In 2014, I packed my life into the trunk of my mom’s Subaru and moved into her basement in Minneapolis.

Walking away from my house, career, relationship, and life in Iowa was the hardest decision I've ever made, but my relationship had become toxic and knew I needed to make a change, no matter the cost.

I arrived in Minneapolis with:

→ $6,000 in my checking account

→ $40,000 in student loan debt

→ No job

→ Zero financial literacy

I also had a terrible attitude about money. I was resentful about my student loan debt, frustrated by the cost of living in the city, annoyed at how expensive health insurance was, anxious about my bills, and feeling like I was already too far behind to ever catch up.

Then one day, I stumbled upon an online interest calculator. Intrigued, I started plugging numbers into it and playing with various scenarios about my student loan debt.

I was shocked by how much money I could save in interest by putting just a little bit of extra money towards my debt. It felt empowering to me to realize that paying an extra $5 here and there could actually make a difference, so that's where I started.

Over the next 2 years, here's what I did:

• Paid off $40k student loans and $6k medical debt

• Learned to use credit cards wisely

• Built up my savings, funded retirement accounts, and started investing

• Took my first vacation as an adult

• Moved into my own apartment and bought my first piece of furniture

• Got a promotion and put the extra money towards my car

I've always been bad at math, and for a long time, I thought that also meant I couldn't be good with money. My whole life changed when I challenged that limiting belief and gave myself permission to start small.

I built up an enormous amount of self-efficacy by proving to myself that I was capable of doing something I never thought I’d be able to do, and I realized how little financial wellbeing has to do with money, spreadsheets, and formulas, and how much it has to do with feelings, emotions, and beliefs.

In the time I spent building the foundation of a debt-free and financially well life, I also started seeing changes in the way I spoke to myself, related to others, and saw the world. I moved from being a victim of my own circumstances who was resentful about my own financial situation and constantly comparing myself to others to becoming a highly empowered and resilient person with a belief in using money to help change the world for the better. 

If you had told me back then that I would be a DINKWAD (dual income, no kids, with a dog) homeowner with no student loan or credit card debt, a healthy savings account, an investment portfolio that I manage on my own, a collection of beautiful photos from hiking adventures, self-employed as a full-time coach and consultant, and well on my way to early retirement in my 30s, I never would have believed you.

But that's the power of simple systems, sustainable habits, structured organization, small steps, and actively working on your money psychology.

If you're reading this and feeling like it's too late, you don't have what it takes, or it's not going to happen for you, consider this your invitation to invest in yourself, spend 12 weeks working with me, and write the next chapter of your money story today.

Ready to get started? Send me a DM or book a free discovery call — I’m here to help.

🤍 Sonja