Overwhelm can be a response to a positive situation. I heard this from Susie Moore and I will probably butcher her words, but it went something like this! We sometimes say: “I’m overwhelmed with all this work!“ and that’s a good thing, especially when we think we have work!

So, when we talk about our finances, why do we feel overwhelmed? Because you don’t have enough money to cover your basic living expenses? Or are you overwhelmed because no matter how much money you make there never seems to be enough to keep you going until the next pay-check? Or you do get to the  next pay-check but you never have enough to save? What is it that’s really stressing you?

And, is that a fact? Is it the truth or do you just think that that’s what’s going on? There’s a quote from Mark Twain that goes like this; “I’ve lived some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened!“. Let me say that again!

The four %money Brackets: let's talk about the Stressed bracket: You grew up in a stressed environment if you felt anxious and tension around money. It was never openly discussed but you “felt” it was a source of stress in your house. You still feel uncomfortable whenever money is mentioned around you!

The Unstable bracket: you grew up in an unstable environment if money was talked, well mostly shouted about openly and freely in front of you. If there was money you lived like rich people and the next week you barely had any food on the table. This bracket is full of negative emotions towards money even to this day you feel very emotional when money is concerned.

The Unaware bracket: you grew up in an unaware environment if you never even realised that money existed. No one talked about it, when you asked for something you usually got it. You either believed there was lots of money when you were growing up or you didn’t even think about it. Someone always took care of things for you and even today you feel that someone will come through if you need. That’s just how things have always been.

The Secure bracket: you grew up in a secure environment if money was discussed when you were growing up, openly by your parents, you might not have had everything you wanted but it was explained to you why and how you had to make choices. There might or might not have been a lot of money but the adults in your life were on the same page about it and there was no stress around money.

Now, depending on which bracket you fall, you have a few challenges to overcome. If you grew up in the stressed bracket you might have a scarcity mindset and always feel very emotional and stressed when people bring up money around you. You probably have been facing some challenges in your life. Not because you have debt or don’t earn enough money, but because you don’t seem to be able to let go of that feeling that pressed upon you growing up. Or if you grew up in the secure bracket you might be facing challenges because it seemed so easy when you were growing up but actually you don’t know very well how to manage your money now that you are a grown up! You found out that it’s not easy and just because it was modelled to you it doesn’t come naturally and you still have to work hard to stick to your money goals. If you grew up in the unaware bracket you probably feel you’ve been cheated, because no one taught you how to manage your money. Now that you are an adult no one is coming to take care of the money issues you face. And if you grew up in the unstable bracket, you might feel you can’t get out of the rat race! You spend all you have when you have it and then go without until the next pay day. You feel this is how it’s meant to be because that’s what was taught, or rather that’s what you grew up seeing. And it’s true that more is caught than taught!

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