Holistic Wellness Includes Financial Fitness
Hello, beautiful people on a journey to live your best life! I’m Jillian Faulks-Majuta, a mother of 6- and 8-year-old cubs, a lover of travel, food and community events. I’m also a wellness practitioner who was making strides in just about all parts of my life, except my finances.
I became a member of The Financial Gym in October 2018 after having many conversations with my cousin about needing to make some BIG money moves. I’m an avid podcast listener and have gained a bunch of knowledge, tips, and motivation to make adjustments about the way I make, save, spend and respect money so I could stop living from paycheck to paycheck.
Starting my financial fitness journey
Before joining the gym, I would cringe every time I had to pull out a card to make a purchase or pay a bill. Although I thought I was making moves with my money throughout the month, things just didn’t seem to add up.
WHAT THE HECK!?
I realized money was creating some anxiety for me in various situations. This part of my life needed more peace and balance, literally. And so, in October, I met my B.F.F., my Best. Financial. Friend., Chandra.
As I was walking into The Gym, I was so nervous about sharing all of this information with a stranger. The train ride from New Jersey to New York City was also quite interesting. I continued convincing myself that I was making the right move — getting ready to disrupt some not-so-healthy money habits and moving toward a healthier relationship with money for my entire family. I stepped onto the elevator and took a deep breath.
Meeting with Chandra for my first session was very smooth. Her energy was welcoming, elevating, and calming. I’m sure she had no idea what I was feeling before walking through those doors. I laid it all on the table during my “Financially Naked Session”.
I left feeling a bit lighter, but still with some questions. Did I really just commit to paying for help with this money? I don’t have money for that. I had no idea how helpful this was going to be.
Working toward financial wellness
Two or three weeks later, I received my training plan and it became a big part of my health plan. I remember going home that day and making changes, immediately. Over the next couple of weeks, I was automating this, canceling that, and negotiating a better rate for something else.
I was ready for our first check-in and couldn’t wait to share my progress. By my first quarterly review, I had a much better handle on where my money was going and was making progress on goals that were not even related to my finances.
Chandra’s guidance helped me release some major stress. The newsletters, and adjustments and information I received from our sessions had a positive impact on my mental health. Before I knew it, a year had passed and I was still moving through goals, left and right. I had to take a moment to honor what I’d accomplished.
Here’s a snapshot:
Increased my credit score by 40 points
Paid off $7,478 in credit card debt
I now have savings that are moving toward becoming a real emergency fund
My children and I went on a $5,000 trip to Botswana for three weeks without going into debt or tapping into my emergency fund (this had been a goal for almost three years)
The best part of this journey is my money mindset transformation. As a Yoga Instructor and Holistic Health Coach, mindset is very important and I was not happy with my funds. I have a much healthier relationship with money and budgeting. Spending is no longer anxiety-provoking.
If I fall short, I know I’ll hear from Chandra in one of the most loving, yet stern ways possible to get me back on track and motivated. I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything and my children have a much better understanding of how money works than I did at their age — shoot, better than I did even five years ago at 30. 🤣
Financial health is part of the balance
My journey has filtered into my family, friends, and colleagues, too. I have clear language and boundaries around what I can and cannot spend, especially as we worked through the holiday season. There's more harmony and balance all around.
Thank you, Chandra and The Financial Gym! I’m moving full steam ahead into the next round of goals, financially and beyond. My new focus is to increase my income in a way that allows me to world-school my children, and live a location-independent life while helping others live their most joy-FILLED lives possible. This can only happen if I continue to learn and grow in a healthy way, holistically, and this, of course, includes my finances.
In the words of my B.F.F., Chandra, “Let’s get this money in 2020!”
Need help with achieving a healthy relationship with money? A financial coach wants to help. Reach out to The Financial Gym to schedule a consultation.