Because money is a leading cause of stress we thought we’d share our tips on how to get a happy money mindset. We want to help you feel good about money. So if money is something that stresses you out, keep reading.

10 times money stresses us out

Here are ten common examples of times when money really stresses us out:

1. When we think we don’t have enough of it
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2. When we’re worried about losing our jobs
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3. When we don’t understand our finances
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4. When we fear credit rejection (like for a mortgage)
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5. When we can’t keep up with the Kardashians
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6. When we don’t know what to do about our debt
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7. When we don’t have any emergency savings and an unexpected bill pops up
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8. When we link our bank balance to our self worth
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9. When we can’t afford what we want
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10. When our bills increase but our income stays the same

If just reading this list makes you feel sweaty and stressed, don’t worry you’re not alone. Feeling this way is perfectly normal. But where do we go from here? How do we conquer our money fears? The good news is that working towards financial freedom doesn’t require a lottery win, or a six figure salary. Yes, really.

Why does money stress us out?

Our bank balance isn’t just a number, it’s also an emotional trigger. These emotions can be positive, negative or a mix. And it’s not surprising that our bank balance causes us to feel so much. That number tells us whether we can afford to pay our bills, or whether we’ve overspent. It can be a good surprise (there’s more than we thought), or a bad one (there’s less than we thought).

Our relationships with money are complicated

Many people psychologically link their bank account balance to how they view their success and self-worth as an individual. And many people have strong feelings of guilt, shame and anger when it comes to money. Sadly, these are actually the most common emotions surrounding money.

So what’s your emotional response to money? What is it that causes you to stress out about it? And what makes you feel good about it? Triggers vary from person to person, and they’re often formed in childhood when we observe how our family treat money at home. It rubs off on us.

It’s worth thinking then about what behaviours or attitudes you might have towards money. Understanding this helps you take steps towards reducing negative emotions, and building more positive, healthy ones.

How to get a happy money mindset

1. Understand why you feel the way you do

As said, the best starting place is to look at how you respond to money emotionally. And think about why that is. Once you have a clearer understanding of your current relationship with money, you can work towards improving it.

2. Face your financial fears

We all have financial fears. We worry about losing our jobs, running out of money or being rejected for credit when we apply. But with a little know-how most financial fears can be managed, and the worry relieved. Take a look at our blog on six common financial fears and how to conquer them here. Unpicking these fears can make us feel a whole lot better about money.

3. Focus on what you need

Stop worrying about what everyone else is doing. Or creating an idea of what success looks like that is wholly out of reach (ie mansion, personal jet, flashy car) — and then using your lack of these things as a reason to beat yourself up. Instead focus on what it is that you really need, and what really matters to you. Make your own definition of success based on this. You may discover you actually have way more than you thought you did. And this will make you feel good.

4. Master your money

It’s normal to regard things that we don’t understand well negatively. Many of us never received a financial education at home or at school, and for that reason we often feel totally clueless when it comes to our personal finances. This is frustrating because money has such a big impact on our day to day life. No wonder then that feeling out of control with our finances can cause us so much stress.

5. Remember you’re not alone

In many ways money is the last taboo. It’s a subject that’s still rarely discussed, even amongst friends and family. It remains a very private subject. And as shown, one that’s highly emotional for many people. Given all this, we often feel very alone when it comes to money problems. But the great thing is, we’re really not.

Most people have stressed about money at some point in their lives. And if you’re in a bad place with your money right now, perhaps you feel overwhelmed with debt, there are some great free services out there that can offer you advice. Get in touch with StepChange to take the first steps out of debt today. Talking about it really does help.

6. Take small steps

If you’ve got a goal in mind, like building a happy money mindset, getting out of debt, buying a home or building your credit score — then make a plan to achieve it. And make sure that each step in your plan is small and achievable. This increases your chances of success by making it easier to move forward.

Your journey to financial freedom starts here

We can all strive for a healthier relationship with money. And although this kind of change takes time, it’s worth it. Join Loqbox today to make your journey easier, and to have some company along the way. We’re here to help you build financial health so you can enjoy a brighter future.