7 tips to help you stress less about money.
Finding yourself irritated with the morning news and the talks about how things are just getting more and more expensive? Did you get a notice that your rent is going up, again? Have you noticed that grocery bill getting more expensive even though you already cut back on the meat and wine? You are not alone.
Maybe you have heard the term inflation but what the heck is stagflation? Well I am not getting into that, because I barely understand it. Things have to get more expensive to fix things? Headache. But keep reading and I can help you deal with your money woes with some tried and true tips.
Money has always been a big stress for many, for as long as it has existed. It makes the world go round but it sometimes feels like a catch 22. It seems like that gap between poor and rich just keeps getting bigger and bigger.
I want to share some tips with you on how to manage stress as we go through whatever this period is.
7 tips to stress less about money
Talk about it. Yes. You need to talk about it. Talk with your partner, your parents, your friends, whoever you trust and live with are good places to talk about money. Many of us shy away from this topic but money is not a bad word. And talking about the things that stress you is important.
Make a budget. Just like the last tip, we need to get more comfortable with looking at the numbers and not ignoring our bank accounts. Sit down and take a look. The more you look at the money in and out the less scary it will become and then you will be in a better place to make adjustments.
Journal about you relationship with money or try speaking with a therapist about this. Many of us have an unhealthy, anxiety provoking relationship with money. It might be time to process all that money mindset blocks and embrace a new, not scary relationship with money. Therapy can help you address these money mind blocks by digging into your childhood and past negative experiences.
Stay away from “should” “would” and “could” language when thinking about money. This way of thinking will only upset you more because we are speaking about a relativity that does not exist.
Ask yourself those hard questions about why you need to buy that item that you probably don’t need. Have you ever heard of keeping up with the Jones? Basically you might be having fomo and think that this one thing might be what I need to be happy. Instead explore this mind block more and then rationalize your way out of it.
Learn to say no. Learn to say no to others and learn to say no to yourself. No is not a bad word. Instead it is a signal
that you are saying yes to something else. Growing that savings account, saving for that trip.
Last, but my favorite: Stop saying “suppose to.”
I was suppose to have a house by now
I was suppose to have that promotion by now
I was suppose to have finally made it
And I say this with love, but according to who? That life plan? Please do yourself a favor and loosen your grip on the life plan. I am not saying to ditch the plan completely. It is good to have goals but we have to be able to reevaluate along the way. Life will throw us curveballs and we have a choice to play or to get upset at it not being fair. Instead use those feelings of this is so unfair to push you to action.
There is more to learn about money mindset and more work that you can do to help you in having a different relationship with money.