Celebrating financial wins (and yes you do have them) is what gives us the positive energy we need to stay engaged and reach our goals.
When I talk to my coaching clients, one thing that I consistently find is that people don’t give themselves enough credit for what they have achieved. When we focus on the things that didn’t go right, it is very difficult to move forward.
For example, I just had a new client meeting with a couple who are feeling bad about not saving what they should have for retirement and about some credit card debt. These are issues we are going to address, but they are clearly a loving couple, they have fulfilling careers, and they have a wonderful family. Yes, not everything in their finances is perfect—but they have a lot to be proud of!
It is those feelings of pride and accomplishment that will carry you forward—not shame and guilt about things you can’t change anyway because they are in the past.
That is one reason I encourage all of my clients to keep track of and to celebrate financial wins and milestones. It can be very easy to overlook what we have achieved, but taking time to celebrate it can be a game changer! It can help us realize that yes, we actually have accomplished things, and this can give us the momentum that we need for even more successes in the future.
Finding your financial wins even when you think they don’t exist
But Sandra, I don’t have any financial wins!
You may not feel like you had any financial wins in 2024, but I bet if you take a look you will see that you DO have financial accomplishments to celebrate.
- Did your net worth go up? If you are making mortgage payments and/or contributing to a retirement account, I’m betting it did. This may not seem like an “accomplishment” because it happened automatically, but it completely and totally counts! Take a look at the balances from a year ago, then compare them to now and get ready to celebrate.
FYI “net worth” just means adding up all of your assets (account balances and the value of things you own) and subtracting all of your debts. That is your net worth! (This is something I do with coaching clients.) - Did you get a raise at work or increase your income in some way? If so you are completely awesome and need to celebrate! Even if it was only a cost-of-living raise—someone is paying you more than they were a year ago and that is awesome.
- Is your total credit card debt less than it was a year ago? If the answer is no—then this is something to work on. If the answer is yes—give yourself a giant pat on the back! And if you paid off one or more credit cards? That deserves a pat on the back and a happy dance at the very least!
- Is there more money in your savings account than a year ago? If yes—you rule! If not and you used that money for an emergency or for something you had planned for, you still rule! That is what savings is for, you did the right thing, and you have the upcoming year to replenish.
- Did you track expenses and/or cut back on an area of spending? Even if you didn’t do it as consistently or as much as you wanted, partial credit counts! You got started which is huge, and you can improve on it for the upcoming year.
- Did you have any money conversations with friends or family members? Being open and honest about finances can really help everyone be on the same page, and can lead to better decisions since now everyone knows what is going on. Check out my blog post on how to have family money conversations for some tips on the best way to approach a family money conversation.
- Did you financially help or support a family member? To me, any parent who has kids at home and kept a roof over their heads this past year should count that as a win. Kids are expensive and you did great! Many of my clients also help family members with bills, or are helping someone pay for their education. This is amazing.
You need to make sure that helping others is not compromising your own financial stability—but even if you feel like that has happened, give yourself gratitude for your generosity. It is a wonderful quality! - Did you spend time in 2024 planning or saving for a big purchase? Did you save up for something, pre-plan a trip budget, look at total costs before committing to a new expense, or do any other kind of planning? If so then I am super impressed and want you to put that in the win category!
- Did you spend time in 2024 dreaming about your future? Whether it was projects you want to do, how you see your life in retirement, or any other future goal I count this as a win. You can’t start working towards something if you can’t envision it. Turning that dream into a plan is what will actually make it happen, but the dream comes first!
Celebrating without breaking the bank
When I say you should be celebrating financial wins and milestones, I mean actually do something to celebrate!
When we take time to celebrate it helps us find joy and positivity with finances, and that is one of the keys to staying engaged over the long term. No one wants to do something that is always stressful and negative, and if money make us feel that way, it makes it pretty tough to keep going. But when we bring positive energy to our finances by celebrating financial wins it can keep us engaged, and staying engaged is how we make progress.
But celebrating something does not have to be about spending a lot of money! If you have the money and it fits in your budget, go for it. But if not, there are lots of ways you can celebrate for little or nothing, but still have a moment of true pride. Check out my blog post on 22 Ways to Celebrate Milestones For Free or Cheap for some ideas of how to do that.
Financial coaching can help you have even more wins in 2025
Personal finances are not easy—but do you know what helps?
Help helps!
I work with clients at all different income levels to pay down debt, take the stress out of daily finances, learn how to make a budget that WORKS, and start building for their future. I offer a free 30-minute intro call, and affordable coaching packages. All coaching is done over video calls, and I do not sell financial products—just practical solutions that will help you change your financial future.
Why wait? Schedule a call with me today and let’s get started!
