If you want to stop feeling ashamed around money, read this

So, we are back for another epic #WCW. I have to be honest with you. I barely know where to begin with this week’s profile. I’m so blown away by Carla. I feel I can hardly do her justice, but I’m going to give it my best shot, because if anyone deserves some props, it is this woman. 

Carla is originally from Kokomo, Indiana. She attended graduate school in the DC area. After graduation, she started her career at the FBI and then worked on Capitol Hill.  When she moved to Charlotte, NC in 2005 she began working in financial services. She continues in financial services today, but plans to follow her heart, and one day soon, advocate for children and mental health full time. Carla has a story to tell. She has even done a TEDx Talk to share her experiences, educate and inspire others to become “trauma informed.”

“Bernadette was the first person I spoke with who discussed the shame of having debt while making “good money.”  She really helped me with processing that shame and realizing that I was holding on to an emotion that really wasn’t shame for me, it was more about the emotional baggage I had connected to the debt.”

I highly encourage you to take a few minutes and listen to Carla’s TEDx Talk. As you hear her story and learn of the obstacles she faced, it will give you an even greater appreciation for the financial journey she is on also. As with many of our other #WCW features, Carla had a lot of baggage surrounding her financial situation. “Bernadette was the first person I spoke with who discussed the shame of having debt while making “good money.”  She really helped me with processing that shame and realizing that I was holding on to an emotion that really wasn’t shame for me, it was more about the emotional baggage I had connected to the debt.” Carla’s debt was connected to major trauma in her life, which made finding her financial footing even more of a challenge—one filled with emotion.

Despite all the roadblocks she faced, when it came to taking control of her life and her finances, Carla decided that the time was now and she did not mess around. She is on track to have $120K of debt paid off by early next year! “Seeing financial freedom in my future has allowed me to dream bigger. Recognizing that I have something of value to share with people has been a HUGE bonus for me! I got all of this from working with Bernadette.”

Carla is not just embracing one or two of the Bernadette’s CRUSH pillars, she is tackling them all to create her absolute best life. From budgeting to making her side hustle passion into her full-time gig, Carla has it going on! She also realizes the value of spending unapologetically and making sure that she budgets for “me time” and things that make her happy with the same diligence she does her bank account. “I spend money to revive myself and my family. I used to make excuses for why I spent so much money on Amazon. Now I budget for it and I can afford it.”

The journey for Carla is just beginning. “Working with Bernadette enabled me to start thinking more about early retirement to really digging into my heart work, which involves speaking engagements, workshops, moderating discussions about being trauma informed and trauma resiliency. I am doing my part to stomp out the stigma of mental health.” That is really big, important work! Carla also has a new book coming out on the subject of mental health and trauma, co-authored by her son, JC. You can pre-order a copy at https://carlaacarlisle.com/product/my-big-notebook-presale/. 

“Working with Bernadette enabled me to start thinking more about early retirement to really digging into my heart work, which involves speaking engagements, workshops, moderating discussions about being trauma informed and trauma resiliency. I am doing my part to stomp out the stigma of mental health."

There are so many women out there doing so many amazing things. Gaining financial freedom is just one piece of the puzzle. Bernadette, in combination with the amazing groups of women she brings together, help to make the puzzle more manageable, and dare I say, at times, fun!

If you would like to join in the action, go to https://www.crushyourmoneygoals.com for more information or to sign up for one of her many offerings.