Our Story of 2020 and 7 Lessons You Can Learn From

Posted on December 31, 2020 by Believe and Budget

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A year in review…let me tell you my story of 2020.

Want to find your networth increase when you think you won’t be able to? You are treasure and I will tell you with these 7 things I learned from 2020. You will be able to achieve your increased networth as well!

I share this with you not to brag. I share this with you because it is our story. Our story of a really hard, really tough, and huge growing year in faith, but also hitting a milestone of our Networth.

1. Leave the past

You must leave your past to move even further forward. There is a plan that is a million times better than your plan. Draw yourself into it!

If you have been following us for awhile, you know I left my job in April 2020. I did it because God put on my heart to leave just like he did when I packed my bags and moved from Nebraska to North Caroline without a job. Well, he actually told my husband first. (I feel like this is always happening…maybe it is because he listens better than I do?) It was hard! I am a person who left behind her dream. Her dream to become a CEO of a fortune 500 company, I left a job I loved, I left my everything, including my income to grow our networth (so I thought).

2. Grow your relationship

You must have a relationship and grow with the Lord. Grow your relationship with your partner or your accountability partner. They will make you better. They will help you overcome everything.

My relationship with God did not get left behind. Most of my friends and family know, I was big into money and my relationship with God. I mean I have already been debt free when I was 26 years old, I gave a car to someone, and paid for my dream car with cash. But God said, to me I have a new path for you Kailey. He grew my faith and my relationship with Him more this year than he did when I left my job back then.

3. Put your fingerprint in the mud and dig

Dig yourself out. You put yourself into the mess. You have to dig yourself out. If you are not in a mess, swim fast away from the mess and do not get yourself in it. Here are some quick wins to help you

First, I am going to share with you our debt pay off, because maybe you are in the debt pay journey yourself and need a little bit of jam for your 2021 goals. We opened a back to basic course just for you too! Sign up here!

We financed a RV last year in March 2019 for $50,000. It is considered our “mortgage.” I would tell you my plan for the future with it, but I am not sure what it is yet. Stay tuned what we find out too. Maybe we will sell it, maybe we will keep it. I do know we want to buy a house with cash so stay tuned and see if we reach this crazy goal! As you can see from March 2019 to January 2020. We did not pay much on the RV loan, and we were making well over 6 figures. It really hit when we communicated to each other about big goals.

4. Everyone has hard years, but this year everyone had one

Life is not going to be easy. Ask anyone who has lived awhile. You always have to readjust your life, your goals, and find peace along the way. Having peace and being positive about life is not always easy. It is a task and I talk about this all the time, but this year everyone has hit a bottom or some kind of bottom together. Follow the good and keep your head up.

The pandemic hit in March of 2020 and I left my job in April of 2020.

April 2020 we received the stimulus check and we budgeted it for our benefit not the government.
May and June were months of “Lets just keep cash on hand” I am not sure what is happening.
July 2020 – “okay, the scare is over.” “Let’s automatic a bigger debt payoff”
August – December 2020 – Crushed our debt each month! Thank you automating payment.

5. Find your tools to help

Tools to your success are important. Just like losing weight or feeling good every day. You have to find your jam to help you. Losing weight maybe the right trainer or the right workout or food. Feeling good everyday maybe you pay extra for pandora without ads to rock out to or maybe you go get your hair done each month because you have to look good. You have to find your tools in your life. Refuse to lose and go.

Cheers to a huge milestone. We did not do it by ourselves.

We did it with these resources:

We did it with God on our side because in May he pointed me to this verse Proverbs 3:5-6. Self-dependent is stressful. You need to let it go, and be God Dependent. This is when we let go. Well we did not let go over night. It was June we discussed and communicated that we really need to make a difference. July when we really let go and made some moves.

6. When you believe, you reach goals you didn’t know were possible.

You need to believe in big things. Big goals that you know are not possible with just you. What are they going to be? Think…hold on…and think some more… This is a favorite part!

A reflection on more goals…

$85K – Reached in January 2020
$100K – Reached in Febuary 6 months early
$100K – Reached in retirement 2 years early of goal
Under $25K for RV – December 2020
Revaluated in August Networth goal of $100K to $150k by end of 2020 – Reached it!

6. Murphy will hit and the devil will not let you achieve without a fight

Sorry, I wish I could tell you that life is not going to come with step backs, but this is not true. Step backs are only a measure to see how strong you are. You will feel alone in the midst of it. You will feel like it is not going to end. You will feel broken. We all go through set backs. You are enough, so let me tell you our setbacks of 2020.

Set backs while reaching huge milestones…

All 3 vehicles had something happen one or multiple times!
- Transmission
- New tires on both cars
- New windshield on one car – 2X
- Oil leak
- RV basement water issue
- Reseal RV roof
Losing a loved one
Say bye to a company I enjoyed working for and had opportunity at

All these set backs that said, “We are not enough.” “We are going to fight.” “We are not going to make our goals.”

They did not stop me because of the next point…

7. Your giving and your words matter

Let me tell you with the Lord, he will surpass your goals and conquer all the fear when you give and give yourself positive affirmation. You must give grace to yourself. You must give to others hence why we always give to the Lord first. You must say positive things about you and your money.

In this entire new years resolutions, I want you to release your grace, your faith, and don’t run. You will make all your goals. Do not let those lies take you down.

Want more accomplishments from us to give you hope?

Increased our total networth by $51k on one salary!

People may say it is impossible for their year, but I am telling you. You can do it! Learn from our lessons because I am here to tell you even though you think everyone else’s life is perfect and yours is not. I am here to tell you that yours is perfect too and you can increase your networth just like we did!

Like this post if you have an unperfect life.

Like this post if you are going to make goals this year.

Pin this post if you want to give someone else motivation.

Pin this post if you want to remind yourself of motivation in the hard times.

Category: HOME, legacy, moneyTags: broken, chains, debt free community, freedom, godisgood, lessons, lifechanging, money, networth, story

Believe And Budget