I used to think that managing money and personal finances wasn’t for me. That it was for those who “fit in”—the people who seemed to have their lives all figured out. But here’s the thing: the less you feel like you fit in—or the less you actually do—the more I’ve come to believe it’s essential to care for your personal finances.
Why? Because personal finance is about more than just money. It’s about creating a foundation of safety and autonomy that allows you to live authentically and thrive in a world that doesn’t always understand or accommodate differences.
You might be thinking, “But I feel frustrated with the economic system. I often question my role in it or wonder if I can engage with it in a meaningful way.” And I get it. The system can feel overwhelming, unjust, and even oppressive. Many of us look at it and think, “Why should I play along with something that feels so broken?”
But here’s the reality: choosing not to engage doesn’t free us from the system—it just limits our ability to navigate it on our terms. The system impacts us whether we like it or not. By taking steps to care for our personal finances, we gain the tools to build resilience, autonomy, and even the ability to challenge the system in meaningful ways.
Caring for your financial health doesn’t mean endorsing the system as it is. Instead, it’s about equipping yourself to navigate it while staying true to your values. It’s about creating stability so you can thrive despite the system—and perhaps even find ways to reshape it.
Imagine using financial stability to:
- Make choices that align with your values rather than being at the mercy of external circumstances.
- Challenge societal norms and pave the way for greater inclusion.
- Contribute to systemic change.
- Foster healing for those carrying financial trauma.
- Create a life where you’re less reliant on systems that feel misaligned with your values.
- Show others that traditional paths and societal norms aren’t the only ways to live a fulfilling, financially secure life.
- Support causes that matter to you.
Prioritizing financial health isn’t just about “boring budgeting”—it’s about contributing to a society that values inclusion, empowering people to live authentically, and creating space for more diverse ways of being.
In my work as a mental health physiotherapist and my previous experience as an economist, I’ve seen firsthand how deeply economic health is intertwined with mental health. And how traditional advice often overlooks the realities faced by those who’ve grown up in dysfunctional families or who live with ADHD, autism, trauma, depression, or anxiety. But we don’t have to follow someone else’s idea of what managing money should look like. We can rewrite the script in ways that work for us.
I’m still learning and far from mastering this myself, but I want to share my journey with you. This isn’t about buying into the system exactly as it is—it’s about reclaiming your power within it. Together, we can explore what that looks like. And we can take one tiny step at a time.
So let me ask you: What are your thoughts and feelings about this?