Fear of being judged
No matter what kind of home you own or where you live, there are bound to be some feelings of inadequacy. (See: keeping up with the Joneses.) Even if you own a multimillion-dollar home, you could still end up harboring some fear of being judged.
A recent survey commissioned by Slickdeals found that 69% of Americans were embarrassed to have people over to their home merely based on their aesthetic choices. Furthermore, half of respondents stated they had been judged over their decor choices.
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Who gets a vote?
So when random people come into your home with throwaway comments, should you really make financial decisions based on that? Ramsey’s answer to such matters is, “Who gets a vote?”
In other words: When it comes to how you live your life, who in your life, apart from you, gets a say?
A case could be made for your parents or partner, depending on the circumstances. But your roommate’s aunt? The answer in that scenario should be a big fat “no.”
“If you’re anchored in it and you really believe it, then you wouldn’t be embarrassed,” Ramsey said. “But if they’re actually right when they bring something up and you’re not that anchored in it, then that would throw you off.”
Ramsey added that there’s a reason he can commit himself to his lifestyle so clearly. He’s had the “benefit” of having gone completely and utterly broke. Back in 1988, he declared bankruptcy at age 26 when the bank called in his loans, according to his website Ramsey Solutions.
“Once you’ve gone completely broke, you really don’t care what other people think,” Ramsey said. “Affirmations are nice; I’m like anybody else, I like it. But I don’t have to have that to do anything.”
For people such as Catherine, Ramsey said, the question then becomes, “Why live this lifestyle in the first place?”
She chose to stay within her means as a way to achieve a goal. Being content with the related decisions and anchoring them in your identity should allow her (or anyone) to see beyond someone else’s opinion. Because not anyone simply gets or deserves a vote.
“If your broke friends are making fun of your financial plans, then you’re right on track,” Ramsey said.
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