Money Isn’t Just About Money ✨

Let’s talk money… oh, not again, I can hear you say! Yes again 

For many of us, money feels like a “taboo” subject. Too trivial, too superficial, maybe even a bit embarrassing to talk about.

You might even think, “I should be focusing on the serious stuff, not money!”

The truth is: money is never just about money.

It’s about self-worth, safety, personal power, our ability to receive… and ultimately, our freedom to choose.

Why money can feel unreliable

Think about it. If love, acceptance, or safety felt unreliable when you were younger, it’s very common for money to feel the same as an adult; unreliable, unpredictable, sometimes there… and sometimes gone.

Money relationship issues usually stem from deeply held beliefs, often shaped in childhood. It’s not always about what actually happened, but rather about the meaning we attached to it at the time. As kids, we made sense of the world the best way we could, and sometimes those beliefs stick around far too long.

The spectrum of money struggles

Money challenges don’t all look the same. They can show up as:

• Scarcity consciousness - never feeling there’s enough, always in fear of loss.
• Overspending - chasing short-term pleasure and avoiding discomfort.
• Over-frugality - holding so tightly to money that life feels restricted.
• Earning capacity blocks - hitting an invisible ceiling on what feels possible.
• High-wealth sadness - even with hundreds of millions, unable to stop the ‘doing,’ never at peace, and feeling deeply unhappy.

Different behaviours, that stem from beliefs and stories about worth, safety, and love.

My own messy money story

For much of my earlier life, my relationship with money was… let’s just say, a bit messy.

I supported partners who didn’t support me. I was betrayed when someone I trusted stole from me. I often spent more than I intended, chasing short-term pleasure that left me with long-term financial frustration, disappointment, and self-judgment. I was filling an emptiness, a gap.

Yes, there were many successes I experienced along the way that I was proud of. But those patterns around money persisted.

Eventually, I realised something important: money wasn’t the problem.

Money was a mirror, reflecting what I truly believed about myself.

The beliefs beneath the patterns

Some of those beliefs looked like this:

• I’m not good enough
• I don’t deserve this
• I can’t set boundaries
• I’m different

And life, people, circumstances, events, kept confirming those horrible beliefs. That’s how the mind works. You’ve probably heard of confirmation bias: our brains collect evidence to prove what we already believe. If your mind believes you’re ‘hopeless with money,’ it will create behaviours that reinforce that belief. That’s the loop.

The turning point

Everything began to shift when I stopped seeing money as the problem and started seeing it as a mirror.

Money was reflecting to me the inner work I most needed to do.

Hypnosis helped me uncover the root causes. And yes, therapists need therapy too. The subconscious really is the therapist’s best friend. 😀

The work I do now comes directly from my own money journey. I couldn’t share the knowledge and wisdom I have today if I hadn’t lived through it and worked through it myself.

Patterns aren’t permanent

Here’s the good news: patterns can shift.

As I healed those old beliefs, everything changed. My finances improved, yes but so did my confidence, my boundaries, my choices, and my sense of freedom.

One of my clients had always associated money with conflict. As a child, she grew up surrounded by arguments and fights about money. For her, money meant trouble.

Through awareness and reframing, she was able to let go of that old story. Money no longer felt like a battleground. Instead, she began creating freedom and abundance in a way that felt joyful.

Here’s the formula, or as one of my highly respected colleagues calls it …the code.

 👉Awareness 

 👉Identify beliefs

 👉 Heal the hurt

 👉 Break the pattern

 👉 New iteration of Self

What money is really about

Money isn’t just about paying bills or building wealth.

It’s about:

• Feeling safe to receive
• Trusting yourself
• Creating choices
• And yes… bringing more ease and fun into life

So when people ask me, “Is it okay to mix serious therapy and ‘taboo’ money?” my answer is always: absolutely.

Over to You

So let me ask you: How do you feel about money today?

💸 Excited
😰 Stressed
🤔 Curious
😌 Secure
😔 Guilty
😮 Overwhelmed

However you answered, know this: money mirrors our earliest relationships. And once you understand that, the whole story can change.

Heal your money story, change your life.

EnJoy,
Jan
Financial Therapist | Money Relationship Coach