A headline on the November issue of Real Simple says “Feel organized for the holidays”. (Not get organized for the holidays, mind you, but feel organized for the holidays.)

I don’t know whether it was intentional or not, but I think it’s an important distinction — one that can be applied to your money too.

Of course, actually getting organized is important too when it comes to your finances. You should have a handle on the things that relate to your money — everything from paying bills on time, building up savings and investments, and planning for variations of the future. If you’ve been following along with the 31 Days to a Better Bank Balance series or reading pf blogs for awhile, you’ve probably made a pretty good start at doing those things.

But sometimes we don’t feel all that comfortable, despite actually being in a good place. It’s like the kid in high school that everyone thought had it made, but when you talked to them they’d obsessively bring up some little flaw that loomed large in their eyes.

So for Day 28, write down three things and give them a little thought:

1. How do you feel about your finances, and money in general?
2. What’s your earliest money-related memory?
3. What would it take for you to feel comfortable with your money, if you don’t already?

When you feel comfortable with money, things just seem to go more smoothly. If you’re not already comfortable, give doing the thing that would make you feel better a shot. It could be anything: taking a class, dipping your toes into investing, reading about a particular money-related topic, or exploring old memories.