How to Create a More Conscious Relationship With Your Finances

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Photo Credit: @monikh

CAREER + MONEY

How to Create a More Conscious Relationship with Your Finances

Money is more than numbers—it’s energy, emotion, and often, old beliefs we didn’t even know we had. Creating a conscious relationship with your finances isn’t just about budgeting better—it’s about bringing awareness, intention, and even compassion to how you earn, spend, save, and invest.

BY HARRIET ISHBEL SWEENEY / 05 MAY 2025

Photo Credit: @monikh

Let’s be honest: money talk can feel awkward. Especially when the conversation veers into territory like “financial wellness” or “money mindset.” You either feel like you’ve got it all figured out, or you're one click away from googling “can I retire on vibes alone?”

But here’s the thing. Your relationship with money isn’t just about budgeting apps or saving 10 percent of your income. It’s emotional. It’s behavioural. And for a lot of us, it’s unconscious.

So what if we made it conscious?

What if your financial life wasn’t just about surviving or achieving — but about being aware, intentional and empowered?

Here’s how to build a relationship with your finances that feels less shame spiral, more self-worth in action.

start by acknowledging your financial story

We all have a money story — even if we’ve never thought of it that way. It’s shaped by how we were raised, what we saw growing up, and what we’ve absorbed from society about wealth, success, debt and value.

Maybe money was tight, so now you feel guilty spending. Maybe your family never spoke about finances, so now you avoid the topic altogether. Or maybe you’ve always tied your worth to how much you earn, save or invest.

Take a moment to reflect:

What messages did I grow up hearing about money?
How do I feel when I spend money on myself?
Do I judge others (or myself) for earning more or less?

Getting honest about your financial beliefs is the first step toward shifting them.

separate self-worth from net worth

This one’s big. In a world obsessed with hustle, status and how much someone’s holiday cost, it’s easy to equate financial success with personal value.

But your worth is not your income bracket. It’s not your savings account. And it’s definitely not defined by whether you’ve “made it” by 30.

Conscious finance starts with decoupling money from identity. You’re allowed to want abundance and still know that your inherent value doesn’t fluctuate with your bank balance.

Money is a tool, not a trophy.

Photo Credit: @monikh

get clear on your values

If you’re not clear on what matters to you, your money will end up serving someone else’s priorities. The latest trend, the biggest sale, or that thing you bought because an influencer told you it was “life-changing.”

So take stock. What are your actual values? Freedom? Security? Creativity? Giving back? Rest?

Then ask: does your current financial behaviour align with those values?

For example:

If you value creativity, are you allocating money for classes, tools or time off to explore it?
If you value calm, are you avoiding your finances entirely and creating low-key chaos?

Let your money reflect your values, not your anxieties.

build financial rituals, not just budgets

Budgets can be helpful. But they’re not exactly sexy, and they rarely last when built out of guilt.

So try rituals instead. Think of it as financial hygiene — little practices that create awareness and agency.

Some ideas:

A weekly “money date” where you check in with your spending and goals
Journaling your purchases to notice patterns or emotional triggers
Naming your savings accounts something meaningful (e.g. “Freedom Fund,” “Slow Living Savings”)
Doing a monthly review with a cuppa, a candle and zero shame

The goal? Make it feel intentional, not punishing.

learn to spend with awareness (not anxiety)

It’s not about never spending. It’s about spending well — in ways that feel good during and after the transaction.

Ask yourself:

Am I buying this because I want it, or because I feel I “should”?
Will this purchase support the life I want to create?
How will I feel about this in a week?

Conscious spending doesn’t mean deprivation. It means choosing from a place of clarity, not compulsion.

Photo Credit: Shay in Finance

understand your triggers

Do you online shop when you're bored? Spend more after a bad day? Avoid opening bank statements because they spike your cortisol?

Money isn’t just maths — it’s emotional. The more you understand your triggers, the more you can support yourself through them.

Try noticing:

What time of day or mood leads to spending
Whether you’re more generous when you’re feeling guilty
If you avoid looking at your accounts until it’s urgent

Awareness leads to choice. Choice leads to change.

talk about it (even when it’s uncomfortable)

Silence breeds shame. And shame breeds unconscious decisions. Which is why talking about money — openly, honestly, and without judgement — is one of the most radical things you can do.

Start small. Talk to a friend about your savings goals. Ask your partner how they feel about money. Share what you’re learning with someone you trust.

You don’t have to have it all figured out. But inviting money into the conversation removes the secrecy and normalises growth.

redefine what wealth means to you

What if wealth wasn’t just financial?

What if it also included:

Time
Energy
Community
Health
Peace of mind

When you create a more conscious relationship with your finances, you start to see money as one piece of the puzzle — not the whole picture. And often, when you focus on those other kinds of wealth, your financial wellbeing improves too. Because you’re no longer chasing someone else’s version of success. You’re living your own.

the dandy takeaway

Creating a conscious relationship with money isn’t about becoming a budgeting guru or living off lentils. It’s about awareness. Intention. And treating your finances as part of your self-care, not something to fear or avoid.

Start where you are. Be gentle with yourself. And know that every mindful decision — no matter how small — is a step towards financial clarity, sovereignty and ease.

You don’t need a perfect financial plan. You just need to begin.

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