Money & Stress
Though the relationship between money and stress are seldom discussed in public, and with friends or family, we thought it would be beneficial to extend the narrative about the effects of money on our well-being.
Indeed, money problems are stressful, especially when there aren’t enough funds to pay bills at the end of the month. For most, who are struggling with debt or living paycheck to paycheck, money can create this feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. These negative emotions and feelings can lead us to ignore our money problems and cause us to worsen our situation; both financially and mentally. (Related: You Shouldn’t Be Here)
Stress and money difficulties will always be, seemingly, an endless loop of problems if we don’t find healthy and sustainable ways to deal with their respective dilemmas. On a positive note, money problems are fixable — meaning that we can genuinely grasp what’s wrong, which is the first step to addressing our money and stress-related problems. In order to relieve our turmoil, we encourage those who neglect their personal financial well-being to become more involved with their finances.
Tear open the bills and look at those numbers. It may be uncomfortable, but in doing so, you eliminate that fear of the unknown; and can, therefore, build a real action plan to clearing your debt, and to offload your stress. Make time to create a digital or physical list of personal and financial stressors. Then, create a list of practical steps that can help you manage your current situation. Last but not least, establish a deep purpose motivating the new habits which you'll implement to clear your debt, save and invest. The point is to initiate the process by addressing the problems that exist, giving you freedom from all unnecessary anxiety. More importantly, the goal is to find your true purpose for change; to drive your financial behaviour. (Related: Making Practical Decisions)
Sometimes, it seems like it may be easier to pretend the problem isn’t there. In our experience, we’ve found that ignoring our money issues often aggravates our situation – limiting our options and increasing our pressure as time moves forward. Throughout the years, science has proven that money stress can do a lot of damage to our health. It isn’t uncommon for doctors to have patients who are challenged with high blood pressure levels due to this kind of stress. Of course, any stress can take a toll on our health, but we believe money stress may be particularly toxic. That’s why we encourage everyone to start an open and candid conversation – with someone they trust – around money. The talk may be more cathartic and needed than you think; and can spark the beginning of an action plan towards reshaping your financial future. (Related: Changing Your Mindset)
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