Money Story

Money story Persona: Berna, 42 Years Old, works as an engineer in a successful tech company. She earns a comfortable salary. On paper, she is financially secure. However, her relationship with money is heavily influenced by constantly comparing herself to her peers/society.

Her Unhealthy Money Story: Her belief that her self-worth is tied to her material possessions relative to her peers/society. That resulted in debt and affected her long-term financial health.

I have been genuinely surprised more often than not when I subsequently found that someone's real-life situation is a complete opposite to what was shared on social media.

It's a powerful reminder that what we see online is often just a highlight reel or sometimes, even a completely different story. And that's totally okay! It simply highlights the importance of focusing on our own journey and our own genuine well being, rather than getting caught up in comparing ourselves to an edited version of someone else's life(Haas, 2018).

Minimize contact with anything that triggers social comparison, especially if it doesn't contribute positively or meaningfully to your life. We all know the excitement of a new purchase or a shiny new thing. It makes us happy at that moment.

Money and material things can definitely make life more comfortable and enjoyable in the moment. However, they're not designed to be our ultimate source of lasting fulfillment. True, lasting joy often comes from things money can't buy like meaningful connections, personal growth, purpose and contributing to something bigger than ourselves.

If you've been chasing that next purchase hoping it will finally make you ' happy'," it might be time to shift your focus. Where can you find joy that doesn't come with an expiration date? Money is a tool to be used. It’s not a measure of your self-worth.

How Money Story coaching can help:

• Understanding the "why" behind the comparison.

• Challenge her thought. Social media reels may present an idealized and curated version of reality.

• Shifting Focus to her Internal Values and Goals. Creating a Vision for Her Own Success.

• Building Mindful Spending Habits, Tracking Spending with Awareness

Through thought provoking questions, Berna was able to gain new insights of her money story and take action to move towards improving her long-term financial health.

If you want guidance with emotional or money narratives, explore our Emotional Wellness Coaching or Money Mindset Coaching to begin your transformation. Let’s connect.

Reference: https://www.psychologytoday.com/sg/blog/prescriptions-for-life/201803/how-to-stop comparing-yourself-to-others