Money, Mindfulness, and the Stories We Carry

Our relationship with money is never just about numbers.

It’s about nervous system responses, childhood memories, and the deep, often-unspoken beliefs we carry about worth, safety, and survival. And unless we slow down enough to examine those beliefs, they quietly shape every financial decision we make.

Mindfulness helps us begin that examination. Not by offering quick fixes or budgeting hacks, but by helping us notice—with honesty and compassion—what’s really going on underneath our financial stress, scarcity patterns, or spending habits.

The Money Story We Inherit

For many of us, money was loaded with emotion long before we earned a single dollar.

In my own life, I grew up in a single-parent household where money was tight and unpredictable. I remember my mom having to wait for child support, the anxiety when utilities got cut off, and the guilt I felt when I lost something she had worked hard to buy for me. I internalized the belief that money was hard to come by and that my needs were a burden.

Even now, as a self-employed single mom, some of those early experiences still echo in my nervous system. I trust that I’ll always have enough—but I also carry fear. A dip into savings can bring up a tidal wave of guilt or anxiety. My mind races with thoughts like: Am I being irresponsible? What if I can’t replenish it? What if I fail?

But mindfulness gives me a way through and the self awareness to realize that these thoughts are coming from an outdated operating system.

Bringing Mindfulness Into Your Money Life

Mindfulness is the practice of becoming aware of what’s happening within us—without judgment. When we apply that to money, we begin to see our emotional and physical reactions more clearly. And with that awareness comes the possibility of choice.

Here’s how mindfulness helps me (and how it might help you too):

1. Noticing the Body’s Response

Money activates the nervous system. When I open my banking app or pay a large bill, I feel it in my body—a clench in my stomach, a tightening in my chest. Instead of ignoring those cues, I’ve learned to pause and notice.

“My breath is shallow. I feel tension in my jaw. My heart rate has picked up.”

That awareness softens the automatic spiral. I can soothe my body instead of being swept away by the fear. It's so interesting for me to observe these automatic reactions, because even now that I have more than enough money, my nervous system is still wired for me to brace myself when it comes to managing my finances.

2. Naming the Story

Mindfulness helps me name the beliefs that arise:

• “I'm going to run out of money.”

• “I’m not good with money.”

• “I shouldn't have bought that thing earlier.”

Once I name them, I can ask: Is this true? Or is this a younger part of me speaking? That question opens the door to healing—not just budgeting.

3. Coming Back to the Present

Financial anxiety often lives in the future: What if I run out? What if something bad happens?

Mindfulness grounds me in the now. I ask: What is true in this moment? Do I have what I need today? Most of the time, the answer is yes. That doesn’t solve everything, but it regulates my nervous system enough to make clearer, kinder decisions.

Healing Takes Time (and That’s Okay)

If you’ve struggled with money shame, scarcity, or feeling “behind,” know this: you’re not alone. And you’re not broken. You’ve simply been shaped by experiences—many of which were never yours to carry.

Mindfulness won’t erase those experiences. But it will help you hold them differently. With compassion. With space. With choice.

Your relationship with money doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to be conscious.

That’s the invitation. Not to shame yourself for your past. Not to force positivity. But to meet yourself where you are—with tenderness—and begin to reparent the parts of you that learned money was scary or shameful.

You might find it helpful to sit with a journal and ask yourself "how do I feel about money?" Write down everything that comes up and notice if there are any places that feel outdated or untrue. This is an opportunity to have self compassion. That part of you that's living in fear has likely been the operating system for quite some time.

You can place a hand on your heart and remind yourself that you're not that version of you anymore.

I've created a program with my good friend (and CPA!) Jen from Finlotus Accounting. It's called The Mindful Money Journey and we blended our expertise in finance and mindfulness to create a program to support people with financial literacy. It's in its beta test, so send me an email if you're interested and I'll let you know when it's ready: meditate@mindfulnesswithjill.ca.