Bridging the Gap: Surviving the Financial "In-Between"

I call it the "now and not yet"...

Some people call it the "in-between".

It's that season of life when you can see the light at the end of the tunnel..

But....
     It's still HELLA small.
          And you're still in the dark.

It can be so frustrating when you realize that... under current circumstances... you may not even make it to the light.

But you trust that relief IS coming...

So close... but so far.

This could be...
- Working to pay off debts, but you can only JUST pay the minimums. You know once you get one debt paid off, it will get easier, but it feels like it will be forever.
- You have a business that's growing, you see new clients on the horizon, but your current revenue just isn't QUITE enough for what you need.

The hope is now... the relief is not yet...

In almost ALL of the "in-between" situations I've seen with my clients over the years, an extra $500 - $1,000 per month would make a WORLD of difference.

And yet... if I suggest something like getting a seasonal or part-time job, the reaction is pure RESISTANCE!

Why is that???

In my experience, it's because one of the key characteristics of life in the light at the end of the tunnel ... is that life will be EASIER.

So the thought of adding another job or responsibility, or of giving up a few luxuries, feels like you're making life HARDER instead...

Hence... resistance.

But, let me give you a new perspective.

Lets say you need to cross the Grand Canyon in order to get to everything you've ever wanted... but you're absolutely terrified of heights. The thought of crossing a rope bridge to get to the other side is bone-chilling.

You could take the LONG way around, walk MILES down to the end and back up the other side... and hope that you make it. Hope that everything you want is there when you finally arrive...

OR

You could take a deep breath and take the rope bridge.

It's terrifying.

You're shaking.

You don't want to do it.

You white knuckle it the whole way...

BUT...

Then, you're across to the other side, and it's over.  And you've gotten to the prize!

MORAL OF THE STORY:
Sometimes you just need to bridge the gap!

Nothing is permanent!

Any changes you make or steps you take in the process of bridging the gap gets to be temporary!

You're not cutting expenses forever.

You're not working 2 jobs forever.

You are simply finding a solution to your present problems that will help you get to your future goals faster and more efficiently!

And BECAUSE you can trust that this is only a temporary solution... you get to give yourself permission to do what needs to be done to bridge the gap.

AND give yourself grace in the process!

Now, for the sake of philosophical integrity.

If you've been in my world for any length of time, you know that I despise the 'beans and rice' mentality that says you should have ZERO quality of life while trying to get out of debt.  If regular massages and date nights keep you sane, and you can get where you want to be financially while still doing them, then I say go for it!

The ONLY time I advocate for 'beans and rice' is if you are literally at risk for default, bankruptcy, or not being able to put food on the table unless you make some lifestyle changes.

The truth is... if you are already paying $1,000 extra every month to debt and you just want to be done faster, then you CAN make lifestyle changes - but you don't HAVE to.

Not sure how to know how much extra you have each month? Not sure whether you have extra at all? Make sure you've worked through the SIMPLE Budget Method so you can really visualize your numbers!