It might be hard for some people to understand, but fear of money is a real thing.
We’re not just talking about chrematophobia: a condition where people dread dealing with money. We’re also talking about those of us who want the benefits money can bring to our lives, but fear that will become dragons, too busy guarding our hoard to appreciate anything else.
You want the truth? We get it. Money is a big issue, and society dictates that we must respect it. As we get older, and we’re forced to make decisions between where our money MUST go and where we WANT it to go, we must adapt or else there will be problems.
That said, don’t despair! Overcoming your fear is a matter of following two simple steps.
UNDERSTAND YOUR SITUATION
We must understand to overcome. Rising above our concerns is only possible when we root out the basis for them.
Consider their origin.
Are you influenced by the situation you grew up in? Did your family struggle to make ends meet?
What about the people you surround yourself with? Do you spend money on them because you feel (undeservedly) guilty about spending it on yourself?
Do you think money is intrinsically bad? Do you link it to bad people? Evil people?
Are you thinking negatively? Do you fear investing money in a side business or hobby because of why it might not succeed, rather than why it might?
Address your problem. Whatever it is, there’s a way to turn it into a positive.
Write it out, then write it again in a way that inspires you.
For instance:
“Money is the reason why soulless corporations are destroying the world”
becomes
“Making money will allow me to donate to causes that protect the planet’s future”.
BUDGET
Once you understand your problem, and have started to figure out how money can work for you, create a budget.
It seems simple enough, but over 28,000 people went bankrupt in Australia in the last financial year, many because they failed to properly allocate their money.
When you’ve created your budget, feel free to tinker, but let it become your way of life. A budget means nothing if you don’t keep to it.
Finally, don’t forget, where you can, to treat yourself. Money is a good thing; be sure to remind yourself of that once in a while!