Money Honey

I’ve been parked inside this Starbucks for a while now. The house is full of dust and glue as the drywall goes up. My distaste for the basement is greater than my feelings about Starbucks coffee.

So here I sit, sipping a blonde roast.
It still tastes burnt.

The morning has been spent on finances; figuring out what we’ve spent on the house this month, where we’re tracking in our remodel budget and feeling guilty about how much I spent on my hair. I’ve given myself the gift of Robyn to make money stress feel less burdensome.

Money is funny, honey.
putting coffee down. 

It’s one of those topics, like religion, we’re taught to hide from others. For fear of making others feel bad, or making ourselves look bad. Money rarely has a positive connotation.

How many people know how much you make?
Know where you spend your money?
Know how much you save?

Admit it, you’re weird about your money.

I’m fascinated by the topic of money. It’s something we all make, spend and have. It’s something every single person has in common – whether we have just a little or a lot.

We all need to eat.
We all need a place to live.
We all want to make money.
Usually more of it.
And want to buy things that improve our life.

And yet we hold shame around it. Whether we have just a little or a lot.

Like most things, when we are generous in sharing personal experiences about difficult topics, others return the favor. I find this to be especially true about money.

Everyone is scared to talk about money. I notice people sound apologetic when they make a lot (especially women). When they don’t make enough, people usually talk about how it’s temporary. 

How do I know this is a universal thing? BECAUSE I’VE DONE IT TOO.

And I think this is a bad thing. Because we wind up hoarding our knowledge around money. People who are good with money tend not to share their tips. And people who aren’t are afraid to ask for help. 

You could argue (and you probably have) that it’s nobody’s business. But the money secrecy perpetuates shame.

We never know where “normal” is, so we assume we are “not-normal”. We all believe others are making more than us, have their shit together or are somehow happier in their relationship with money.

Since opening up about my relationship with money in front of others, I have learned that absolutely none of that bullshit is true. 

My relationship with money has changed a lot over the past few years. I’ve created some new habits that make money feel easier, and put myself in positions that make me feel desperate.

IDK would you wanna read that?

Danielle