Back to (Financial) School

I've been struggling a lot with my goals to get out of debt and spending less money.
It's difficult. There's pressure from all sides--commercials tell us we need more, more, more. Friends don't always understand why you don't want to spend even a few dollars and sometimes joke and criticize. If you're an emotional spender, like myself, in times of stress, you find yourself nickel-ing and dime-ing your money away in a futile attempt to feel better for a bit. When money is tight, and you get behind on bills, the feelings of inadequacy are like a kick in the teeth.
And then there's the shame of getting into debt in the first place.
Needless to say, there's a mountain to climb, and it's often terrifying and daunting.
However, my wise hubby shared an analogy with me. I spent six years in college, doing a lot of drudge work, doing things that I didn't want to do, sometimes facing the criticism of others, stress, mistakes, failures, and so forth, all in the pursuit of something greater that would benefit myself and my family someday in the future. I didn't always want to keep going, but I did, and it was worth it.
Finances are very much the same thing. You spent years learning from mistakes, picking up new skills and habits, doing things you don't want to do, making sacrifices, dealing with stress, often for years, all for the sake of a future benefit.
And the thing is, stress and all, I loved being in school, and even contemplate going back--and a lot of times, while in school, I wanted it to be over so badly, but the success and the end goal makes me want to go back. So, when things get me down when it comes to financial goals, maybe I need to relate it to my schooling--something that will take years to accomplish, and strength and hard work I often don't feel capable of--all to ensure a comfortable future for me and my little family.