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If You Feel Behind Financially Going Into the New Year, This Is for You

Getting ready for the New year

If you're heading into the new year feeling behind financially, this episode is for you. Not to push you, pressure you, or pile on more stress, but to ground you.


Late December and early January bring intense financial reflection. We compare ourselves to highlight reels on social media, feel the weight of year-end assessments, and wonder why we're not "there" yet - wherever "there" is.


In this episode, we are breaking down why this feeling is so universal, why it often has nothing to do with your actual financial situation, and how to shift from urgency to alignment as you step into 2026.


This conversation is about calm, clarity, and confidence, and not about catching up.


What You'll Learn in This Episode


We are acknowledging the emotional weight of this season and normalizing the pressure so many people feel. If you're feeling behind right now, this episode isn't here to push you -it's here to ground you.


Meghan explains the psychological and practical reasons this feeling is so common:

  • The comparison gap - We compare our full financial picture to someone else's highlight reel

  • Invisible timelines - We don't see the family help, dual incomes, raises, or timing that shaped someone else's journey

  • No shared definition of progress - There's no universal benchmark for financial success

  • We were never taught how to measure it - Most people lack the framework to assess their own progress


Key Reframe: Feeling behind is often a measurement problem, not a money problem. Check out this past episode on a similar topic: Stop Comparing Your Finances: How to Beat Money Dysmorphia


Reframing What "Behind" Actually Means 

Maddie challenges the concept of being "behind":

  • Behind compared to what benchmark?

  • What if we replaced vague comparisons with personal metrics like stability and flexibility?

  • You're not behind—you're in an earlier chapter

  • Progress doesn't equal perfection


The Hidden Cost of Feeling Behind

Meghan reveals how this mindset actually backfires and creates more problems:

  • Over-restriction that leads to burnout

  • Financial avoidance (not opening bank accounts, ignoring bills)

  • Panic decisions made from stress

  • All-or-nothing goal setting that's impossible to maintain


Key Insight: Stress doesn't create momentum - clarity does.


Permission to Start Slow 

Maddie gives you permission to ease into the new year:

  • You don't need to fix everything in January

  • Calm is a strategy, not a weakness

  • Sustainable pace beats intense overhaul every time


Reframe: You don't need a perfect plan to start, you need one you can live with.


Redefining What "In Control" Looks Like 

Meghan offers a realistic definition of financial control.


Being in control MEANS:

  • Knowing what's coming in and going out

  • Having a plan for surprises

  • Making intentional decisions


Being in control DOES NOT mean:

  • Zero mistakes

  • No fun spending

  • Immediate progress everywhere


Upcoming: Stay tuned for a January workshop to help you build these exact systems for your budget.


What NOT to Do in January


Maddie offers crucial advice on preventing burnout:

  • Don't overhaul everything at once

  • Don't copy someone else's plan

  • Don't set goals without understanding your current season


Reassurance: Progress doesn't require pressure.


Key Takeaways for Going into the New Year

  • Feeling behind is usually about measurement and comparison, not your actual financial situation

  • There's no universal timeline for financial success, invisible advantages shape everyone's journey differently

  • Pressure and stress don't create progress: clarity and calm do

  • Being in control means awareness and intentionality, not perfection

  • Small, sustainable steps always beat overwhelming overhauls

  • You don't need to be ahead in 2026 - you just need to feel aligned


Resources & Next Steps


Join the Reset Your Expenses Challenge Starting December 27th - Free 5-day challenge with simple daily actions to reset your spending -  Join the challenge HERE!


Related Episodes:


Coming in January: Budget workshop to help you build awareness, direction, and consistency


Final Thought

"You don't need to be ahead in 2026. You just need to feel aligned."


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