Have you ever stopped to observe and reflect on the beliefs you have about money? How you think and feel about money is often the result of early money experiences that were formed in your childhood. And this means a lot of those beliefs were picked up from your primary influences at the time and not actually beliefs you have consciously chosen for yourself.

But this is your journey. Which means you decided what you believe about money and how you feel about your financial life.

The first step to a fresh start is to do some digging into your money baggage to find what you have been dragging along that you are now ready to get rid of.

Below are some journal prompts to help you ditch the money baggage:

• What is your earliest memory of money? Why does this memory stand out to you?
• What kind of relationship did your parent(s) or guardians have with money?
• Growing up, how was money talked about in your household? Were the conversations mostly positive or negative? Was there ever conflict present when it was discussed?
• Did you or someone you love ever have painful or shameful experience surrounding money?
• What were some of the common words that were used when talking about money throughout your childhood? What money messages can you remember hearing?
• What money lessons or advice did you receive from parents or other important influences in your life growing up?
• As a child when you received money as a gift, or earned it as allowance, etc. what did you do with it?