A Money Life Coach’s tips for improving your money mindset

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Money Life Coach, Fanny Snaith, joins us to share insight into creating a healthy relationship with money to help you reach your financial destination.

Where do you want to be financially?

Deciding what we want in life and setting goals is tricky when we don’t trust or believe in ourselves to achieve them. If you’ve recently become divorced or separated and found yourself a solo money manager again you might feel daunted by the future. Please know that with a little courage and a lot of curiosity – all will be well. Let me explain more.

When working with clients who want to improve their financial mindset, I invite them to see the money side of their life as a financial adventure. This can be a challenge if, like many, you feel managing money is complex or overwhelming. It can feel especially challenging if you’re partner has always managed your finances in the past. But it doesn’t need to feel this way.

Start your financial adventure

The financial adventure involves making a map of our money, setting a destination, or financial goal when we feel ready and motivated to do so and using a compass to track that we are keeping on track.

I have a lot of respect for the motivational speaker Jim Rohn who says

 “Start from wherever you are and with whatever you’ve got.”

Another phrase I use often is

“My past experiences have guided me to where I am meant to be, and I’ll start from wherever I am and with whatever I’ve got.”

Whatever we feel about your current situation, there are positive opportunities all around us when we choose to see them.

Making good financial decisions is a daily practice, involving good habits. Making well thought out long-term financial decisions that will affect us for the rest of our lives happens less frequently but is even more important. Feeling unsure or powerless to make the right financial choices can be life changing and not in a good way.

7 tips for changing your money mindset

Here’s some tips to get you started:

  • Using the financial adventure scenario, set a destination. It may be the very first step of getting in control of your money or saving money for a holiday, paying off debt or laying the financial foundations for your twilight years
  • Once you’ve identified your destination, work backwards to find a route to get there by establishing the habits and changes you can make to reach your goal in the right time frame
  • It can help to ring-fence savings by using a separate bank account or saving spaces or pots available with some banks
  • Make sure the goal is realistic and achievable based on your income and financial situation
  • Consider whether you can change your job or career or generate a new income stream to maximise your income and get closer to your objectives
  • Money can be a taboo topic but talking to trusted friends or family about finances can help
  • Consistency will pay off wherever you’re starting from.

Adjust your money mindset

I invite you to approach setting your destination with lots of curiosity and as much courage as you can muster.  Treat it like a brand-new subject – with no expectation that you know anything from the outset – and educate yourself as much as possible.

Ever felt like you’re “just not good with money”? Destination or goal setting can trigger feelings and highlight behaviours that are linked to our relationship with money. Notice the feelings that come up. Changing your mindset will help to change your self-identity and when you improve that – you will find yourself setting a destination that inspires you.

If you feel excitement and joy and can’t wait to start making a plan – then you’re on the right track.

If you’re feeling demoralised and lost, don’t worry. You can change this. Ask yourself what’s stopping you and be honest with yourself. Identifying obstacles is the first step to overcoming them.

A better financial future

Understanding ourselves and our relationship with money is the first steppingstone to a better financial life. If you are struggling to feel positive about money, starting this journey as soon as you can will help you to change that. The renewed focus on your finances will pay off in time.

You could get a helping hand by taking the Money Type Quiz on my website. Then if you want more advice why not have a free, no-obligation, half hour consultation with me.

Get in touch

Fanny Snaith is a UK-based Certified Money Coach (CMC) working with individuals and couples.

Visit www.fannysnaith.com for more information and resources or contact Fanny at [email protected].