Worry to Wealth: Understanding Anxious Money Attachment Type
Money attachments influence every behavior and decision we make relating to money. Understanding your unique attachment type and how to work with it can drastically improve your financial situation, as it did mine. The four types of attachments are:
- Anxious - See below
- Avoidant - Stay tuned
- Disorganized - Stay tuned
- Secure - Stay tuned
Anxious Money Attachment: I know this attachment type intimately because… it's me.
This may be your attachment type if you:
- Struggle to talk about money without feeling tense or defensive
- Watch every expense closely
- Hide or are not totally honest about financial decisions
- Save compulsively but still worry it's not enough
- Feel guilty spending money - even for necessities
- Constantly check bank balances for reassurance
- Overwork, hoping it will lead to financial security someday
- Avoid making financial decisions without someone else's input
What's going on? Our attachments show us where we're imbalanced as an opportunity to course-correct. This person desires financial peace and well-being, but is shrouded in anxiety. They desire predictability and safety, but instead feel insecure and fearful of financial instability.
Is there a better way? YES. When your body is used to feeling fear/anxiety, it can get addicted to those emotions, which impacts all areas of life. You can re-train your body to acclimate to calmness, which in turn will positively transform your relationship to money.
Game-changing behaviors I practice daily:
- Build Self-Trust: Start small— commit to reducing the frequency of habits like checking your bank account daily or micro-managing expenses.
- Calm Your Nervous System: Before doing anything money-related (e.g., paying bills, discussing money with partner), breathe deeply to calm yourself.
- Practice Emotional Awareness: Practice mindfulness techniques like journaling to identify patterns (i.e. compulsive saving) and their emotional triggers.
- Foster Financial Intimacy: Open up conversations about money with your partner or loved ones. Approach these talks with curiosity rather than defensiveness.
- Expect Improvement: What would happen if you assumed things will go better than you imagined possible?
If this feels overwhelming, I get it. You are not alone. Working with a financial coach to address deeper fears can be your ticket to financial peace.
