INTRODUCTION

For so many of us, life (our career, relationship, finances), for the most part, flows fairly smoothly. Things are cruising along until suddenly, they're not.

By the time I hit 28, I was married, living in our dream home, working my dream job and about to welcome our first child, then, not long after, our second.

We had the house. The investment property. The boat. The campervan. Annual overseas holidays. Frequent weekends away. More importantly, we felt financially stable. On paper, nearly every box was ticked. We had built our 'dream life'.

On the outside, it was picture perfect. I had done everything 'right', according to the invisible checklist of success inside my head.

But real life rarely follows the fairytale script, and the plot twists in my story started coming thick and fast.

Everything started to unravel when my husband (spoiler alert: ex-husband) had to permanently stop working due to health issues before he turned 40. And then we separated just a few years later?-?another plot twist that was definitely not part of my grand plan.

That's the issue with invisible checklists that define our 'success' and 'happiness'?-?the minute something happens that is definitely not on the list, it all unravels.

Through my years of working with clients as a banker, financial adviser and now money coach, I have been privy to the inner workings of homes, finances and families. And I've seen time and time again how 'happily ever afters' take unexpected plot twists that rewrite our next chapter in ways we never imagined.

For even the most primed 'planner' (like myself), life rarely plays out how it does in your head or on your spreadsheet.

Whether it's a relationship breakdown, the loss of a loved one, the end of your career or the start of a new one, these big upheavals are some of the most uncomfortable times of our lives. Every insecurity comes to the surface: Our stability and safety feel shaky, and our self-worth is challenged. These moments shatter the world we knew?-?emotionally, practically and financially. What once seemed like a clear and concise script, complete with tangible steps and celebrated milestones, feels as though that story was someone else's entirely.

Big events force a financial rethink?-?a crash course in managing money?-?while simultaneously demanding a mental money reset and plan.

I've helped countless clients through these challenging times, working with people navigating redundancies, guiding others through medical diagnoses that ended their careers, supporting couples managing finances together, and helping many untangle finances during separations or after the loss of a loved one. I've spent years helping others navigate their plot twists and rebuild their financial lives?-?so why did I find myself struggling so much when it was my turn?

Simple: I had all the 'theory', but putting it into practice while navigating my own emotions, my ex's emotions and those of my children (not to mention the unsolicited input from people outside the relationship) was completely uncharted territory.

With emotions running high, legal expenses mounting, frequent housing changes and uncertainty creeping into every part of my life, I felt completely out of control, both personally and financially. As someone who had been pretty much mapping out and planning every inch of their life since childhood, this wasn't a feeling I was too familiar with.

Divorce and other plot twists are an opportunity to reset, but they do not come cleanly. They leave behind layers of complexity, responsibilities and emotional baggage. I had spent years building a life with structure and certainty. I had a tight, well-planned future mapped out. And then, suddenly, it was all gone. Every plan, every assumption about what life would look like in the future was wiped out in an instant. I couldn't control the situation, and that feeling?-?losing control over something so fundamental?-?was unbearable.

If this is you, just know that your next step doesn't have to feel like an exciting fresh start. And it might be a step you never wanted to take, one forced by loss, upheaval or circumstances far beyond your control.

You might be:

• navigating the heartbreak of losing a partner, trying to figure out how to keep life moving forward
• walking away from an unsafe home and starting over
• drowning in financial stress (juggling debts, bills or a sudden pay cut), feeling like it's too late to break the cycle
• standing at a crossroads, stuck between staying in a life that doesn't fit any more and taking the leap to create something new and true to yourself.

It's okay to be on a roller-coaster of emotions, experiencing frustration and impatience, then fleeting moments of hope and inspiration, followed by fear, guilt and hopelessness.

This book is your reset roadmap. It's a transformation journey: turning a challenging time in your life into the foundation for something extraordinary. This journey goes far beyond crunching numbers or balancing budgets. It's about rebuilding lives that have been turned upside down. What you're about to read was my own money makeover and that of so many of my clients?-?so I know it works!

Some of you will feel like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, and that can make seeing a way forward hard. Think of it as just a series of small steps: small, manageable steps. I'm right here with you to help you rebuild, rewrite or completely reinvent your financial story.

My goal isn't to dismiss the hardships you've faced but to help you recognise the strength you already have and the opportunities waiting for you.

Please know that this balance?-?honouring your past while inspiring your future?-?is at the heart of every page of this book. You deserve to feel empowered, not overwhelmed, as you take your next steps forward. No matter how you ended up here, the next chapter is yours to write.

This book is structured around 12 actionable steps, each designed to help you move forward with clarity and confidence. We'll start by taking stock of where you are financially and emotionally, identifying what needs to change, and preparing yourself mentally for the journey ahead. From there, we'll refocus on simplifying and strengthening the core building blocks of your financial life: cashflow, budgeting, debt management, insurance and general wealth planning. Finally, we'll move beyond survival mode, shifting from 'just getting by' to 'what's possible?'

It's important to remember that this is your journey. Only you know where you are starting from, what you're capable of right now and how much you can take on.

This isn't a race and there's no finish line you need to sprint towards. Life is unpredictable. Sometimes you'll move quickly, making progress that feels easy and exciting. Other times, you may need to pause, catch your breath and take things one tiny step at a time?-?and that's okay. This 12-step plan is here to guide you, not to rush you.

Each step is designed to be flexible, adaptable to your life and focused on building sustainable habits that work for you. Whether you complete it in 12 weeks, six months or a year, the goal is to keep moving forward in a way that feels manageable and empowering. Small, consistent actions will get you closer to where you want to be?-?and those small actions add up to big changes over time.

Ready?

How to use this book

Progress isn't about perfection; it's about persistence. This book is designed to help you focus on what's next, not everything at once. It's not about going from zero to 100 overnight. It's about putting one foot in front of the other, step by step, decision by decision.

That's exactly where The Money Reset comes in.

But how you use it is up to you.

Whether you want a deep dive, a quick reset or just a place to start, there's a way forward that works for your time, energy and situation.

If you just need a starting point: Dip in and out as needed

• Skim through the book to get a sense of the framework.
• Focus on Chapters 1 and 2 to help you take stock of where you are and what needs to change.
• Come back to the other chapters when you're ready: this book is here as a long-term resource, not a one-time checklist.

If you need a fast-track reset: Pick the chapters that matter most

• Scan the table of contents and choose the areas that resonate with you right now.
• Focus on those key chapters first: maybe it's budgeting, income or rebuilding after a big change.
• Use the exercises that feel relevant, and don't worry about completing everything in order.

If you're all in: Follow the full 12-step plan

Read through each chapter, taking time to reflect and complete the exercises. Expect some steps to take longer than others. This isn't about rushing; it's about real change.

There's no 'right' way to do this, only...