When it comes to MONEY, you are

TOO AFRAID OF FAILURE & RISK

How this FEAR OF FINANCIAL RISK shows itself in your MONEY and life

You tend to keep your money in ultra-safe places even when it means missing opportunities for growth. You might have a savings account but shy away from other options that could help your money grow faster. When facing financial decisions, you often find yourself stuck in "analysis paralysis," spending hours researching but still feeling too uncertain to move forward. You might catch yourself imagining all the worst-case scenarios: "What if I lose everything?" or "What if this is a scam?"

This caution shows up in practical ways too - perhaps you've stayed at the same job for years despite being underpaid because it feels secure. Maybe you've inherited money but keep it in a low-interest account because other options seem scary. You probably feel a knot in your stomach when financial conversations come up, especially when they involve change or new approaches. While your friends might talk excitedly about investments or business ideas, you smile politely but think to yourself, "That's not for me - it's too risky."

At the core, you prefer the certainty of what you have now over the possibility of having more later if it involves any uncertainty. This isn't about being lazy or unmotivated - it's about a deep fear that one wrong move could lead to financial disaster. This pattern keeps you safe in the short term but may be limiting your long-term financial wellbeing.

5-10 Years in the Future: What Happens If You Don't Change

If this pattern continues unchanged, your financial future will likely feel stable but stagnant. Ten years from now, you'll probably have the same basic financial setup you have today - perhaps with a bit more in savings, but not significantly more wealth or passive income streams.

Your emergency fund might be impressively strong, but inflation will have silently eroded the purchasing power of your savings as they sit unused in low-interest accounts. You'll have effectively lost money by trying to stay "safe." Meanwhile, you'll likely watch as some friends and colleagues take calculated risks that lead to financial freedom - perhaps through real estate, investments, career changes, or business ventures - while you remain in the same cycle of financial safety but limited growth.

The emotional toll might be significant too. You may experience increasing anxiety about your financial future as you realize that "playing it safe" hasn't prepared you adequately for retirement or other long-term goals. The gap between where you are and where you could have been will likely widen, potentially leading to regret about the paths not taken and opportunities missed.

Most painfully, you might realize that what felt like the "safe" approach wasn't actually safe at all - it just protected you from immediate risk while exposing you to the longer-term risk of insufficient growth. This realization often comes too late, when there's less time to change course and take the thoughtful risks that could lead to greater abundance.

5 Ways to Overcoming Your FEAR OF FINANCIAL RISK

1. Start with tiny, low-pressure money experiments When money feels scary, start super small. Try setting aside just $5 each week for something slightly different than usual. Maybe it's a small investment app or a different savings approach. The amount doesn't matter - what's important is getting comfortable with the feeling of trying something new with money.

Think of it like dipping your toe in the water instead of diving into the deep end. If you've never invested before, don't start with complicated options - try a simple, low-fee index fund with just a small amount. If you've always kept all your money in one account, experiment with creating a separate savings account for a specific goal.

Each small step builds your confidence muscle, showing you that not every risk ends in disaster. In fact, you'll likely find that these small experiments give you valuable experience and information, whether they "succeed" or not. The key is to start so small that failure wouldn't significantly impact your finances. Remember: baby steps still move you forward, and they're much better than standing still!

2. Create a "learning budget" for financial education Set aside a small amount of money (like $20-50) that you're completely okay with potentially losing. Use this as your "learning money" - funds specifically meant for trying new things and gaining experience. This might mean buying a book about personal finance, taking an affordable online course, or even making a small investment just to understand how the process works.

The magic of a learning budget is that it changes your relationship with financial risk. When you've mentally assigned money to education rather than pure profit, you win either way - if the venture succeeds financially, great! But if it doesn't, you've still "succeeded" because you've gained knowledge and experience.

This separated amount helps you experiment without feeling like your security is threatened. It creates a psychological safe space for financial growth and learning. Consider it tuition in your personal "financial literacy school" - an investment in your knowledge rather than a risky gamble.

3. Keep a "money journey journal" Many of us were taught that financial mistakes are devastating failures. This belief keeps us paralyzed with fear. Start writing down what you learn from each money choice – good or bad. When something doesn't work out as planned, ask yourself: "What did this teach me? How am I smarter now?"

Your journal might include observations like: "I tried that budgeting app but found it too complicated. I learned I need something simpler to start with." Or "I waited too long to ask for that raise and missed the opportunity. Next time I'll prepare my request earlier in the fiscal year."

This simple practice helps transform "failures" into valuable lessons. Over time, you'll begin noticing patterns in what works for you and what doesn't. You'll build confidence in your ability to learn and adapt, regardless of outcomes. Most importantly, you'll start seeing financial setbacks as data points in your learning journey rather than devastating personal failures.

4. Use the "what's the worst that could happen?" technique When financial fear creeps in, grab a notebook and write down your specific worry. Then ask: "What's the worst that could reasonably happen?" and "How would I handle it if it did?" This technique helps separate realistic concerns from catastrophic thinking.

For example, if you're afraid to invest in the stock market, write down "I'm worried I'll lose all my money." Then challenge yourself: "What's the actual worst-case realistic scenario?" Well, if you invested in a diversified fund (not just one stock), you wouldn't lose everything overnight. Markets fluctuate, but total and permanent loss is extremely rare with diversified investments. And how would you handle a temporary downturn? You might write: "I would keep my day job, cut back on some expenses, and wait for the market to recover."

Most of the time, you'll realize you're catastrophizing, and the realistic worst-case scenario is actually manageable. This mental rehearsal helps shrink vague money fears down to size and reminds you of your ability to handle challenges. It puts you back in control instead of letting anxiety make your decisions.

5. Find a "reality check" friend Many of us get stuck in our own fearful thought patterns about money. Our inner monologue might catastrophize small risks or convince us that financial disasters lurk around every corner. A reality check friend can be the voice of balanced reason.

Find someone who has a healthy relationship with money - not reckless, but not paralyzed by fear either. This could be a friend, family member, or even a financial coach or counselor. When you're feeling stuck or scared about a financial decision, share your thinking process with them and ask if your worry seems proportionate to the situation.

Sometimes just hearing "that's actually not as risky as you're thinking" from someone you trust can provide the reality check you need to move forward with more confidence. They might also share their own experiences of taking calculated risks that worked out well, or even risks that didn't work out but weren't devastating either. These real-world examples can be powerful antidotes to financial anxiety.

Remember, the goal isn't to become reckless with money, but to find a balanced approach where calculated risks are possible rather than paralyzing. With time and practice, you can move from fear-based financial decisions to growth-oriented ones.

Your Next Step

Book a Free 15-Minute Intro Psychic Call to discover how your inner patterns might be influencing your relationship with money and how to align with your true abundance potential.