How our financial health impacts our mental well-being.....

We often don’t consider how our mental health and relationship to money are intertwined?Imagine an infinity symbol, as those with financial difficulties report a negative impact on their mental health and those with mental health difficulties report an impact on their financial situation.

Financial difficulties initiate feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression which sparks a cascade of emotional chaos. Money does have an impact on our health, especially if we have to cut back on essentials, such as healthy food, shelter, and creature comforts. A constant worry of fear and financial insecurity keeps us focused on the emotions that we don’t want to feel and often makes our problems worse by keeping them in the limelight.

Here are a few ideas and steps you can take to shift your mind-set around money and relieve mental health symptoms.

A basic place to start is with GRATITUDE! Each morning and evening find your gratitudes – little things like the birds chirping in the morning, people you love, or your physical health.

Create affirmations that help you create a higher vibrational ladder, such as “everything always works out for me”. Remind yourself of times when you experienced financial difficulties and made it through.

Identify your negative thoughts and re-label them – “I am feeling fearful, but I know that is my internal guidance system directing me to a different path”.

Educating ourselves about money is another powerful way to support ourselves. Perhaps you take a course at a local bank about investing, money management, or balancing a checkbook. It builds confidence and hope, even if you do not have money to invest or manage. My favorite activity is ‘act as if’. Pick a date in the future and write as if you are in that day “I am having the best day, I am sitting in my new car smelling the leather and I have $____ in my bank accounts, no credit card debt, and my future is bright. All my needs are being met, and my soul is soothed”.

Your mind is funny, as we can easily brainwash our own emotions to act as if all were true now. Another tip would be to find a mentor that you admire financially and resonate with and ask them questions about finances. What difficulties were they able to overcome, and how did they do it? What types of goals do they have, and what actions do they take to achieve them. What advice would they give you? Decide on your vision for your future and build a vision board. What are the things you want, how does that make you feel and find pictures or words to put on your board? Place the vision board somewhere you can see it every day to inspire you.

One last personal story: I recall being in a terrible financial situation in life after a rough divorce. My bank account was empty, I wasn’t sure where I would live, how I would support my child, and how I could rebuild my credit. The tips above were crucial to getting me where I am today. I focused on being grateful for what I did have, built a vision board of the life I wanted, and found people who educated me, mentored me, and gave me hope to guide me through. Everything did work out for me, and it can for you too.

With Gratitude,

Barbie Collins Young

Barbie Collins Young is a Harvard-certified nutrition expert and wellness coach at liveitupcoach.com.  Her passion is educating others on the pillars of lifestyle medicine:  Nutrition, Movement, Social Connections, Sleep, Curbing Substance Abuse, and Stress Management.