Make The Money; Don’t Let It Make You 

There was no better way for Ronnie to tell Diamond in the movie The Players Club the key to getting to the bag without getting caught up in everything else that comes with the money! Some movie quotes just sit with you, & that’s one that stays with me. It says so much without saying much, & a lot of people miss the point.

     Money has the ability to change so much about ourselves, people in our lives, & people who are observing our lives. When we have more money, we tend to be a little less stressed, & some people think they’re happier. When we’re lacking funds, we get stressed, & our moods turn to the grumps. For me, having enough or a little more money takes away one less worry, but it doesn’t make me happier. Once I run out of things to do with it, boredom kicks in & I have to find something else to occupy my time. Now when my money is stretched, my attitude is on rude! I’m in too deep trying to figure out how to make things happen to be in a good mood. Thank goodness my other half is the calm one to my storminess!

     What I can say is money can make others around you & those observing you move differently. Some people flock to you, others quietly hate, but most assume all is well just because your finances are. Lies, BIG LIES! How many rich folks do y’all think are really happy just because they are more financially stable than us average folks? Take Diddy, for example. Brother Love has expressed many times how he’s battled depression & grief over the last couple of years, & he has plenty of money. Not to mention, there are plenty of rich people who have committed suicide. Long story short, money can’t buy happiness!

Help Is On The Way!

     Now, how can your finances affect your self-care? Sooooo many ways! Even though money can be a stressor, not having money doesn’t bar you from prioritizing your self-care. There are a variety of things you can do to lessen the stress of financial mess. A few things I do for a cushion are budgeting better, making sure there is a direct deposit weekly into my savings account for just-in-case money, & making a grocery list that I stick to each week. These things help me thing less about how much money I do & don’t have. I also have a separate account for bills & everything else so I don’t have to constantly check to see when someone finally deducts their payment.

     I also make sure to fit a few low-cost & free self-care activities in. We all know about my journaling & meditation journey, & I need to get back to my yoga sessions on YouTube. I also will sit on my porch & chill or watch tv, read books, & listen to Audibles & podcasts. During the pandemic, I’d give myself pedicures. And let’s not forget an all-time favorite: a day trip! Being a few hours to the mountains or beach is perfect for us to hop in the car & get away for 24 hours. I need to plan one soon 🤔.

     Moral of the story: don’t let your finances hinder you from taking care of yourself. There’s always something you can do to decompress, even when your finances are the source of your stress & it seems there are no options. Put yourself in your budget. No sense in working to pay everyone except yourself!