There are many reasons why people are overwhelmed with stress related money behaviours - with the number of people relying on one income, increased costs of healthy eating and the modern pressures to keep with the Jone's, it's no wonder why stress is on the increase and becoming a global concern.
It's important to realize that stress is a naturally occurring state and nothing more than the response you make based on your interpretation of an external environment. Due to money being highly personable the reactions and level of stress will fluctuate on that individual's ability to manage it correctly.
Managing stress is essential if you are to comfortably live your life without that constant feeling and emotion of money stress. Making small adjustments today can improve your relationships, health, and general sense of well-being.
Why do we get stressed with money?
Money Stressor #1: Sinking Ship...
If you're not calculating your money expenses, don't know what's coming in or going out and barely keep to your monthly payments then you need to make some drastic action today. Living month to month is a dangerous way to live especially where high levels of unemployment and an unsettled economy are still in full swing.
Take just a few hours out over the coming days and gather all of your bank statements; work out what you are spending and where cuts can be made. These can be as simple as removing your daily commute coffee and saving £3 per day (£780 per year), changing energy supplier 0.50p per day (£182.50 per year), stop smoking £8.15 per day (A packet a day is £2,985.70 per year).
Money Stressor #2: Constant Struggling Feeling...
Emotional connection with money is a tricky thing to overcome or combat, however to truly remove money stresses from your life, you MUST remove the emotional attachment you have with it. It can be difficult to disassociate yourself from money, but ask yourself this "What does money actually mean to me?" "Can I have these feelings without money?"
Money Stressor #3: Being Trapped...
The feeling of being trapped is a horrible feeling, when pushed into the corner we usually make irrational choices that further worsen the situation and prolong the suffering. If you're feeling trapped, with debts increasing and that light at the end of the tunnel is appearing further away then GET HELP! Remove any pride from your situation and reach out; you'll thank me if you do!
Money Stressor #3: Overvaluing Owning Money...
One thing that took me years to understand and accept is that money doesn't equal happiness. Abundance or lack off doesn't do anything but magnify the state you were in the second before you had it or lost it. Focus all of your attention on the feeling of happiness, contentment and success without financial abundance and you'll likely find your relationship with money changes and things will level out.
What money doesn't mean...having more money doesn't mean that stress will reduce or your happiness will increase, but removing the stressors and correctly managing your finances will massively reduce stress related pressures. Take massive action today...what are you waiting for?
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