Summary of this article
Financial anxiety stems from early experiences, shaping lifelong money behaviors.
Mindful practices transform money from fear-inducing to empowering tool.
Guidance, conversation, and clarity reduce fear, fostering financial peace.
By Sagneet Kaur
Money is rarely just money. It’s memory, emotion, and identity. It’s the quiet pulse behind our choices, the invisible weight behind our worries. In a culture that celebrates financial success but rarely speaks of financial fear, anxiety becomes the unspoken currency many of us trade in.
We often imagine financial anxiety as something reserved for those in crisis. But it’s far more democratic than that. It lives in the high-income executive who feels a persistent unease about the future. It lingers in the young professional who avoids checking their bank balance. It hides behind the compulsive spender, the obsessive saver, the chronic avoider. Financial anxiety doesn’t discriminate; it adapts.
We avoid looking at our bank statements, not because we don’t care, but because we care too much. We spend impulsively, not out of recklessness, but out of a desperate need to feel momentarily free. We save obsessively, not always out of prudence, but out of fear that tomorrow might betray us. At its core, this anxiety isn’t about how much we have. It’s about how safe we feel. And safety, in the realm of money, is rarely just numerical. It’s psychological. It’s historical. It’s deeply personal.
We inherit our money mindset long before we earn our first rupee. A childhood marked by scarcity can breed a lifelong fear of loss. A family that equates wealth with virtue can instil guilt around spending. These early scripts become internal dialogues, shaping how we earn, save, spend, and even dream about money.
But here’s the paradox: the more we fear money, the more control it has over us. And the more control it has, the less we feel in control.
So how do we heal ourselves from this?
Healing doesn’t always arrive in the form of a financial plan or a new investment strategy- maybe it begins with something far more intimate: a ritual. A quiet Sunday morning spent reviewing your finances not with dread, but with curiosity, even if it seems bad. A cup of tea beside you, soft music in the background, and no judgment in the air. This isn’t budgeting; it’s reconnecting. It’s reminding yourself that money is not a battlefield, but a conversation - one you’re allowed to have gently.
There’s something transformative about turning money into a mindful practice. Write down how you feel before making a purchase. Not to justify it, but to understand it. Creating a vision board that showcases not just wealth but also what can bring you peace. Not yachts and penthouses, but the feeling of breathing easy - a sense of security while sipping morning tea without dread, while watching your child sleep without calculating tuition costs, while planning a holiday without guilt. These aren’t financial hacks. They’re emotional recalibrations. They remind us that money is not just about what we can afford, but about what we can feel safe and fulfilled in desiring.
A small example to rewire your brains could be, say, you try to be generous, not the kind that demands applause, but the kind that whispers, “I have enough to share.” A small act, a tip, a donation, a gift, can shift something deep within. It tells the nervous system: there is enough. It rewires the brain from scarcity to sufficiency. It reminds us that abundance isn’t always about accumulation. Sometimes, it’s about release.
And perhaps anxiety thrives in silence. And silence is where shame grows. So, another most radical act of all is to talk. To break the silence. To speak about money not just in terms of numbers, but in terms of emotions. To say, “I feel anxious about this,” or “I don’t understand that,” without shame. Because when money becomes speakable, it becomes manageable. And when it becomes manageable, it becomes less frightening.
Financial peace, in the end, is not a destination. It’s a state of being. It’s the ability to look at your bank balance without flinching. To make decisions based on clarity, not fear. It is important to know that your worth is not tied to your wealth and that your future is not doomed by your past.
We are not born with money stories. We inherit them. But we also have the power to edit them. And in doing so, we don’t just change our bank accounts—we change our lives.
In a world that profits from panic, choosing calm is revolutionary. Choosing clarity is healing. And choosing to see money not as a threat, but as a tool- for freedom, for dignity, for joy - is the beginning of a new kind of wealth. And sometimes, clarity comes not just from introspection, but from guidance. A solid financial plan, crafted with the help of a trusted advisor, can offer more than structure; it can offer relief. When your financial roadmap reflects your values, your fears begin to lose their grip, and you feel more in control. Because knowing where you’re going, and why, is often the most powerful antidote to anxiety. A good financial advisor doesn’t just crunch numbers—they listen. They decode your fears, translate your goals into action, and become a steady companion in a journey that often feels overwhelming. In a world where money can feel like a maze, they help you walk through it with a little more confidence and a lot less fear.
(The author is SVP - Behavioural Finance & Consumer Insights, PGIM India AMC)
(Disclaimer: Views expressed are the author’s own, and Outlook Money does not necessarily subscribe to them. Outlook Money shall not be responsible for any damage caused to any person/organisation directly or indirectly.)
