Four Signs You Have Money Guilt.
You’re chatting with friends about summer plans. One friend is taking a trip, another got a new boat. “And what about you?” they ask...
If the answer is, “sitting in my yard in a plastic lawn chair & wondering where it all went wrong” you aren’t alone. Sometimes it seems like everyone is doing better financially than you. Vacations, new toys, eating out. Nicer house, nicer car, nicer life. It’s common to feel weird about discussing personal finances. You’re supposed to be on top of this stuff, right? The fact is, that it’s totally normal & even understandable that after spending so much time focusing on your business numbers, you may not have enough spoons to deal with your personal spending.
Shame and embarrassment can show up a number of ways:
Ignoring balances on credit cards or not checking your bank account (nearly half of our instagram followers say they do!)
You may feel as if you don’t deserve the money you have, or the things you spend it on.
You may lose sleep worrying about debt or how much you have saved.
You may double down on unnecessary spending thinking you’re too far gone anyway.
How do we move past these feelings and learn to have a healthier relationship with our financial realities? First, get over the idea of where you “should” be. There are people who will be in a better financial spot & that is fine. Your net-worth does not equal your self-worth. Also (and this should go without saying at this point), plenty of people that look like they have it all, are living far beyond their means.
When you are uncomfortable with your financial situation, the best thing you can do for yourself is develop a war plan. Get real about your expenses & identify the spaces where you are overspending. Really examine the triggers to overspending. Is it poor planning, fatigue, a coping mechanism? This exercise isn’t about shaming yourself or beating yourself up. Getting honest with yourself about the cause can help you develop strategies for making better decisions. You SHOULD splurge sometimes & planning helps you splurge without guilt.
Do you feel weird talking about finances? Let us know below!
