You know the feeling, the ups and downs. Money comes in, you celebrate. Money goes out again and you stress, wondering if there is enough to pay the rest of the bills, like that unexpected trip to the vet or the quarterly insurance premium that seems to come due way too often.

You wonder about ways to bring in more cash. Maybe you could sell books on Amazon or find a job that pays more. Or perhaps you could start a business on the side, a Plan B as it’s often called.

Occasionally money does come in unexpectedly, but even then, it seems to flow out even faster leaving you just as broke as before.

What you may not realize is that buried in your subconscious are all the reasons for your meager bank balance.

Your subconscious stores all the negative thoughts you have ever had about finances and uses them as fuel to keep creating more lack of money. Can you turn that around? Absolutely. Here’s how.

How to Create a Healthy Bank Balance

To get your subconscious working for you instead of against you, give it the positive fuel it needs to create the healthy bank balance that will change your life forever.

A multi-millionaire mentor of mine summarized it well: “To make more we must become more,” he often said.

Unless you become more by letting go of old worn-out thoughts and adopting new, positive ones, it doesn’t matter how many plan Bs you have, your bank balance will never be healthy.

10 Steps to a Healthy Bank Account

1. Find what brings tears to your eyes.

Move past the superficial (I need to pay my bills) to what you want the money for. Things like time with family, travel, start a business, get married, buy a house are just a few examples.

Then dig even deeper and find the real gems, the underlying motivations. Enjoying a relaxed and easy life without money worries, leaving a legacy for your children, or helping your favorite charity are possibilities. The ones that brings tears to your eyes are top priorities.

List your two or three most important goals and review them first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

2. Notice intuitive cues, those gentle nudges urging you to try something new.

These may be found in blog posts, books, conversations with friends, or chats with total strangers while waiting your turn at the bank or grocery store. Or maybe you hear an uplifting TED Talk, or have one of those inspirations that hits in the middle of the night. (Write it down before you go back to sleep.)

Always act on intuitive advice and these hunches will come more often and with greater clarity.

3. Welcome gifts that show up in seemingly ugly packages.

An unexpected illness or accident or some form of rejection like getting fired, seeing someone else get a job that was perfect for you, betrayal by a friend or spouse.

Grieve appropriately then let go of the pain and negativity and look for the message in what happened. Take action and be grateful.

4. Trust the process.

Notice you always have a choice. You can stay positive and act on the intuitive advice that comes your way or you can say “NO” and ignore it.

Saying “YES” often requires more courage and faith than does hiding out in the old negative patterns that keep you stuck. Say it anyway.

Staying the positive course will lead to an abundant life that includes a healthy bank balance.

5. Don’t share. This is one time when it pays not to be generous, to play it close.

Only share your goals if you are sure the other person has your best interests (and not theirs) at heart.

Be especially cautious if they have something to gain from urging you in a particular direction.

6. Develop consistent, positive self-talk.

Create positive, present tense affirmations and repeat them often throughout the day, and especially if you feel yourself losing your resolve, getting off track, or if you are anxious or fearful in any way.

7. Ignore negative input whatever the source.

These could be any and all sources of news (online and off), television shows, movies or books that keep your interest by generating fear and anxiety. Friends, relatives and spouses that complain a lot or try to make their misery your fault can also be sources of unwanted negativity.

Be clear about what you will tolerate and if you can’t walk away (you’re having dinner with your in-laws or your boss) say affirmations to yourself or remember a time in your life when you were happy and stay there in your mind until the negativity retreats.

8. Focus on the long view. Look at the goals that mean the most to you and invest your time and money there.

Avoid impulse spending that only satisfies a need in the moment. Don’t allow yourself to be talked into spending money carelessly by family or friends.

They may have an agenda to keep you stuck.

9. Pay attention to the patterns.

As your intuition develops you will become more willing to follow the advice you receive. When that happens you will start to notice coincidences.

If you are on a roll these could be positive events like getting unexpectedly upgraded when you fly or check into a hotel. Happenings like these let you know you are in synch with your intuition.

On the other hand, maybe you notice you regularly get a bad cold or develop a migraine whenever you ignore intuitive advice, putting the needs of others ahead of your own.

Stay alert. If you pay attention you will see the patterns and can make course corrections to keep you on track.

10. Stop worrying about what others think of you.

There will be those who think you are crazy, who will judge and talk about you behind your back. So what? It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.

The only thing that matters is what you think of yourself, and as your self-respect grows so will your bank balance.

Your Powerful New Life

Imagine what it will be like to be free of money stress, to follow your passions.

How great to join friends and family for activities like travel, or to pick up the tab at an expensive restaurant.

Imagine what it will be like to make a generous contribution to your favorite cause or have time and energy to help those desperate for your advice because they are in so much pain they can’t imagine life any other way.

Start by choosing one of the ten steps and commit to take action on it every day.

Then enjoy the abundance that opens the door to a healthy bank account and a whole new way of life.