How can I face the panic that comes from constantly thinking about my debt?

It is natural to worry when you have debts. But constantly thinking, “I owe money; what am I going to do?” will not resolve them. You can first redirect your attention to what you can do now, considering how to earn money and make repayments. This gives you a next step to take.

I experienced that pressure myself when I ran a company and a business downturn left me with some debts. At the time, my attention clung to “I am in debt,” and I became stuck there. Later, I realized that since I owed money, I needed to think about how to earn it and repay it. Worry could not replace dealing with the problem. Only after changing that thought did my state begin to change.

Looking back, those difficult days helped me bear pressure better and loosened some of my attachment to money. I once lived on toast and bread. Later, when life improved, I felt grateful simply to have a meal. This understanding came after living through the experience. The debt before you still needs to be faced, but your mind does not have to remain trapped in “How did this happen?” It can gradually turn toward “What do I do next?”

I also met a client who had a job and was making monthly repayments on credit card debt but felt life was hopeless whenever he thought of owing money. After talking, he also felt that repaying it gradually should make it possible to clear it, though the pressure remained. What needed consideration included not only how frightened he felt, but how the debt arose and how income and spending could be adjusted. These were that client’s circumstances. We cannot use a particular amount to conclude that everyone has little to worry about, nor combine my experience and his into a single story.