I want to share something with you that I don’t talk about very often… (and it’s honestly a little uncomfortable to share).

My finances.

Specifically my past financial struggles.

For years, just thinking about opening my credit card bills used to create a knot in my stomach.

I knew I had overspent and I didn’t want to see the damage I had done.

I felt a lot of shame and embarrassment. I thought to myself “How can I achieve so much – being a lawyer, running marathons, doing hard things… and I can’t get my finances under control?”

Every few months, I’d reset and do things like create a new spreadsheet or download a budgeting app.

I’d tell myself, “Okay, Lisa, this is it. We’re doing this for real this time.”

And for about a month… I was on top of it.

But then, slowly, I’d avoid it again.

Not because I didn’t care.
Not because I didn’t want things to change.

But because it felt HARD and brought up so many uncomfortable emotions.

I knew I wasn’t alone in feeling this way – but it was a pattern I couldn’t get out of for DECADES.

Here’s the part I’ve never shared before…

Things are different now.

I’m really proud that my husband and I have worked really hard to become totally debt-free.

Twice.

It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it.

Looking back now, I can see something so clearly:

❌ My finances weren’t a “willpower” problem.
❌ It’s not that I wasn’t smart enough, disciplined enough, or capable enough.

It was that I didn’t have a structure that could hold me. And I didn’t feel safe with money.

I was treating my finances like something I ignored… instead of something I could gently, consistently steward.

So instead of another resolution or app, I started creating a rhythm… a structure… a plan with achievable goals so I could feel proud of myself – not shaming myself.

The best part? I felt it in my body.

More grounded.
More safe.
More in control.

And I learned so much about how to make this shift from my friend and mentor, Kate Northrup.

Kate Northrup is hosting a free workshop called Good with Money, and she’s teaching something I wish I had understood years ago…

How to strengthen what she calls your “Hidden Money Ecosystem.”

She teaches that it’s not about pressure or perfection.

It’s about creating the internal and external systems that allow money to flow, stay, and grow… in a way that actually feels supportive.

Curious? It’s fascinating how she teaches about money in a way that’s totally unique.

👉 Register for Good With Money here.

I’ll be there too!

Sending you so much love – and zero judgment – wherever you are with money!

If you’ve ever avoided looking at your finances because of how it feels, you are so not alone. I’ve been there – more than once. And it really can get easier with the right support in place. Join in Kate Northrup’s Good With Money workshop here (it’s free!).

I’ll earn a commission for any purchases you make through my link, but know that I wouldn’t recommend Kate or her offerings if I didn’t truly believe in her work. Promise!