They say money can’t buy happiness, but learning how to change your money mindset can make a huge difference! If you’re constantly stressing about not having enough money, spending too much money, or thinking you won’t ever make enough money, take a breath and refocus. Let this serve as your pivotal moment to make that money mindset shift for the better!
Embracing a new money mindset can unlock doors to innovative opportunities, financial freedom, and a deeper understanding of wealth as a tool for creating a life aligned with your values and aspirations – and that’s exactly why I’m writing about it!
Below, I’ll go over some money mindset exercises that will change the way you think about money. It’s time to eliminate those negative money thoughts and replace them with an abundance money mindset instead.
How To Change Your Money Mindset
Before we discuss how to change your money mindset, let’s cover the basics! What even is a money mindset?
A money mindset refers to your thoughts, feelings, and beliefs about finances, whether negative or positive. Your personal experiences, cultural background, and upbringing shape your behaviors and habits around money in your life.
If you’re eager to achieve your full financial potential, try these money mindset exercises:
Think About Your Past Experiences with Money
Many of our core beliefs about money stem from childhood. This is referred to as a “money story” we tell ourselves as we develop our mindset around it. When you were growing up, what did your parents teach you about money? Maybe they taught you how to save money and encouraged you to buy things with your allowance. On the flip side, you may have seen them fighting and stressed out about money. These lessons and experiences can stay with us well into adulthood.
Did you see their money habits and adopt them as your own behaviors? This is what creates our relationship with money, how we think about it, and how we view spending and earning it. As you grow older, you adopt new ways to manage your money beyond what your parents may have taught you. Once you acknowledge how your views and behaviors around your finances came to be, you can embrace a money mindset shift.
Forgive Yourself for Money Mistakes and Bad Decisions
We’ve all made money mistakes. We’re human, and it’s all part of the learning process. Maybe you racked up credit card debt while in college and are currently trying to pay it down. Instead of thinking about this in a shameful way toward yourself for getting into debt, reframe your mindset. Think about all the things you were able to do and afford while you were getting an education. It served a purpose, and now you’re working to pay them off.
Ruminating about what you should have or could have done differently with your money never does any good. What matters is what you choose to do next! Practice compassion for yourself and accept those money decisions you made. Adopt the abundance money mindset, believing there’s always more money to make, even when you lose some.
Take a Look at Your Current Money Habits
You can’t make a money mindset shift without first examining your current habits. Look at your bank or credit card statement and review the charges for the last month. What moods or feelings are attached to each purchase? Perhaps the money you spent on new clothing brought you joy in the moment, but now it’s causing you stress and regret in retrospect. That iced coffee you buy every day might make you happy, and it also doesn’t affect your budget negatively, so you continue to treat yourself.
Understanding how your spending habits affect your mental health, thoughts, and emotions helps you adjust your mindset. Maybe you want to take on a mindset to save money and spend less on things you don’t really need. Or you’re looking for a meaningful career where you make more money that fuels your purpose and passion. Once you’re aware of your current money habits, you can look for ways to improve them.
Practice Gratitude with Your Finances
Even if you’re not where you want to be financially, be thankful for what you have right now. Having a roof over your head, a job with a steady income, a fridge with food, and a car to get you where you need to go. Feel gratitude for what you currently have, but still welcome that anticipation for all the good to come! Keep a gratitude journal and jot down what you’re thankful for with your finances and all other aspects of your life. Practice gratitude daily and recognize all things worth celebrating, no matter how small they may seem!
Forget about comparing yourself to others and focusing on what you don’t have. Money doesn’t have to control you or your thoughts (this can get exhausting and overwhelming!). Instead, redirect negative thoughts about your finances and shift to the abundance money mindset. This will help you welcome more money into your life rather than obsessively stress over not having enough. Financial mental blocks and self-limiting beliefs can get in the way of your future money wins.
It’s Time to Make Your Money Mindset Shift
We all know how powerful our thoughts and feelings are in our everyday lives. So why are we so hesitant when it comes to our finances? Whether you have negative emotions surrounding money from your upbringing or are ready to feel empowered rather than controlled by your finances, it’s time to take action. Learning how to change your money mindset through money mindset exercises is a great first step. Hiring a coach, however, brings personalized, ongoing guidance and support for enduring change.
Book a complimentary 1-hour session, and let this be the moment you start rewriting your financial story, one where abundance flows and your financial decisions propel you toward your most cherished goals and dreams.
