I felt the HEAVINESS of Debt… Until I Changed These 7 Habits That Helped Me Build Wealth

4 tips to get out of credit card debt fast and 5 steps to build Rich Girl Habits that make you feel FREE.

Here is what I did.

I was stuck in the cycle of“I’ll pay it off next month.” Or because I was throwing every single thing I had extra at the end of the month towards my credit card so when I had a surprise extra expense it ended up going on my credit card and taking me a few steps back.

I had originally paid for a big career course on my credit card thinking I would pay the 10k off quickly but boy was I wrong. I would pay some off and then it would grow. I felt embarrassed and stressed and the worst part was the feeling of being ashamed.

I would feel that way…

Every.

Single.

Month.

It felt like I was running on a treadmill that never stopped.

Maybe you’ve been there too.

You avoid opening your banking app because seeing your balance instantly ruins your mood or you talk to your friends who are doing well and you instantly feel behind.

It’s exhausting.

And honestly?

It makes your life feel lackluster and more stressful than it needs to be.

Not because being in debt is something to be ashamed of—but because it can make you feel like you’re failing at adulthood.

I know that feeling because I lived it.

I wasn’t irresponsible.

I wasn’t lazy.

I simply never learned how wealthy people actually think about money.

Everything changed when I realized something that completely shifted my life:

Getting out of debt wasn’t just about paying off a credit card. It was about becoming the kind of woman who no longer needed debt to fund her life.

That identity shift changed everything.

Here’s exactly how I did it.

A brief second for transparency: Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through them, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Part 1: How I Finally Escaped the Credit Card Debt Cycle: 4 EASY Steps

1. I got a small personal loan for 10k to pay off a majority of my balance and put the remaining little bit on a interest free transfer credit card

I used Chat GPT to look at my debt and give me the best option. This way I would have my credit card paid off in 2 years and I would have 10k in savings in one year since I wouldn’t be putting it all towards my insanely high interest rates.

If you can just transfer it to an interest free card and have it paid off by the end of the 18-month interest free transfer period while also having a nest egg then by all means do that. For me I would be spending a whole year not saving and hoping I could have it all paid down in 12 months and most likely feeling stressed as hell.

Just looking at my cards at $0 and having a nice savings felt like the BIGGEST relief and the peace of mind was worth it for me.

So my tip: Interest-free 18-month credit card transfer or personal loan or a combo.

2. I worked on my Mindset around money!(This is a big psychological reason for the spending habits that got you into debt)

Have you ever felt behind? Or not enough? Was there someone you compared yourself to maybe look wise or career wise or maybe even relationship wise?

When you were a kid was money tight or scarce? Or did you live somewhere where money and social status were one in the same?

If you resonated with any of these then don’t worry you aren’t alone! I am going to share what has helped me tremendously heal my money wounds and make better decisions.

Here is a book that will make you stopped asking,

“How do i stop overspending?”

And started asking,

“What am I trying to feel?”… Was my spending on the career advancement course because I had to or because I felt behind and not good enough where I was at? Was it because I felt like moving up and making more money would make me feel successful? Maybe even worthy?

That question changed everything. And this book, The Psychology of Money, will help you break down and understand yourself better so that you can build a healthier relationship with Money.

3. I stopped feeling behind and I started feeling GRATEFUL.

Same situation but a different more grateful perspective will change your life?

Tired of feeling behind? Write in your gratitude journal for of the accomplishments you have had and opportunities that you are grateful for.

Tired of feeling broke? Write in your gratitude journal about all of the things you are grateful for that money has helped given you.

Maybe it’s having plenty of delicious food, maybe it’s a working car or when you were able to help a loved one

Being grateful can shift your whole perspective on your life and make you more resilient. So you can either learn to love your life as you pay off your debt or you can list off all of the reasons why you hate your life and suffer through it.

It’s your choice.

Recent studies have also shown that being GRATEFUL can lessen emotionally driven spending(DeSteno et al. 2014) and it reduces the desire for money as a status symbol aka keeping up with the Joneses(Lui et. Al.,2026).

When I Started practicing gratitude I realized I was spending money trying to create a version of myself that looked successful, wealthy and important.

…instead of becoming someone who actually felt that way.

When you become grateful you stop feeling like you NEED the unimportant things.

Cute outfits.

The newest skincare.

Trips with friends that weren’t the best move but I didn’t want to seem less than.

Little purchases don’t feel dangerous until you realize they’re stealing the future you’re trying to build.

I stopped chasing the appearance of wealth.

I started chasing financial freedom instead.

Get a gratitude journal now and unlock your path to financial security through showing gratitude for what you have.

Through gratitude I have realized that I am already wealthy. That I am so blessed to have the wonderful job that I have, that I have a savings and a growing investments.

Most importantly gratitude can help you feel like you are not behind. You are right where you need to be.

4. I MADE SAVING FUN BY MAKING IT LIKE A GAME!

There is only so much you can budget and when you are paying off your debts you want to build wealth by saving and investing (I will discuss investing more in the next section under rich girl habits).

Saving is crucial because if you have no savings and your car breaks down then you’ll have to add yet another thing to your credit card. A viscous cycle. Saving can definitely feel boring and it can make you feel limited if you let it.

Here is my tip! I split up my savings!

I decided to make it fun and buy one of those 10k cash saving booklets and every Friday on my payday I got out $100(you can do less and shoot for a more comfortable number for your situation. The key is consistency anyways.)

I kept also adding the monthly savings to my savings in my account but I loved putting some of it in a booklet towards a goal(mine was for moving and building a down payment for a home hehe). Yes, 10k is not enough for a home but it’s a start and even though it is all going into a CD savings at the end of it, it made me feel like an excited kid putting money in there piggy bank.

And there is something different about tangible money over a number on a screen. It was motivating and satisfying!

Here is the exact one I got myself.

Part 2: The Rich Girl Habits That Actually Build Wealth

Getting out of debt was only half the story.

The real transformation happened when I stopped acting like someone trying to survive and started acting like someone building a wealthy future.

Rich Girl Habit #1: I Became Obsessed With My Future Self

Every purchase came with one question:

“Would the wealthy version of me thank me for this?”

Sometimes the answer was yes.

Sometimes it was absolutely not.

And if the answer is yes then you must promise yourself you won't regret it. A Rich girl mindset does not shame or punish herself. You must feel self-assured and confident in your decisions.

Rich Girl Habit #2: I Made Learning About Money My New Obsession

The women building wealth weren’t lucky.

They had information I didn’t and they were treating learning about wealth like it was their full-time job!

So I started reading books, listening to podcasts, and learning about investing, budgeting, and building income streams.

Financial literacy became my greatest investment.

Here are my favorites that changed my life!

For reading I suggest one of the most read wealth mindset books of all time.... Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill(linked below babes!).

For Podcast, Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlet gives you strategical mindset tips and advice from super successful people. And if you want the more spiritual side of wealth building I would recommend A Changed Mind by David Bayer and The Manifested Podcast by Kathleen Cameron.

Linked below is my affiliate link to shop Think and Grow Rich on Amazon!

Rich Girl Habit #3: I Romanticized Financial Discipline

I stopped believing discipline had to feel miserable and started letting magical moments of peace and gratitude reset my nervous system.

Instead, I made saving money feel luxurious and fun. I would make saving feel like a game and would treat myself when I reached my goals!

And most importantly I made every day feel a little more intentional and richer.

Morning coffee at home in my favorite mug while bathing in the sunlight pouring through my kitchen window.

Fresh flowers from the grocery store.

Picnics with friends.

Library books that I loved binging.

Cooking beautiful meals and cuddling with me boyfriend.

Turns out, some of life’s richest moments cost almost nothing.

Rich Girl Habit #4: I realized I wasn't stuck by my Nervous System WAS.

Have you ever felt your heart racing or felt uncomfortable about your finances? Well, it turns out a huge part of that was your nervous system.

The anxiety in your stomach, heart racing, flushed face, sweaty palms or tight chest.... Was all due to an imbalanced nervous system.

At some point in your life your flight or fight was triggered due to either exposure to limiting beliefs or trauma.

I bet a good deal of you grew up in a home where money felt tight or there was some circulated belief about money that jacked up your nervous system.

So now we fix it and calibrate it to wealth!

How do we do this?

I recommend EFT Tapping and meditation.

There is no shortage of recordings of EFT tapping for a wealth mindset or affirmations you can listen to while you meditate so just start the search and find what you like!

Final Thoughts

If you’re reading this while carrying credit card debt, I want you to know something.

You don’t need to become a millionaire this year.

You don’t need to have everything figured out.

You just need to stop believing that your current financial situation is your permanent identity.

The woman who builds wealth isn’t born that way.

She becomes her.

One payment.

One better decision.

One new habit at a time.

And one day you’ll look back at the credit card statement or your student loan debt that used to keep you up at night… and realize it no longer has any power over you and how unimportant it is in the grand scheme of things so just do your best to bring magic and main character energy back into your life!

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