62 www . AspireMAG . net | December 2023 / January 2024
Befriending
YOUR MONEY FEARS IN TIMES OF TRANSITION
BY MARY JO RATHGEB
Oh , money ! You tend to love it or hate it . Or you tend to love to love it , love to hate it , hate to love it or hate to hate it ! There are so many emotions stirred up by money that it is rare to find someone who is truly neutral about it . So why is money so charged with emotions ? It ’ s because it is tied to your sense of safety and security , and many of your beliefs about money were formed in childhood through your family of origin , past experiences , your culture , and the society you grew up in , and more . These beliefs may not even be conscious ! They are so ingrained that you likely accept them without question .
Whenever you are in a transition point in your life or business , money fears are bound to come up . It ’ s completely normal . Why ? It ’ s normal because times of transition are times of uncertainty . They are times of leaving behind the familiar and stepping into the unknown . This triggers your fears of safety and survival , and your nervous system automatically reacts to perceptions of danger or threat as responses of fight , flight , freeze or fawn .
Here ’ s an overview of how fear may show up for you :
Fight : If it ’ s fight , you will tend to get angry and blame other people or outside situations for your fears . You may blame your partner or spouse for their
62 www . AspireMAG . net | December 2023 / January 2024