Solid piece.

This time last year (roughly)I had $400 to my name, no roof, no game plan, and no active contracts. I ended up convincing my best friend (and totally awesome life-copilot) that we should drop everything, move to a new state, get new jobs, and start over.

We went through periods where we were living on less than $40 a month for food, where one of our vehicles would only work when you push-started it and the other had a broken door held shut with a strap. I had to ration my pain medication, because I knew refills were nowhere on the horizon.

The horrible thing about debt is how you end up teaching yourself to not want things, but in a destructive way. When you’re in the wrong head space and totally broke, it can turn into a frustrating cycle where you refrain and refrain and refrain, and end up splurging when you shouldn’t on things you didn’t really want because you feel like you’re surrounded by artificial limitations.

Then you hit the point where your debt is under control, cars are fixed, some semblance of health is achieved, a better apartment is found, but you’re still in savings mode because you need to build up a buffer before you feel safe. You’re faced with the frustration of having some money, fearing any potential expense, and wishing you could buy something without it stressing you out. You get that bottle of whiskey because you need to relax and then you freak out when you need to buy new brakes because suddenly you’re not saving anything that month. People get stuck for reason.

Transitioning from that kind of space into one where you’re comfortable with what you have and what you do takes forever, and I have to applaud anyone who manages to make through. I’m just barely to the point where I feel comfortable spending (strictly budgeted) money on hobbies. I make pickles. It’s awesome. It’s a long road, but it’s worth it.

Keep at it.