"It's your fault you feel stressed about money. Not your boss's fault, not society's, not the government's. Yours. It's the trauma-soaked, casual avoidance that got you here. You don't know how much you spend. You know you should pay more attention to your investments. You know you should save more. And yet, you don't. Why? Because life gets in the way. There's a new job, a new illness, a new relationship, a new headache."
"I'm fascinated by the sheer willpower people put into avoiding thinking about money. At a party recently, I told a group of smart, creative, enviably employed people what I do for a living (for those of you new here, I run a financial advisory business). Cue the deer-in-the-headlights look. One woman announced, almost proudly, "I do all the spending but my husband does the other money stuff. I just don't have the head for it. But I trust him.""
Avoidance of personal finances creates growing risk over time. Small, routine attention to money prevents problems from compounding. Shame audits reveal hidden spending habits and provide actionable starting points. People commonly use life events and emotions as excuses to defer financial responsibilities. Relying entirely on others for money management creates vulnerability if trust breaks or mistakes occur. Hiring help is useful, but individuals must still understand earnings, spending, savings, and investments. Short, ten-minute checks can produce meaningful progress. Building a working knowledge of personal finances supports adult functioning and reduces stress.
Read at Substack
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