Whether it’s the paycheck-to-paycheck life you’re enduring, the debt you can’t seem to make headway on, guilt from what you know is an excessive spending habit or the investment losses in your portfolio, financial woes affect the best of us.
But just because finance-induced stress is normal, doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Studies show that people with debt are more likely to experience health problems, and the majority of people who are treated for stress-related health problems cite money as a root cause of their stress.
You’ll Have More Freedom to Pursue Your Passions
Working a job that you may or may not like is a necessary part of life. But so is having hobbies and allocating free time toward interests. With financial stress and money woes seeping into our consciousness from seemingly every angle, enjoying even the simplest passion can be difficult. Improving your financial position and developing techniques to ward off any stress will allow you to spend more time (and possibly, money) doing the things you love.
You’ll Have More Time (and Energy) to Spend with Family
Receiving regular creditor calls and collection mail is undoubtedly jarring. Seeing your portfolio lose half its value in a stock market crash, while not on the same level as delinquent debt, still feels terrible. Like most facets of life, perspective means everything. When our outlook is bleak, we’re missing an essential part of our identity that makes us operate. Money-related stress can end marriages, distance family members emotionally and jeopardize friendships. Finding a way to live free of financial pressure will strengthen your personal relationships and make you an overall happier person.
Your Self-Esteem Will Improve
The emotional effects of debt, and money in general, indeed extend past stress. But among anxiety, anger, fear, depression, shame, regret, resentment, and other negative mental states, our self-esteem often takes the brunt of the punishment. Even though a variety of factors can contribute to personal finance issues, we tend to put the blame squarely on ourselves. What we often forget, though, is that the financial circumstances that led to our low self-esteem can be improved by filling our lives with positive initiatives. When we’re committed to treating our stress levels, we’re bound to see things more clearly and address the issues our cortisol-producing bodies couldn’t identify.
You’ll Accomplish Your Short- and Long-Term Goals
Money woes hold us back in several important life areas. Whether it’s starting a family, buying a house, moving somewhere we’ve always dreamed of or starting a small business, money is a central ingredient. When we’re in debt or not in the financial position we want to be, any dream feels out of reach. However, the outlook can just as easily be reversed. Setting a few goals for the immediate future and long-term can serve as your motivational compass, guiding you through the various difficult growth stages you’ll need to traverse to shed your financial stress. In fact, setting incremental short-term goals that all contribute to an overarching long-term outcome is a key thing that financial thought leader and Freedom Financial Network CEO Andrew Housser cites as the recipe behind his continued entrepreneurial and personal success.
You’ll Live Longer
Per Fox News, stress isn’t just damaging to us in the short-term by way of diminished memory, concentration, reduced metabolism as well as increased heart rate and blood pressure. Over the long-term, stress increases our risk of heart disease, stroke, and digestive problems. It can also lead to unhealthy weight fluctuation, sleep issues, skin problems, pain, and the worsening of chronic diseases such as diabetes. If you want to drastically lower your risk for a slew of health problems, developing a healthy relationship with your finances goes a long way.
Attack Financial Stress from All Angles
When it comes to avoiding the financial stress, it’s best to take a multi-pronged approach. Stay hydrated. Eat a whole-grain diet that’s full of complex carbs and low on alcohol and caffeine. Mediate for five minutes after you wake up and before you sleep. Exercise four times a week for at least 30 minutes. Develop a set-it-and-forget-it budget that shows you where your money goes without driving you crazy. And whatever else you find that works. These are just a few helpful life changes that you can make to leave your financial stress behind.
Image Source: Pixabay
