Money stress can affect more than your bank account. It can take up mental space, make everyday decisions feel harder and leave you feeling like you need to fix everything at once.

As a Money Coach, one thing I remind women is that financial stress doesn’t mean you’ve failed with money. Sometimes, life and circumstances simply create more pressure than we’re prepared for.

You can’t spreadsheet your way out of financial stress.

Well… not always.

When mortgage repayments rise (like they will again this week), bills keep climbing and your money suddenly doesn’t stretch as far as it used to, the usual advice is:

Budget harder. Spend less. Get more disciplined.‍

But there’s another piece we don’t talk about enough.

What financial stress does to our brain.‍

When money feels threatening, we can catastrophise, avoid the numbers, procrastinate on decisions or become so overwhelmed that we freeze.

And that's exactly when we need our best thinking.

When money feels overwhelming, here are three things I encourage you to try.

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1. Create some distance.

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When you’re in the middle of a financial problem, it can be difficult to see your options clearly.

Try to imagine the situation belongs to someone you care about, and they’ve come to you for advice.

What would you tell them?

You might be much more compassionate and practical with someone else than you are with yourself. Creating that little bit of psychological distance can help you step away from the immediate emotion and think about possible options, trade-offs and next steps.

You don’t need to have the perfect answer. You just need enough space to think clearly.

2. Focus on what you can control

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One of the hardest parts of financial stress is the feeling that everything is happening to you.

Interest rates. Inflation. Grocery prices. Energy costs.

There are plenty of things you can’t control.

But there are also things you can influence.

Your spending. Your subscriptions. How you structure your bills. Whether you speak to your lender. Whether you look for ways to increase your income. Whether you ask for help.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed, I find it helpful to separate these into two categories: what I can’t control and what I can influence.

You may not be able to change the bigger economic picture, but you can decide where to put your attention.

And sometimes, regaining a little sense of control is the first step towards feeling less overwhelmed.

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3. Separate the facts from the story

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Financial stress can make our thoughts run ahead of the facts.

For example:
‍The fact: “My mortgage has increased by $160 each month.”
The story: “Everything is falling apart. I’ll never get ahead.”

The first statement gives you something you can work with. The second can make the problem feel much bigger and harder to solve.

When you notice yourself spiralling, pause.

Name what you’re feeling, then come back to the numbers.

What do you actually know? What has changed? What needs your attention right now?

Start with the facts. Then work out your next step.

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Finding Financial Wellbeing

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Financial wellbeing isn't always about getting ahead—it can also be about navigating a difficult season while continuing to live a life that feels rich in all the ways that matter. 

If money feels overwhelming right now, remember: you don’t have to figure it all out on your own.

Follow https://womentalkingfinance.com.au/ for practical money conversations and guidance to help you build greater financial confidence.

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