Written by San Francisco Bankruptcy Lawyer, Jeena Cho

I meet with many people that remain in the denial stage for a long time and hoping that something will change. Maybe he will get a big bonus, or win the lotto, or will find a better paying job. Oftentimes, the client will go on for months or years, hoping that the situation will magically change. Of course, most often, it does not. In the meantime, the client is burning through his precious resources to stay afloat.

It’s similar to a tooth decay. I have for years avoided going to the dentist. I had tooth aches but I just thought “Oh, it’s nothing. I’m fine.” (Denial.) When the pain became unbearable, I finally went to the dentist. As expected, the news was not good. I needed several fillings but (good news was) I did not need a root canal… yet. I was angry - at myself, and at the dentist.

At that moment, I had a choice. Go and fix the problem, once-and-for-all, or continue to live in denial and face a more painful and costly root canal down the line. Of course, had I gone to the dentist sooner, I may have been able to avoid some of the cavities as well.

Similarly, financial problems don’t get better by itself. Don’t be an orange in denial. You must be proactive and deal with it in order for it to get better. So, don’t delay. Take action today.