Remember that in most cases, student loan debt is not dischargeable in bankruptcy. So you continue to pay it off anyway. Those who have very low interest rates (2-2.5 percent) on student loans and know everything is secure, great.

You must recognize, embrace, and be honest about what is real for you today and allow that understanding to inform the choices you make. Only then will you be able to build the future of your dreams.

Rather than saying, 'My checking account is a wreck,' change it to 'I will learn how to track my spending and balance my checkbook.'

If you do not have at least an eight-month emergency fund, and you think there's a probability you could loose your job - and it's not just losing your job; you could be in a car accident, get sick - continue to pay the minimum on your credit card every month. Everything beyond that needs to go to establish an emergency fund. And if you have an emergency fund saved, then fund your retirement account before paying down credit card debt.

How you end something as profound and important as a marriage is a reflection of how you live your life--financially, emotionally, and spiritually.

Learn how to prioritize all your debt. And did you know student loan debt is the most dangerous debt any of us can have?

Focus on what you have.