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- From Financial Anxiety to Action 💰✅
From Financial Anxiety to Action 💰✅
Plus: Financially inadequate + Generation Anxiety
🎙️ Did You Know? On this day in 1966, David Jones officially became David Bowie, dropping his original name to avoid being mistaken for Davy Jones of the Monkees. This small change helped launch him into the spotlight as the legend we know today.
Sometimes the most unexpected changes (like a name) can be the key to finding confidence and overcoming fear. Whether it's rebranding or taking a bold new step, embracing change can lead to your own stardust moment. 🌟
Money Troubles?
Just trust the process
Who doesn't worry about money? Especially in times of economic uncertainty. In 2020, 68% of young adults reported to the American Psychological Association (APA) that finances were their primary source of stress. When financial anxiety takes hold, it can significantly influence our decisions, sometimes causing us to pass up opportunities (like that dream job) for fear of financial instability.
The good news is that you can manage financial anxiety and regain control. The first step is to recognize it, as everyone worries about money, making it somewhat challenging to identify when those worries cross the line.
The following are our honest suggestions, no affiliate links or kickbacks apply.
💸 How to Recognize Financial Anxiety
Persistent Worry: When you’re constantly thinking about money, bills, or future security.
Fear of Insufficiency: The feeling that no matter how much you earn, it’s never enough.
Avoidance Behaviors: Ignoring bank statements or delaying financial discussions.
Physical Symptoms: Stress-induced headaches, insomnia, or fatigue.
Daily Decisions Fatigue: Struggling with everyday choices like buying groceries or social plans.
Compulsive Behaviors: Oversaving, overspending, or overworking.
💡 A Practical RoadMap to Keep Anxiety in Check
We all know the basics – create a budget and stick to it – but while this is a great first step, in most cases it is not enough to overcome financial anxiety. This anxiety usually stems from general anxiety or a fear of uncertainty, catastrophizing every moment of your life.
The two most effective actions you can take to combat this are:
1️⃣ Create an emergency fund, and
2️⃣ Create a solid support network.
Ultimately, the only way to overcome the feeling that anything can happen in the future is to create an environment in which you are safe, even though you know that anything can happen in the future.
Serah Louis
Jessica Moorhouse, a millennial money expert and podcast host, has turned her personal struggles with financial insecurity into a guide for others. In her book, Everything but Money: The Hidden Barriers Between You and Financial Freedom, she explores how emotional barriers, amplified by social media comparisons, can undermine financial confidence.
For 2025, Moorhouse advocates for a kinder approach to finances and shares five tips for starting the year strong:
Reflect on Positives.
Celebrate last year’s wins, big or small, and focus on what truly brings you happiness.Set Goals, Not Resolutions.
Divide goals into career, financial, and personal categories, and embrace imperfection in achieving them.Create Actionable Steps.
Break goals into specific, measurable actions to stay focused.Budget for Joy.
Dedicate part of your spending to activities and experiences that bring fulfillment.Stay Accountable.
Use vision boards, schedules, or trusted friends to maintain motivation.
Moorhouse’s advice highlights the importance of balancing financial success with emotional well-being for a fulfilling year ahead.
Millennials and Gen Zers are often at odds, but they actually have more in common than either generation is willing to accept, for one thing, in dealing with the most fast-changing world we've ever had… And the anxiety that comes with it.
In Generation Anxiety: A Millennial and Gen Z Guide to Stress and Mental Health, Dr. Lauren Cook provides a practical roadmap for understanding and addressing these pressures. Drawing on her expertise as a psychologist and her own experiences, Dr. Cook offers practical tools for managing anxiety, exploring its root causes, and building healthier habits. Using an intersectional and feminist lens, the book resonates with today's readers who are navigating a complex and demanding world.
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