10/09/2025
For years, my student debt felt like a monster living in the back of my mind. It was a source of shame and fear that left me feeling completely powerless, like a side character in my own life.
I was a victim of my circumstances.
One of the most important lessons I learned, and a core idea in my book "The 'I Can't Pay' Handbook," is that the first step to taking control isn't about numbers or spreadsheets. It's about a mindset shift. It's the decision to stop being a Victim and start being the Protagonist.
A Victim is defined by their circumstances. A Protagonist is defined by their RESPONSE to those circumstances.
You are the hero of your own story. You might not have all the answers right now, but you have the power to take the next small step. You can't solve everything today, but you can do one thing for just five minutes. Find one unopened letter.
Look at the student aid website. Create a blank spreadsheet and call it "My Debt Plan."
That small action is you, the Protagonist, starting a new chapter. It's the moment you decide you're no longer just a character to whom bad things happen; you're the one who decides what happens next.
What's one small "Protagonist" step you can take today?
