take 1 and 2 of my script for groundwork

To assess your financial health, connect with your coach and add up your assets and subtract your liabilities. This number reflects your current financial situation and can improve as you develop better money habits. Only you and your partner will see these numbers. Bring the worksheet to your coach for more assistance. Consider potential future expenses and evaluate whether your financial standing can handle them. Building a strong financial foundation is crucial for your financial health. The first step can feel scary. Make sure you're connecting with your coach to help you through it. You're going to do a high-level assessment of where your finances are right now. You're going to add up what you own and subtract what you owe. The resulting number shows how healthy you are financially. This number will increase as you improve your money habits and it's good to reassess it every few months to see your progress. Only you and your partner, if you have one, are going to see your numbers. If you want more help, please bring this worksheet to your coach when you book your private session with them. Take your best guess off the top of your head. Start with what you owe. The technical term is liabilities. For things that are payments, like credit cards, put the whole balance, not just the payment. Now, record what you own. These are your assets. Anything over $500 is worth noting. Today's value is what you can sell this item for right now. For example, you may have bought a car for $25,000 but it isn't worth that right now. Make your best guess at what it would sell for today. Now, subtract how much you owe from how much you own. More than 7 out of 10 North Americans are drowning in debt, so there's a good chance you might be feeling some anxiety. Remember, these numbers describe your current financial health, not who you are. Wherever it is, your past financial habits got you there, but it's your future financial habits that will determine whether it gets better or worse. Come to every session, apply what you learn, and make sure you book a private session with your coach. You may feel fine about your number. It's manageable. Challenge yourself to take one more step and think about whether it's high enough to handle something unexpected. What if a food allergy is discovered and your grocery bill needs to go up? What if a major appliance dies? What if your winter jacket gets lost? And what if you had to host Christmas this year? What about car repairs or replacement? Or if you're forced to retire early? What if you're invited to stand up at your best friend's wedding in the Bahamas? And what if you decide to go back to school? Think about the future and list some things that might be coming up. You're in the right place. You're learning how to build a solid financial foundation that will increase your financial health. The first step can feel scary. Make sure you're connecting with your coach to help you through it. You're going to do a high-level assessment of where your finances are right now. You're going to add up what you own and subtract what you owe. The resulting number shows how healthy you are financially. This number will increase as you improve your money habits and it's good to reassess it every few months to see your progress. Only you and your partner, if you have one, are going to see your numbers. If you want more help, bring this worksheet to your coach when you book your private session with them. Take your best guess off the top of your head. Start with what you owe. The technical term is liabilities. For things that have payments, like credit cards, put the whole balance, not just the payment. Now, record what you own. These are your assets. Anything over $500 is worth noting. Today's value is what you could sell this item for right now. For example, you may have bought a car for $25,000 but it isn't worth that now. Make your best guess at what it would sell for today. Now, subtract how much you owe from how much you own. More than 7 out of 10 North Americans are drowning in debt, so there's a good chance that you might be feeling some anxiety. Remember, these numbers describe your current financial health, not who you are. Wherever it is your past financial habits got you there, but it's your future financial habits that will determine whether it gets better or worse. Come to every session, apply what you learn, and make sure you book a private session with your coach. You may feel fine about your number. It's manageable. Challenge yourself to take one more step and think about whether it's high enough to handle something unexpected. What if a food allergy is discovered and your grocery bill needs to go up? What if a major appliance dies? What if your winter jacket gets lost? What if you have to host Christmas this year? What about car repairs or replacement, or if you're forced to retire early? And what if you're invited to stand up at your best friend's wedding in the Bahamas? And what if you decide to go back to school? Think about the future and list some items and things that might be coming up. You're in the right place. You're learning how to build a solid financial foundation that will increase your financial health.