• Excessive use of alcohol or other substances leads to poor judgment, inattentiveness to finances, employment jeopardy, and secretiveness.
• Depression can cause careers to stall or even job disability. Depressed people are often unable to face financial responsibilities because of a la...

The most important emotions in relation to money are fear, guilt, shame, and envy.

• Common fears include the fear of not having enough, the fear of looking stupid, the fear of provoking envy, and the fear of being exposed or humiliated.

• I don’t have enough money.
• I’ve avoided thinking about finances.
• I’ve avoided doing what I’m supposed to do about finances (creating a safety net, planning for retirement, sensible budgeting).
• I’m really ignorant about all of this.

• Emotion isn’t all bad. It tells you what you’re passionate about, and what really matters to you. It makes you feel alive.
• Anxiety isn’t all bad either. Mild to moderate levels of anxiety are motivating. Harness them to tackle what you need to face and know that you will feel better...

It’s worth thinking about money as something with which you have a complex relationship. Your money is not a fixed entity, but rather a complex of data points, challenges, and opportunities you circle around, interact with, and have feelings about.

You make decisions about money that ...