What’s Your Money Story? Discover 8 Hidden Money Patterns 🦋
Do you know your Money Story?
Most of us think money struggles are about numbers, budgets, or income. But in reality, our financial behaviour is often shaped by something far deeper: the stories we carry about money.
These stories are formed early in life and influence how we earn, spend, save, and invest, often without us realising it.
When you reveal the money story underneath your behaviour, real change becomes possible.
Understanding your money story is the first step toward building genuine financial confidence and self-trust.
Over the years, working with women and business owners, I’ve identified 8 core money stories that explain almost every financial behaviour I see.
1. The Scarcity Story 🦋
Core belief: There may never be enough.
- Behaviour: Holding tightly to money, anxiety about financial security, reluctance to spend even when there is plenty.
- Strength: Caution and awareness of risk.
- Growth opportunity: Learning that security can coexist with trust and possibility.
2. The Security Story 🦋
Core belief: Money keeps me safe.
- Behaviour: Saving obsessively, avoiding financial risk, anxiety over market changes.
- Strength: Stability and discipline.
- Growth opportunity: Expanding confidence and personal capacity to allow money to grow.
3. The Status Story 🦋
Core belief: Money reflects success and identity.
- Behaviour: Spending to maintain a lifestyle, comparing yourself to your peers, associating self-worth with net worth.
- Strength: Ambition and motivation.
- Growth opportunity: Separating self-worth from financial status.
4. The Freedom Story 🦋
Core belief: Money gives independence and choice.
- Behaviour: Desire for flexibility, avoiding structure like budgets or long-term planning.
- Strength: Vision, independence, and autonomy.
- Growth opportunity: Building supportive financial structures that enhance freedom rather than restrict it.
5. The Power Story 🦋
Core belief: Money creates control and influence.
- Behaviour: Strong financial drive, desire to control outcomes, discomfort with relying on others.
- Strength: Determination and self-reliance.
- Growth opportunity: Allowing collaboration and trusting others with money decisions.
6. The Love Story 🦋
Core belief: Money expresses care and generosity.
- Behaviour: Financially supporting loved ones, prioritising others’ needs, over-giving.
- Strength: Compassion and generosity.
- Growth opportunity: Balancing generosity with personal financial wellbeing.
7. The Avoidance Story 🦋
Core belief: Money feels overwhelming or uncomfortable.
- Behaviour: Delaying financial decisions, avoiding reviewing finances, handing money decisions to someone else.
- Strength: Careful and reflective, naturally thoughtful about financial choices and consequences.
- Growth opportunity: Building confidence and trust in one’s own financial capability.
8. The 'Not Good With Money' Story 🦋
Core belief: I don't want to make a mistake.
- Behaviour: Relying on others, doubting financial decisions, avoiding responsibility.
- Strength: Humility and openness to learning.
- Growth opportunity: Rebuilding trust in your own ability to make confident money decisions.
Most of Us Carry More Than One Story 🦋
Usually one story is dominant, and it shapes how you make financial choices every day. Recognising your dominant story is the key to:
- Stopping self-sabotage
- Making decisions with confidence
- Rewriting the relationship you have with money
Your money story needn’t define you and awareness of it can free you to make empowered, confident financial decisions.
Understanding your story is the first step. Financial therapy can then guide you to rewrite it in a way that supports your life, goals, and freedom.
Much love,
Jan 🌻
