Top Tips To Work Through Money-Related Worries
In my last blog post, I covered the five lesser-known signs of financial anxiety. This blog will cover how you can overcome the anxiety that’s specifically related to finances.
Top Tips To Reduce Money Concerns
- Quit Comparing – First and foremost, try to stop comparing yourself to others, especially the lives that you see online. It’s incredibly rare that anyone ever portrays anything but the perfect life online. So whilst looking at the pictures of that perfect family holiday to a luxury resort might leave you stressed and worrying about you can possibly afford any type of holiday this year, say to yourself you don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes.
- Coping In The Worst-Case Scenario – This will sound strange, but try considering the worst that could possibly happen, vividly imagine and articulate how you’d cope if your worst money fear came true.
Anxiety therapy used to focus on convincing people that their fears were unlikely; today, it focuses on acknowledging that sometimes negative things happen in our lives and accepting them is part of the solution and that you can and will cope better than you give yourself credit for.
Be articulate and detailed; say it out loud or write it down if that feels better to you. This will give you some clarity on what you would do if the worst really was to happen. When you realise you have control and a plan of action, should the worst happen, this will help to alleviate your anxiety.
- Take Care Of The Big Issues – Make sure you’re taking care of the big things. It’s so easy to bury your head in the sand when you are worried about money but tackling things head-on is the best way to start overcoming your anxiety.
I offer a Redefine Your Finances Workbook, which you can use to help plan your money and prioritise the important tasks. If you have a lot of bills piling up, make it your goal to tackle one a day, so you’re not overwhelmed.
If you need to, seek from a professional debt management agency such as Step Change. Alternatively, get in touch with me to receive your copy of the Redefine Your Finances Workbook.
- Focus On Your Wellbeing – Staying active and healthy is essential for your mental health and is proven to reduce anxiety. You don’t need to spend a fortune on a gym membership in order to exercise. Going out for a walk or a jog or try some of the free home workouts on YouTube. Couch To 5K is an NHS-approved app for increasing your fitness with running. Plus, the fresh air and sunshine are a great way to help combat anxiety.
- Banish Shame – Most importantly of all, banish the shame that you have associated with your finances. Don’t be afraid to talk about your anxieties; opening up is vital for boosting your mental health. Speak with a family member or a close friend can offer the relief and support you need. Alternatively, a debt charity can offer the outlet you need. They’ll also provide the resources you may need to plan an effective strategy for any money worries that you may have.
