The Energized Woman

I’ve been talking a lot about how our lifestyle habits and choices impact our energy levels, and in today’s post I’d like to shift to a different area of our lives.  When it comes to your energy levels and overall health, you really can’t separate the physical from the mental.  They really are intertwined, and I would imagine that is why there is such a growing body of mind-body medicine and research.  Even as you make changes to improve your daily lifestyle habits, if you’re still experiencing a great deal of mental stress it can really wreak havoc on your health, energy levels, and well-being.

The focus for today is on a particular type of mental stress that seems to be affecting so many people these days:  finances.  Whether we’re actually talking about our own financial situation or listening to stories either in the news or from friends and family members, the emotions that are stirred up can really begin to take their toll.  Depression-like symptoms are showing up in a lot of individuals, as the pressure from a challenging financial picture continues to increase.  Sleep problems are on the rise, and relationships are suffering.  The uncertainty that so many families are experiencing has brought stress to a whole new level.

Although I don’t encourage dwelling in the land of negativity, I do believe that when it comes to dealing with a negative financial situation an important first step is to get honest.  So many of us have been living in a state of denial for so long, and I can understand that part of it is that there’s a deep fear of really facing the situation.  But, just like in so many areas of your life, nothing can truly change and improve until you acknowledge what is really happening.  And continuing to withhold the truth from others, as well as yourself, can absolutely wreak havoc on you physically and emotionally.

So today, I would like to invite you to begin the process by being honest with yourself.  What is your financial situation?  What role have you played in creating the situation?  What stories are you telling yourself about money?  What do you know that you need to do differently?  What can you start doing differently beginning today?  Also, with whom might you need to have a conversation eventually?

It takes a lot of courage to be honest with yourself.  But before you can be honest with others, you really do need to tell yourself the truth.  And, ultimately, you will experience a sense of relief and freedom when you begin to tell yourself the truth, and you will feel this on both a physical and mental level. 

If you would like more ideas for moving into a healthier place financially, please tune in to the Be Well Wednesday audio blog on 11/11.  For details, please click here.