Most of us grew up believing consumer debt is normal.
Credit cards, car payments, line-of-credit balances, “buy now, pay later”—they’re simply part of adulthood, right?

It feels that way because nearly everyone around us uses them. Debt has become so common that questioning it can feel strange. Yet if you’ve ever felt the quiet pressure of owing money—even when you’re doing all the “right” things—you already know something doesn’t add up.

And that’s exactly what we talk about in Episode 723 of LIFE’S Inside Track.

Ken and I take a generous, gutsy look at the beliefs underneath consumer debt, because debt rarely begins with dollars. It begins with ideas.
Ideas most of us absorbed long before we ever touched a credit card.

Ideas like:
“Everyone lives this way.”
“It’s on sale—I’d be losing money not to buy it.”
“I work hard; I deserve this.”
“I’ll catch up later.”

They sound harmless at first. Yet over time, those thoughts quietly shape habits… and habits shape outcomes.

And the outcome, for many Canadians, is stress disguised as normalcy.

In this week’s episode, we open up about how it happened to us.
Yes—us.
We were caught in the consumer debt spiral too.

It wasn’t because we were careless.
It wasn’t because we didn’t care about our future.
It was because retail therapy, sales, and the emotional high of “new” filled a momentary gap that we didn’t yet know how to address in a healthier way.

I remember the years when buying something on sale felt like making a smart decision. I remember thinking I deserved nice things because I worked so hard for our family. And I remember the sinking feeling when the statements showed up—almost like living two different stories at once.

That’s why the Wealth Formula Expanded Journey has become so meaningful for us. When we began learning the difference between wants and needs, something shifted. And when we learned that even buying used items could still feed emotional spending, the fog lifted even more.

Debt wasn’t a math problem. It was a mindset problem.

One wrapped in pressure, habit, and cultural norms we’d never questioned.

And maybe you’ve felt that too.

The truth is, consumer debt affects far more than your bank account.
It affects your:

• sleep

• confidence

• energy

• relationships

• health

• and even the hope you hold for your future

Debt isn’t just financial.
It’s emotional.
It’s physical.
It’s relational.
And it’s quiet… until it isn’t.

In this episode, Ken shares why earning more money often increases debt—because without new beliefs and new strategies, higher income simply fuels old patterns.

That’s where the smallest-balance-first approach changed everything for us.

Not debt reduction—debt elimination.
One balance at a time.
Laser-focused.
No scattering.
No shotgun strategy.
Just simple, steady, powerful wins.

Every time we paid off one balance—no matter the size—we felt momentum.
And momentum changes your inner world long before your outer world catches up.

Research now shows Canadians who reduce financial obligations experience a 40% increase in life satisfaction.
Not because they magically have more money…
but because they regain their peace, clarity, and confidence.

And that’s what this episode is really about.

It’s not about judgment.
It’s not about guilt.
It’s not even about money, really.

It’s about the quiet relief of realizing:
You don’t have to live the way you’ve been living.
There is a simpler, kinder path forward.

The Wealth Formula Expanded Journey is eight weeks of insight, story, strategy, and encouragement.
We’re now in Week 4—halfway there—and this is the moment where people often begin feeling the shift.

You’ll come away from this episode with:

• clarity on why spending feels so urgent

• simple steps to redirect that urgency

• the strategy that finally eliminates debt

• hope, instead of pressure

• and the confidence that you’re not alone on this journey

If you’re ready to replace short-term highs with long-term freedom, this episode will steady your steps.
And if you’ve ever thought, “I wish someone had taught me this sooner,” consider this your invitation to gently start now.

Your next chapter doesn’t require perfection.
Just one wise decision.

You may even find yourself curious enough to tune into the next episode, subscribe for the full journey, or skim a few pages of The Wealth Formula for added clarity.
Or maybe you’ll simply want to chat through your money story with someone who’s walked this road before. A short clarity conversation can be a powerful spark.

Whatever step you choose, choose it with kindness toward yourself.
Debt may have felt normal… but freedom feels far better.

And we’re honoured to walk it with you.