https://www.alainguillot.com/finding-strength-in-routine/ Finding Strength in Routine: My Journey Through Financial Turmoil in Personal Finance How to keep your head down when everything around you is falling apart. Three years ago, I got caught cheating on my taxes. About eight years ago, I ran an Airbnb business and didn’t declare all my income. I truly believed I could get away with it, but somehow, the government found out and asked me to explain my income discrepancies. I had no explanation, and after several letters requesting more information, the government determined that I owed a significant amount of money and they gave me 12 months to pay it all back. The first emotion I felt was overwhelming anxiety. I was constantly worried about how I would manage to repay the debt. When I went to bed, my mind was racing trying to find a solution. The more I tried to force myself to sleep the more elusive sleep became. My bed, once a place of rest, felt like a battleground where my thoughts would not let me in peace. I felt helpless, alone, in the dark knowing that the debt would still be there the next day. Then I felt shame and guilt. I confined on my friends and family, I cried on their shoulders. I felt so embarrassed and questioned my bad judgement every day.