Let’s face it, we all have different ideas of what being broke means. For most of us, having nothing left in the bank account until the next payday is usually pretty close. I’ve been broke most of my adult life but with a bunch of kids and a sled dog team, that doesn’t surprise me — or hurt my feelings anymore.
It’s hard to see celebrities on TV and think of the lives they have that we likely won’t – ever. But does it matter? Sure, there are some great rags to riches stories, but you can have as much fun and happiness being broke as not.
Being broke is more a state of mind than an actual issue and if you start to look at it that way, you can overcome any anxiety or stress you have about being broke and have fun and be happy anyway.
Look at what you have.
Are you really broke? Like living in your car or at a homeless shelter broke? If so, it’s probably going to be harder to feel better about what you have. But if you’re not, then really look around. Is your electricity on? Do you have food in the fridge? Enough gas in the car to get to work? Clothes to wear? If so, then relax and remember that a lot of people in a lot of places in the world would consider this to be a sign of wealth. Smile because you and your family are well taken care of. And if you’re struggling to put a meal on the table, then seek out help at a local church or food bank.
Do fun, cheap stuff.
There are lots of things you can do without needing any money. You can camp out with the kids in your backyard. You can have awesome sex without needing a dime (assuming you have a partner already). You can read a book from the library — or three. You can borrow movies from the library. Cook something awesome out of stuff you have in your pantry. Play board games. Get on with your life. You don’t need money to pursue your dreams. Find the steps you can take to getting towards your goal that don’t require money. Exercise. Exercise always makes you feel better — and you don’t need money to do it.
Don’t stress about bills.
I used to have horrible anxiety. As a teenager, I would wake up in the middle of the night freaking out in a cold sweat over algebra class homework I hadn’t done. As I got older, my stresses became the phone bill or electric bill I couldn’t pay. What I’ve learned through the years is that even if the phone gets turned off (and it has a couple of times) or the electric gets turned off (and it did once), you can’t let it take over your life. If you and your family are safe and secure with enough to eat, sometimes that has to be good enough. Be upfront with those to whom you owe money and let them know when you can pay a bill. Try and negotiate smaller payments. If you have kids, try to be normal about abnormal things. If the electricity is off – cook outside. It’s hard to not freak out when stuff like this happens, but trying to be cheerful through hard times can make them more bearable.
Be rich in mindset.
It’s important to understand that a lot of rich people aren’t really rich. In fact, you might think that they have money simply by how they act when in fact they might be as broke as you. People who are actually wealthy (in cash) might act stressed and frazzled, proving that being rich with cash may not be the best thing for everyone. Practice being appreciative of what you have and acting rich despite your circumstances. Be grateful for small things and not miserly in spirit. People who grouse all the time about having money, not having money or how much things cost regardless of how much money they have are boring. Period.
Stop acting like a broke person and be rich in spirit. If you truly desire wealth, then work towards that but don’t miss the little opportunities to appreciate your family at the same time. Be happy with what you have no matter what your circumstances and learn to live within your means.
Laugh more, worry less. If the electricity is off (well, then you’re probably not reading this article), then make the best of it — especially if you can’t fix it any time soon. Do what you can with what you have and be happy about it. Life is too short to grouse about money.
