What If Your Relationship with Money Didn’t Have to Feel So Serious?
Money. For so many women, especially ambitious, driven women, just hearing the word can spark a flurry of emotions. Stress. Guilt. Pressure. Even shame.
We’re told to “be good with money,” but what does that even mean? That we have a perfectly colour-coded spreadsheet? That we never make a mistake? That we say no to anything remotely indulgent because it’s not “sensible”?
Let’s be honest, many of us have inherited a relationship with money that feels more like a strict headteacher than a loving, supportive partner. But what if it didn’t have to be this way? What if your relationship with money didn’t feel serious, stressful or restrictive?
What if it could feel light, energising, even fun?
I know that might sound radical. We’ve been conditioned to believe money is hard. That it’s complicated. That it’s not something to be enjoyed, but something to be endured, mastered, controlled.
But money isn’t just numbers on a screen. It’s not just budgets and bank balances. It’s not just whether you did or didn’t buy that coffee this morning.
Money is a relationship. One you’re in every single day, whether you acknowledge it or not. So, the real question becomes, what kind of relationship do you want with money?
The Power of a Positive Money Relationship
Imagine this, you speak kindly to yourself when you check your bank balance. You celebrate your small wins, a client payment, a cancelled subscription you finally remembered to cancel, choosing a night in over an impulse purchase. You feel confident talking about money with friends, clients, or your partner. You stop second-guessing your financial decisions and start backing them.
This isn’t a fantasy. This is what a confident, healthy, empowered relationship with money can look like. And it’s available to you.
But it requires a mindset shift.
Because the goal isn’t to be perfect with money. The goal is to feel powerful with money. To know that it’s a tool you can use. To trust yourself to make decisions, learn from the ones that don’t go to plan and keep moving forward.
Why So Serious?
So many women tell me they feel like they’re failing when it comes to money. They feel guilty for what they spend. Ashamed of what they don’t know. Frustrated that they’re earning well but still feel anxious when it comes to managing it.
And so, they tighten the grip. They try to get “serious” about money. They download apps. They read books. They set strict budgets. And then they get overwhelmed and abandon it all two weeks later.
Can we give ourselves permission to do it differently? Money doesn’t need more of your seriousness. It needs more of your attention, yes. Your intention, definitely. But not your stress.
You can be smart with money and still enjoy it. You can plan for the future without depriving yourself in the present. You can bring ease and playfulness into the process without being reckless.
Redefining the Rules Let’s rewrite the rules we’ve been taught about money.
Old rule: Talking about money is uncomfortable.
New rule: Talking about money builds confidence, clarity and connection.
Old rule: You should always say no to spending on yourself.
New rule: Conscious spending is an act of self-respect.
Old rule: You’re either good or bad with money.
New rule: Your relationship with money is a skill you can build, at any stage and on your terms.
This is what money confidence looks like. It’s not perfection. It’s presence. It’s being in the conversation. It’s choosing how you want your money story to go, instead of repeating the one you inherited.
Making Money a Trusted Business Partner
For the women I work with, entrepreneurs, coaches, consultants, creatives, money is more than just personal. It’s entwined in your business, your legacy, your impact. And yet, so often, it’s the part we avoid.
We don’t want to raise our prices because we don’t want to appear greedy. We avoid looking at the numbers because we’re scared of what we might find. We undersell our work because we worry, we’re not “ready” yet.
But what if money wasn’t the enemy in the room?
What if money was your most loyal business partner? The one cheering you on as you go after your goals. The one helping you say no to misaligned work. The one keeping you focused on what truly matters.
When you treat money as a partner, not a punishment, you start to approach decisions differently. You ask different questions. You expect more. You become more.
Confidence Without Perfection
Let me be clear. This isn’t about ignoring the practical side of money. Knowing your numbers matters. Saving for the future matters. Protecting your income and assets matters.
But how you feel while doing all of that matters too.
Bringing joy into your life with money, doesn’t mean being careless. Playfulness doesn’t mean immaturity. Confidence doesn’t mean never making mistakes. It means giving yourself permission to enjoy your money. To use it well. To make it work for you, not against you.
Because when money stops feeling like a battle, it becomes so much easier to manage.
So, what kind of relationship do you want? If money were a person, how would you describe your current relationship?
Are you avoiding their calls? Do they make you feel anxious? Do you only talk when something goes wrong? Or are you building something that feels healthy, supportive and aligned?
This isn’t about fixing everything overnight. It’s about starting a new conversation. One where you stop seeing money as a source of stress and start seeing it as a source of possibility.
You deserve to feel powerful, purposeful and proud in your relationship with money.
You deserve to trust yourself with it. You deserve to enjoy it.
Because when mindset and money meet with ease, clarity and confidence, everything changes.
Let money be the partner you want in your corner, not the one you dread dealing with. Let your goals excite you, not intimidate you. Let your wins be celebrated, not brushed aside. Let your decisions come from a place of confidence, not fear.
Your relationship with money is one of the longest relationships you’ll ever have. Make it a good one.
Lesley Thomas is the founder of The Money Confidence Academy and host of the Let’s Talk Money and More podcast.
For more information visit, www.themoneyconfidenceacdemy.com, to find out more about Lesley, her coaching and resources. Or connect with her on LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-thomas
Tune into the ‘Let’s Talk Money and more’ podcast, to hear from Lesley and her guests, talking everything money, mindset and financial growth.
