Although it may seem like an oxymoron to feel guilty about something positive, this is how you might view money. You may have an attachment and aversion toward money. On one hand, you want more of it. On the other hand, you want as little to do with it as possible.
Money creates conflicting beliefs. You may have many contradictory thoughts, feelings, and beliefs about it. Let’s take a closer look at the psychology of money so that you can stop feeling guilty when you begin to prosper.
How You Develop Your Negative Beliefs About Money
There are many ways that you develop negative beliefs about money. Interestingly, one way you might develop negative money beliefs about money is through entertainment.
When watching a thrilling, action-packed drama like Equity, a movie about a woman’s rise to success in the ruthless world of investment banking, it’s easy to adopt an unconscious belief that money is dangerous and that the less of it we have the safer and happier we will be. If you see a movie like this, you have to remember that this is just a movie; it’s not an insider look at the real nature of money or an accurate depiction of the types of people who work on Wall Street.
After all, when you see an Avengers movie, you don’t believe that the world is populated with superheroes like Iron Man, Captain America, the Black Widow, Thor, the Hulk, and Captain Marvel, right?
How to Develop a Positive Perspective About Money
You can develop a positive relationship with money by seeking to improve your financial literacy. In fact, many financial institutions educate their customers on how to have good money management skills.
For instance, the best bank in Hawaii provides many services to empower customers to improve their financial health. They help them select the right account. They help them learn how to budget. And they help them with online banking tools to simplify money management.
The Risk of Holding Conflicting Views About Money
Money is a loaded word. We all experience mixed cultural messages about money all the time. Some days, you might strive to do all you can to get as much of it as possible because there are bills to pay or things you’d love to buy. You might work overtime at your job or get a second job for extra income.
Other days, you might view it as the root of all evil after you hear news stories about wealth, greed, and corruption or someone shares a personal story about how they got scammed into an investment.
Most of the time, these conflicting beliefs don’t bother you. However, things can get unsettling when you find work you love, get good at a certain skill-set that is in high demand and then get paid well for it, or receive an unexpected financial windfall. When this happens, all your mixed money beliefs get triggered. Instead of celebrating your good luck and good fortune, you feel depressed, distressed, and guilt-ridden.
If you don’t reconcile your conflicted feelings, then you will find a way to lose it all so that you can drop back to your comfort level of just having enough money to get by.
A Simple Way to End Confusion About Money
One of the simplest ways to clear money beliefs is to see money as it is. Get real about it. In truth, money is neither good nor bad. People who use it may be good or bad, but money is neutral. It is just a means of exchange, one that’s more convenient than bartering. If getting wealthy makes you feel guilty, then just remember that people are happily rewarding you for your good work.
I write like I think—fast, curious, and a little feral. I chase the weird, the witty, and the why-is-this-happening-now. From AI meltdowns to fashion glow-ups, if it makes you raise an eyebrow or rethink your algorithm, I’m probably writing about it. Expect sharp takes, occasional sarcasm, and zero tolerance for boring content.
