Lifestyle Changes After Filing Bankruptcy

I have been working with people who have filed bankruptcy (Chapter 13) for about three years now.  I never really understood the stress and hardship that bankruptcy can put on a family.  It has made me more aware of how to deal with my own finances and to appreciate what I have.
Lifestyle changes can be hard especially when you are used to a particular lifestyle.  When you are faced with having to choose between paying your mortgage vs. tuition for a private school, I‘d like to think paying your mortgage wins every time.  However, time and time again people continue to maintain the lifestyle they had before they filed bankruptcy.  It's sad to say but sometimes you have to reevaluate your priorities.  Changing your lifestyle to live within your means does not make you any less of a person or a bad parent; it simply makes you a responsible person looking to build a bright future for you and your family.  If people continue to live their life as if society cares what material possessions you own then chances are you will be visiting your bankruptcy attorney again for more help. 
Many of our clients have changed their lifestyles once they have filed. I am proud to have helped many through their transition because frankly, I tell them verbatim what I have written.  Many clients have thanked me for my 'tough love advice'. Helping people makes my job rewarding because I have been able to successfully communicate that life after bankruptcy is simply a change in mindset.