When the Rebate Comes, Watch Your Feelings
Any time anything unexpected happens financially, it’s a good idea to be hyperaware of your feelings. This can give you great insight into the dynmaics behind your finances.
For those of you in the US, when your tax rebate arrives, take a moment to tune into the kinesthetic experience in your body. A number of possibilities come to mind. You may:
- Feel eelated. Like a kid who just got a birthday gift and your immediate reaction will be to want to spend it.
- Feel initially elated, then sad because it isn’t enough to get all of the things you want or because you know you have to use it to pay for bare necessities.
- Have a feeling that someone cares about you.
- Be aware of a sense of resolve that you will use the rebate, or part of it at the very least, to pay off some of your obligations. You decide that this is the moment that you are going to change your habitual financial behaviors.
Whatever you are feeling is most likely to be something you have felt in the past and your habitual behaviors will follow suit. This is the perfect time to be aware of the feelings, sit with them for a while, do some deep breathing, then do something that you wouldn’t normally do. Like doing nothing with the money for a week, then making a decision as to what to do with it.
One of the keys to moving to a new financial position is to change your behaviorss. This is a great time to do this.
If you are outside of the US, imagine that you are getting a check for the equivalent of $600. How would you respond?
