This is one of my brain dumps. It’s not organized with literary brilliance—it’s just a brain dump. But it’s important, and I think it needs to be shared now. I’ll clean it up later. Maybe.

Here we go:

When you're facing a tough economic challenge, it's natural to worry about what people will think if you have to make some big changes. That fear? It’s the classic "fear of failure." But let’s talk about it in a new way:

If you’re hot on the trail of a rabbit (otherwise known as a "goal")—feeling energized, excited, and certain it’s just a matter of time—this post probably isn’t for you. You can hang up now.

But if you want that feeling, and you’re just not there yet, keep reading. I think this will help.

When life gets tough, it’s easy to shift from chasing your dreams to simply trying to hang on. But to stay on track for the best long-term outcome, you’ve got to stop and check your primary motivator.

If your main motivator is keeping up appearances, that’s a dangerous place to be. It’s a trap that makes people overextend themselves in good times, and freeze or flounder in hard times—too scared to make necessary adjustments.

“Adjust my plan?? But isn’t that giving up on faith and tenacity??” you might wonder.

Let me clarify: The goal is in stone, but the plan is in sand. You can change your plan—and you should—when challenges arise.

In good times, you avoid the trap by staying clear on your values and practicing delayed gratification. Upgrade your lifestyle only if it supports your highest goals—not to impress anyone.

In hard times, reject the fear of what your neighbors will think if you cut back. That fear is a force of opposition trying to stop you from doing what’s best for your family.

Think about it: someone needs to take a stand for what’s right, even when it’s not popular. If you do it, you’ll give others the courage to follow. Maybe you’re the only one on your block cutting back for now—but if it means more freedom to take care of your family, then do it.

“Cut back?? Isn’t that operating from a ‘lack mentality’??” you might ask.

Let me explain—because this part is critical:

The most important factor in your ultimate success is how you feel.

If you’re overwhelmed with fear and struggling to feel abundance, one of the fastest ways to shift that is to take control of what you can control—your visible resources.

Be the master of your money.

When you choose to cut expenses before you're forced to, you prove that you are in charge—not the money. And strangely enough, that proactive step creates a real sense of abundance.

Before our income tripled in 2000, we first had to face the hard truth about our finances. We created a long-term plan, cut back spending, and tracked every penny. Our goal was to roll down our debt.

And even though our situation looked bleak, we felt rich—because we were making smart decisions with the resources we had. That shift in feeling changed everything. Opportunities came. Within a few months, we paid off all our debt except the house. What we thought would take five years happened in months.

Did you catch that? Months, not years.

You’ve probably heard the part of our story where our income tripled in three months. But before that, we got laser-focused on reducing debt. We mapped a plan. We made sacrifices. And we committed to not buy anything unnecessary until we had things under control.

The moment we took control, even before anything improved externally, we felt wealthy—and that opened the door for real change.

Yes, the opportunity that came next required us to push through serious fear. But with the Mindset Mastery Program, we learned how to navigate the "Terror Barrier" and take the leap. It changed everything. (More on that here.)

Additional tips to feel abundant right now:

• Declutter. Let go of the things you don’t use. Give them to someone who needs them. There’s something powerful in releasing stuff cheerfully—it raises your vibration.

• Cut your losses. We’ve made bad investments, and in the past, we thought persistence and faith could fix them. But no miracle came until we got humble, stopped trying to force it, and started looking for the lesson instead of the return.

If you work to learn instead of just working to earn, you'll always be compensated—just not always how you expect.

Eventually, we stopped the bleeding. We learned to let go of emotional attachments to financial decisions and became grateful the lesson didn’t cost millions. Just $150,000. 😅

Visualization is not about controlling circumstances—it’s about changing you. And when you change, your circumstances follow.

So if things look bleak, visualize the life you’ll have after the storm. Most people don’t. They get stuck thinking about the next few months, not the next ten years. Flip the script. Dream again. Picture the life you’ll rebuild.

Zoom out. Bad days, bad years, even bad decades—all come back around. That’s the law of rhythm. So create a vision for what the upswing will look like. Start believing in it. That belief accelerates its arrival.

And now—here’s a surprising tip:

Don’t avoid thinking about the worst-case scenario.

“WHAT DID LESLIE JUST SAY???”

Yep, you heard me. If trying not to think about it hasn’t worked… maybe it’s time to just go there.

Here’s why: if I say, “Don’t think about an elephant,” what’s the first thing you do? Exactly.

So if you’re afraid of losing your house, or going bankrupt, don’t suppress it—strategize. What’s your contingency plan? What would you do to rebuild? What is your real, long-term goal?

Face the fear head-on. Think it through. Then, end the exercise with a vision of your successful comeback.

Did you know that many highly successful people have lost everything—sometimes more than once? The law of polarity says that the harder the fall, the higher the potential bounce. The key is how fast you bounce back.

And that depends on how quickly you come to peace with what is.

So yes—think through the worst-case scenario. Calmly. Strategically. Then pivot:

1. Create a plan to avoid that outcome, and

2. Let yourself get excited about the success you’re building.

Your dominant emotion—fear or excitement—will influence what happens next. So if you're afraid, sit with it briefly, make a plan, and then choose hope. Choose action. Choose forward motion.

Final thoughts:

Get back to the basics. Focus on your family. They’re your constants. And if you’ve made peace with the worst-case scenario, you’ll find it easier to actually enjoy them. You’ll stop holding your breath and start holding each other.

What do you really have to lose? Even if it feels like “everything,” you still have a chance to grow stronger together. That matters most.

Put your family first, and you’ll raise your emotional and spiritual vibration—which helps you make better decisions when it’s time to get back in the game.

Prepare for emergencies.

History shows that economic downturns are often accompanied by other challenges—whether war, illness, or civil unrest. When people are already vulnerable, these added burdens can feel overwhelming. This is a time of testing, and it calls for calm minds and clear intuition. Keep some extra food and essentials on hand, just in case you're required to stay home for longer than expected. Preparation helps prevent panic. Remember: a mind full of fear cannot be full of faith. But when your heart is grounded in faith, you’ll be open to divine guidance—insight that can help you avoid or overcome life’s storms.

Take inventory of the lessons.

If you’ve made money mistakes—welcome to the club. Learn the lesson, and move forward with wisdom. Yes, we are meant to think abundantly, but that abundance doesn’t replace stewardship. God is both generous and intentional. He provides all we need to fulfill our purpose, but when we slip into entitlement—expecting that we’ll always get what we want, when we want it, no matter how careless we are—we lose alignment with His universal laws. That kind of thinking is no more mature than a teenager squandering the riches of an overly indulgent parent. God doesn’t spoil us—He grows us. If we want to enjoy abundance, we must align it with responsibility.

Practice gratitude.

You have what you need right now. Acknowledge it. Appreciate it. Express thanks for it. Even the most stubborn teenager finds favor when they show genuine gratitude—and the same applies to us. Gratitude opens doors. It shifts your perspective, and invites more light in.

“So is there, or is there not, abundance?”

There is. There is only abundance. Enough to live freely. Enough to fulfill your purpose. Enough to become all you’re meant to be.
In fact, you already have everything you need for today’s lesson. And tomorrow, you’ll have what you need for tomorrow’s. Keep learning. Keep growing. That’s how you live an abundant, meaningful life.

Yes, there will be bumps in the road—and they serve a purpose.

Stay faithful. Trust that even the detours have meaning. Miracles come by faith, but sometimes faith looks like pausing to get your footing before climbing again. When you begin to face challenges with the right mindset, you’ll notice something beautiful: joy returns. And your soul expands. That’s the reward of choosing the right path.

If joy has felt far away lately, take a deep breath and look around. Get honest about where you are—no shame, no guilt, just truth. Like a GPS, your journey forward only works if you know your starting point. If it’s been a while since you looked at your finances—your income, your spending, your goals—do it now. It might feel surprisingly good. Because doing what’s right brings peace. And peace is the first sign that you're ready for what comes next.

It’s not over. It’s a new beginning.
And it’s going to be a good one.

_________________

•   To discover how to start choosing more effectively now, read The Jackrabbit Factor (FREE!)  
•   If you want more step-by-step guidance on creating the life you really want, join me in the Mindset Mastery program.
•   If you want my help overcoming that giant obstacle right in front of you, learn more and sign up for Genius Bootcamp.