Six financially challenged sisters learn to move beyond the insecurities that undermine our ability to build wealth

Believe it: We can all learn to shrink debt and expand investments. All it takes is a clear plan: Maximize our earnings; reduce spending; save the extra to invest. But many of us are stalled by debt built up by bad credit habits and a scarcity mentality that weakens our confidence that we can control our financial lives.

Having the right mental attitude can make a critical difference in your ability to identify and follow a financial plan and keep at it until it yields results. As a financial counselor for more than a decade, I specialize in a holistic approach to money management--I help clients examine and work through the close link between how we feel about ourselves in relation to money and how effectively we manage our financial lives. Some of us grew up poor or were raised by folks who grew up with very little and unwittingly passed on to us high levels of insecurity, self-criticism and self-doubt in all areas of our lives, and especially in finances.

If you haven't yet been able to set a sound course for growth, perhaps your mind-set could use an "abundance adjustment." These three insights are key in preparing your mind to embrace financial success:

1. Be accepting of yourself and your present circumstances. Courageously examine your prior financial actions--or inaction--knowing you can only move forward by making changes.

2. Be grateful for life's lessons. How often do you hear somebody say, "Thank God, this past-due electric bill has a 24-hour notice prior to disconnect!" Typically we don't look at such crises as blessings, but they can serve as timely wake-up calls to tighten up our game.

3. Be patient with yourself. Changing your habits from unconscious consumption to conscious wealth-building takes time. Measure your progress from month to month, and don't forget to give yourself mental and spiritual reinforcement. (See page 166 for "Five Affirmative Actions for Greater Personal Prosperity.")

As the following situations show (based on actual clients whose names and identifying details have been changed), these are the first steps toward financial security and peace of mind.

LIVING BELOW YOUR MEANS