#83 How Do You Shift Your Mindset That Keeps You Broke with DeShena Woodard

“You’re not the sum of your mistakes. You can overcome the obstacles in your path.” – DeShena Woodard

Overview of the Episode

How do you get to the root cause of your money issues?

I’m thrilled to have in today’s episode 83 of Meaningful Work, Meaningful Life podcast, DeShena Woodard. She is a personal finance blogger, debt freedom coach, certified life coach, speaker, and the founder of the Extravagantly Broke website. She encourages women to crush debt and pursue their passions. Her speciality is debt freedom and is passionate about teaching people that there is a better way.

In this conversation, DeShena shares how she hit a pivotal point in her life when she realized having the things she wanted led her to sacrifice her choice, opportunity, and freedom. She opens up about her own financial struggles and how it created her life’s path to becoming completely debt-free and teaching others how to do the same.

Here’s a snapshot of a few things we talked about

DeShena shares her purpose is to empower women and show them there is a different way to live a comfortable life. She believes that no matter your background or upbringing, you can experience financial freedom.
How DeShena found herself in debt as an adult and stuck in the vicious cycle of the “go big or go home” mentality in America. We discuss the pivotal point where she made the decision to change her financial life forever.
DeShena encourages everyone to focus on how we should live versus what we want with a significant mindset shift, the same mindset shift she experienced.
How we project to other people that we are more successful than we are by having bigger and better things.
The car troubles that created a massive ah-ha moment for DeShena and her family. The first step she took was shifting her mentality on debt by turning it on its side and making it positive.
The major changes DeShena made to transform her money mentality with DEBT: Decide what you want, Envision your debt-free future, Believe it, and Take action.
How DeShena set herself up to weather the pandemic without additional financial stress.
The importance of prioritizing yourself and paying yourself first.
The number one thing to do to get yourself on track, track your money.

Fire Questions and Answers

When you travel, do you select your flight by the cheapest flights or by the duration?

Cheapest.

If you had just one laptop and a hundred dollars to start making money today, what would you be doing?

Have my blog and reach other people and tell them that debt freedom is possible and offer my services as a life coach.

What is financial freedom for you?

Being able to be comfortable and secure in my finances with options and knowing I am secure during a pandemic.

What is your definition of Meaningful Work, meaningful life?

Something where my unique skill set and my unique talents and my unique experiences combine to positively impact the lives of others.

Last piece of guidance to do more meaningful work and live a meaningful life?

Being able to serve and help other people, you can find real purpose in that. Taking people from hopeless and unattainable to excited! Meaningful life is living your life your own way doing what you love.

Quotes by DeShena Woodard

Transformation starts with the mind. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’re going to keep getting what you’re getting.
People don’t talk about their finances. If you look on the outside everything looks like it is going fine, but it turns out other people are struggling too.
Just start with one change you can make, just one thing you can tackle, to give you the momentum to push forward.
Prioritize and know what you truly value. Seeing money in my bank account meant more than having a fancy car.
We don’t prioritize ourselves; we prioritize our stuff. Pay yourself first!
You have to track your money first to know where it is going.
Prioritize what means the most to you to start living a rich life.
You’re not the sum of your mistakes. You can overcome the obstacles in your path.
I wanted to stop being broke so I stopped spending.
Credit is an illusion. It lures you into this false sense of being able to afford things you cannot afford.

Action points

What is your key takeaway from this episode? What are you committed to doing today to find more meaning in your work and live a more meaningful life? Share your thoughts on my Facebook page.

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