attack credit card debt with payoff plan.
Feeling More Optimistic	Sleep, eat well, exercise.
Smiling More	Make time with family the first priority.
Daydreaming More	Develop bucket list.
Having Better Dreams At Night	Tie plans for saving to your life-experience goals.
Feeling More Rewarded	Stop working at a job that doesn’t turn your crank and find one that does.
Feeling Like a Champion	Track saving plan and bucket-list successes.
Waking Up Excited	Be passionate and possessive with your day.
Sharing Your Happiness	Give, lead, coach, care, help, exemplify.