The Budget Talk - Issue No. 2
Heyyyyy Rich Auntie!!!
In The Budget Talk - Issue No. 1 YRAA introduced budgeting and now it's time to talk about our "frans," Discipline and Commitment. For all intensive purposes "frans" is equivalent to friends in the YRAA blogscape. Our "frans" play a big role in our budgeting process. So let's get to it!
"Fran" Discipline is formally defined as "orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior," by Merriam-Webster. In YRAA's world it means positive habitual behavior! I can hear y'all saying, "YRAA why is this important, you doing a whole lot of talking!!"
Rich Auntieeee!! Patience Darling, Patience! Now, positive habitual behavior plays a huge role in being successful at following your budget. There are plenty of self-help articles and books on the net that give advice on how to develop positive habits. But what some of them don't tell you is that building a habit can take longer or shorter than the 21 day crap they are selling you. There are no set time frames for building a habit whether positive or negative. It all depends on you!!! If you want to develop a habit and are determined to do so it can happen in 2 weeks but if you aren't as pressed to develop one it can take years!!! Now that we've dispelled that ridiculous myth let's go over methods to build positive habitual behavior.
1. BE AWARE! Habits are the things we do without a simple thought behind them. Start paying attention to what you are doing financially that is a habit. They are ingrained in us so well that muscle memory takes over and they happen in the blink of an eye. Kind of like what happens when I open my phone or laptop and magically end up with a "Thank you for your purchase" screen at Amazon.
2. IDENTIFY YOUR TRIGGERS! Every time I see the Amazon app or in my web browser Jhené Aiko's Triggered begins to play in my head. Every habit has a trigger that initiates it. Write down your financial habits and then write their associated triggers next to them. The road to developing positive habitual behavior starts with understanding YOU. Since I'm trying to kick my Amazon addiction, I've identified the following trigger: SEEING THE APP!!!
3. MAKE A PLAN! Focus on working on one habit at a time. Micro goals help you reach macro goals. Plan out how you are going to achieve changing your current habit to yield positive habitual behavior. Make sure you put this plan in writing and if you need to put it in places around your house so that you start to put it in your long term memory bank! Since I'm on this journey with you I'll show you my flyer that I'm going to post around my house.
4. TREAT YO'SELF! Keep paying attention to that habit you are trying to change. When you are noticing the change from the original way you were doing things to the positive behavior TREATTTTTTT YO'SELFFFFF!! Reward your self in some manner as positive reinforcement! Treating myself involves bottomless mimosas so I am very much looking forward to my reward!
Now that we've talked all about our "fran" Discipline let's see what Commitment is all about really quick because I am sooooo talking your head off!! The formal definition of Commitment is "the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc." My way of defining commitment involves singing part of Beyoncé Dance For You lyrics....*clears throat....."Wanna show you how much I'm dedicated to you."
Sorry I really get into it when I start singing!! Anywho, Commitment is DEDICATION. Now how do you work on commitment? It is really easy like really easy.....BE DISCIPLINED! HA! We just went through all of the ins and outs of building positive habitual behaviors. But wait there is one more thing you need to know about working on commitment.
You have to be accountable of your actions and you also need someone who will help you be accountable. Accountability is the key to staying committed.
Whew what a lesson! "Frans" Discipline and Commitment appeared to be super deep but after breaking down the components of them they are shallower than my ex.....
Issue No. 3 of our budgeting series will cover elements of a budget. This riveting series is destined to take you somewhere Rich Auntie!
Stay fabulous. Exude Excellence. Be Blessed.