How Debt Should Not Stunt Personal Growth

If there is anything that the recent recession taught us, it is the fact that money is not the main marker for happiness, even though it does have a hand in helping us grow.

It is true that personal growth is quite important for anyone who wants to enjoy life. You all heard it before, how money does not make the world go round. True happiness is more reliant on acquiring memories with those that you love, achieving personal goals and having the liberty of living based on the values that you hold dear. However, it is also a fact that keeping oneself unattached to money, although it is a remarkable characteristic, it is sadly a trait that not everyone possesses.

In light of recent events, we have seen that even the most successful person can crumble once you remove money from the picture. Based on an article published by The New York Times last November of 2012, study shows that suicide rates usually spike during an economic crisis.

That emotional and mental desperation was brought about by one word: debt. As people lost the means to support the lifestyle that they grew accustomed to, some of them lost the will to survive as well. Faced with the idea of failure and the mounting debts that they are now unable to pay for, people opted to stop living instead of facing what they thought, made them a complete failure.

The thing is, while debt may be a real problem, it does not stop you from achieving what you want out of life. The suicide rate may be higher but you cannot ignore the millions of Americans who are still alive and battling their way out of debt. All your credit obligations may stunt your personal growth but it definitely has no power to stop it. In fact, you should not allow it to stunt your growth at all!

All it takes is a different perspective in life and severing our deep attachment to material things and the money that is needed to get them. Your growth as an individual is only made stronger as you learn how to harness your finances to strengthen your efforts in self growth. You just have to be careful not to measure your ability to grow based on the money that you make. It has to be something that is fueled within you. That way, you know that you can still grow despite the lack of money.

As you realize that your finances is only a support system to your personal growth, you will begin to view your debts a lot differently. It should not hinder your growth in any way. Your debts may be the foremost problem for you right now but you can view that as a challenge that will propel your growth to further heights.

Bottom line is, personal growth and your finances should not be pursued at the expense of each other. You need to find balance between them so you can make the most out of your life. Find a job that you love to do and is enough to cover for your basic expenses. Pay off your debts slowly but surely - if that is what you are capable of doing. There is happiness that cannot be explained after paying off debt and when done correctly, you can be assured of a personal growth boost as you conquer this financial crisis.