You Are Not Broken. The System Is.

This entry is part 1 of 6 in the series Seeds of Wealth

Expose the rigged game. Remove shame. Start fresh. Let’s clear something up right out of the gate: you are not the problem. Yes, your bills might be stacked like pancakes at a Sunday diner. Yes, you might dread checking your bank account. But before the shame spiral kicks in again, take a look around. This isn’t just about you. It’s about a debt-based economy designed to keep people spending money they don’t have to buy…

A Decade of Dollars, Discipline, and Dodging Debt in the U.S. Army

This entry is part 1 of 1 in the series Military Life

I joined the United States Army at the tender age of 20, armed with youthful enthusiasm, a wife, and a baby on the way. I also joined as an E1—meaning I made about enough money to afford socks, maybe. Back then, pay for junior enlisted was even worse than it is today! Still, for all its quirks, Army life had its perks. No matter where Uncle Sam dropped us, we had guaranteed food, housing, and…

Why Is It So Hard to Pay Off Your Credit Card? (Part 2)

This entry is part 2 of 3 in the series Quicksand

Part 2: Crisis Spending — When “No” Isn’t an Option In Part 1, we talked about the “Yes Trap”—how seeing a generous available balance on your credit card can flip your inner script from “Can I afford this?” to “Why not?” It usually starts with a few small splurges: You’ve had a long week, so you treat yourself to dinner out—twice. You finally grab those concert tickets before they sell out. That coat you’ve been…

From Debt to Entrepreneurship

This entry is part 2 of 3 in the series Rebuilding

How Financial Literacy Fuels Business Success For many of us, the journey into entrepreneurship doesn’t begin with a bold vision or a polished business plan. It begins with survival. It begins in the aftermath of loss—sometimes a job, a marriage, a home, or a sense of self. It begins in the quiet moments when you realize that the life you had is gone, and something new needs to be built from the ground up. Often,…

When a Workplace Conversation Goes Sideways

This entry is part 7 of 9 in the series Workplace Success

When a Workplace Conversation Goes Sideways We all experience moments at work that leave us reeling—tense conversations, poorly delivered feedback, or a comment that just didn’t sit right. Maybe your manager was rushed. Maybe the tone felt off, or something about the message struck a nerve. Whatever the reason, it’s okay to feel unsettled. If a workplace conversation goes sideways, what you’re feeling in the aftermath—frustration, confusion, hurt—is normal. It doesn’t make you unprofessional. It…

Why Don’t We Talk About Money?

This entry is part 1 of 1 in the series CIDS (Compound Interest Death Spiral)

Talking Will Lead To A Healthier Relationship With Your Money We’ve come a long way as a society when it comes to discussing the once-undiscussable. There was a time when speaking openly about race was considered inappropriate. Talking about sex? Off-limits. Identity, orientation, mental health—each of these topics, once shrouded in stigma, have gradually made their way into the light through honest, collective conversation. But there’s one subject that continues to live in the shadows,…

Why Is It So Hard to Pay Off Your Credit Card?

This entry is part 1 of 3 in the series Quicksand

Part 1: The “Yes” Trap — How Available Balance Leads to Debt Quicksand You’re making payments. You’re trying to get ahead. But no matter how often you chip away at your credit card, it feels like you’re stuck. Why is it so hard to pay it off? Here’s the truth: credit cards are designed like quicksand. Easy to step into. Hard to climb out of. And the deeper you go, the more stuck in it…

Sideline Stress

This entry is part 4 of 7 in the series Random Thoughts for Improving Wellness

Sideline Stress: How Parents and Providers Can Team Up (Not Tense Up) Whether it’s ballet, baseball, or beginner band—when kids step into the world of extracurriculars, a whole cast of grown-ups steps in with them. There are the coaches, instructors, and daycare providers who give time, heart, and guidance to help kids learn and grow. And there are the parents—loving, passionate, and deeply invested—who want nothing but the best for their child. So, what happens…

Random Crypto Texts

This entry is part 1 of 1 in the series Avoiding Identity Theft & Scams

Ever Have a Rando Contact You and Bring Up Buying Cryptocurrency? If you’ve ever gotten a random text that says something like, “Hey, is this Alex? We met at the wine tasting,” you’re probably not just the victim of a wrong number — you’re the target of a pig butchering scam. No, it’s not some rustic culinary tradition. It’s a sinister, slow-cooked con where scammers reel you in with charm, romance, and fake investment advice…

Rebuilding from the Rubble

This entry is part 1 of 3 in the series Rebuilding

Rebuilding from the Rubble: Life After Financial Loss and Divorce There are seasons in life where everything seems to fall apart at once — where love ends, money runs out, and you’re left staring at the pieces, unsure which to pick up first. I’ve been there.  Maybe you’re there now? Here’s what I’ve learned — not from a place of theory, but from sitting in the middle of the storm: Start with breath, not a…