Practical things you can do in the moment to feel better
Navigating financial difficulties can be an overwhelming experience that can leave you feeling hopeless and unsure of what the future holds. It's important to recognise that these feelings won’t last forever, and there are steps you can take to regain financial stability. The strategies outlined on this page are designed to help you manage your emotions, develop a plan of action, and take practical steps towards a brighter financial future. Remember, you are not alone, and there is always hope for a better tomorrow.
We’ve separated suggestions for how you can manage your feelings from a number of strategies to take back control of your finances directly.
Tips to help you manage stress
Stress can impact our energy levels and ability to do everyday tasks, so it’s important to find ways to manage our stress levels. Besides relaxation and mindfulness techniques that can help you calm your mind, there are some other strategies you can try:
- Try and limit negative thinking
It's easy to be self-critical and judge ourselves for the situation we're in, but sometimes things happen outside of our control, we have bad luck or unexpected things pop up. If this is the case for you, try not to add self-criticism and judgement to the stress you're already feeling. Try reframing your negative thinking and focusing on the positive. So, instead of thinking about yourself as a failure when you make a mistake, you can focus on what you’ve learned from it and how you can use it to do better in the future.
- Make time for thing you enjoy
- Reach out to people you trust
- Create a worry time
“I love doing exercise because you're working yourself up and you're just letting it all go.”
Managing finances
It can seem hard to get back on track with your finances when you’re struggling with money and feeling worried about your financial situation. Here are some tips that can help you improve your financial wellbeing:
- Contact ATO on your bank
You can contact the Australian Taxation Office or your local bank and request to speak with financial counsellors free of charge. Financial counsellors work with people in financial crisis all the time and understand what you’re going through. They can give you advice about your financial situation.
- Create a budget
- Cut down on your expenses
- Prioritise debt repayment
- Speak to a debt counsellor
- Try to negotiate debt repayment terms
- Consider debt consolidation
- Find ways to earn additional income
- Look into support options from NGO and the government
