Getting Grounded with My Personal Budget

This past week, I had to get honest with myself. I was feeling a low-grade anxiety that I couldn’t quite name until I looked at my credit card balances. They were higher than usual, and I realized that a few unexpected expenses had added up quickly: a cracked windshield, a Botox appointment (well, this was scheduled), a medical bill for my allergies, and a cross-country trip for a friend’s wedding. None of them were irresponsible choices, but they came without much planning and it was beginning to show.

Getting Grounded with My Personal Budget

Despite having a background in business management and regularly building cash flow projections for my clients, I had put my own financial check-in on the back burner. I was leading and organizing for others but hadn’t carved out time to do the same for myself.

So, I sat down, opened up my accounts, and got grounded.

I reviewed every transaction over the last few months and created a cash flow budget that mapped out all of my fixed expenses, income, savings goals, and lifestyle spending. What I found wasn’t alarming—it was clarifying. I wasn’t wildly overspending; I was simply missing the full picture. That clarity helped me recalibrate.

Why It’s Important to Have Control of Your Finances

We often talk about financial freedom as if it’s only about having more money. But true freedom comes from understanding your finances not avoiding them. It’s being able to look at your numbers and say, “I know exactly what’s happening here, and I’m in control.”

When we don’t take the time to look, uncertainty takes over. And with uncertainty comes stress, shame, or fear—none of which serve us.

I’ve learned that feeling grounded isn’t just about journaling or hiking (although those things help). It’s also about facing what’s making you feel unstable, and choosing to take ownership of it. Money is emotional. And how we manage it is often a reflection of how well we’re caring for ourselves.

By sitting down and doing for myself what I so often do for others - mapping out income, expenses, and goals, I reconnected with a part of me that knows how to lead, how to create systems. The part of me that knows how to take action from a place of clarity, not chaos. I lead from my core values.

A Shift in Perspective

Now, I have a better understanding of where my money is going and why. I can adjust where needed, build in flexibility, and make room for the unexpected. I’m not aiming for perfection, I’m aiming for alignment.

This process wasn’t just about budgeting. It was about getting grounded in my values. Being honest about where I want to direct my energy. And ultimately, showing myself the same care and attention I offer to my clients.

If you’re feeling like your finances are running you, not the other way around, take an hour this week and look at your numbers. Not to judge—just to understand. Awareness is the first step to real peace.

Because getting grounded means facing what’s real—and building from there.