Most of us didn’t sit down one day and decide how we’d feel about money.

We inherited it.

From the way our parents talked or didn’t talk about finances. From the phrases that floated around the dinner table or that we heard growing up.

“We can’t afford that.”
“Money doesn’t grow on trees.”
“It’s not polite to talk about money.”

Those messages were absorbed without us even knowing. And for many of us, they’re still running in the background. Shaping how we spend, what we think we deserve, and how confident we feel making financial decisions.

The one I’ve had to pay attention to: “you have to work hard for your money.”
It’s taken time to stop feeling like if I’m not working hard, I’m not going to make it. And it still pops back up when I get especially busy.

The question worth asking isn’t “Am I good with money?”
It’s “Whose story about money am I still living?”

I had a client who started doing something simple.
Checking her bank account every day. Not to judge, just to look.

Over time, the anxiety started to fade.
She started spending more intentionally.
And for the first time she felt genuinely prepared for tax season instead of dreading it.

She didn’t change everything overnight.
She just started telling a different story.
One where she was someone who pays attention, who is capable, who gets to feel in control of her own money.

Money shifts start with noticing the story you’re currently telling.

If you want to start shifting that story, here are a few simple places to begin:

Catch the thought.

Start paying attention to what you say to yourself about money. Take a moment and ask if it’s actually true.

Spend a few minutes journaling.

You might answer some questions like these:

• What did you hear about money growing up?
• Which still feels true today?
• What would a healthier version of that belief sound like?

Take a small action.

It could be as simple as checking your account regularly or setting a weekly “money check-in.”  Use curiosity, not judgment.

I put together a money meeting guide you can use for your check-ins. It’s available here if you’d like a copy: Money Meetings