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Are you ready to unlock your feminine financial power? It’s no secret that women are still behind men in the money department, yet many of us would rather talk about literally anything other than money. However, avoiding the problem isn’t going to fix these stats! Women are 40% more likely to have low levels of financial literacy than men. White women earn 82 cents for every dollar a man makes, and women of color earn 58 cents. Only 58% of women feel comfortable asking their employer for a pay raise compared to 74% of men. Women have traditionally been less likely to invest than men, and, over time, this has serious repercussions. Women's retirement income is about 83% of men's, and women are 80% more likely than men to become impoverished after age 65.
While these statistics are troubling, we as women can do something about it. Of course, we should advocate for lawmakers to level the playing field.
But you can also take action today to improve your financial standing. Read on for the surprising keys you can use to unlock your feminine financial power and take control of your money.
Key #1: Claim the power of your emotions.
As women, we’ve been told that our emotions are a liability, especially when it comes to
money. I’ve heard financial planners tell their clients, “Just make the logical decisions with your money and leave emotion out of it!” Unfortunately, that’s physically impossible, as the moment of decision occurs in the same part of the brain that processes emotion.
The good news is that we can use the superpower of our emotions to achieve our goals with money! How? By “charging” the things we want with positive emotions (and the things we don’t want with negative emotions). Let’s say you have a $10,000 balance on your credit card with an interest rate of 18%. You know that carrying this debt costs you $1,800 a year in interest, and you’d rather be rid of it. Saying, “I should pay off my credit card debt,” is not terribly motivating! Let’s flip the script and instead say, “I can’t wait to get my credit card balance to zero so I can use the payments for a trip to Italy next year!” It suddenly becomes much more exciting to pay extra on your visa card!
What about when your emotions threaten to hijack your financial common sense? First, stop and take a deep breath. Ask yourself these two questions: 1) “What am I feeling right now and why?” 2) “On a scale of one to ten, how loud are my emotions right now?” This will allow you to identify the core emotion and its intensity.
For example, imagine you’re at the dealership and you’re considering leasing a new car. After you take a deep calming breath, you determine that you’re both excited about the new vehicle and anxious about your ability to afford the new payment. On a scale of one to ten, both emotions are at an 8. My rule of thumb is to only make major financial decisions when my emotional volume is a 5 or lower. Why is that? Because when your emotional volume is loud, it’s hard to hear the voice of reason. Step away from the car! Tell the salesperson that you need to sleep on the decision. The car (or a similar one) will be there in the morning, I promise. This will give you time to crunch the numbers and ensure you can comfortably afford it. The best financial decisions are made when your emotional volume is quiet and peaceful.
Key #2: Embrace the discomfort!
Fear warns us that we are leaving our comfort zones – and that’s a good thing! Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. We can’t expect to progress in our finances without doing something new and different. Who told you where “the boundary of safety” is located with your money? Your parents might have said, “People like us don’t invest in the stock market. We can barely put food on the table!” As much as we crave a huge windfall like winning the lottery or inheriting a million dollars from a long-lost relative, big increases in income and wealth can shove us out of our comfort zones. If we’re not prepared, we can self-sabotage!
How can prevent this from happening? Proactively push yourself out of your comfort zone.
This is quite fun and can be done with friends or your spouse. Go to a high-end department store and try on expensive clothes. Take selfies! Then put it all back on the rack. Visit open houses for million-dollar homes in your area. Get dressed up and meet a friend for a drink or coffee at a swanky hotel. Being in close proximity to wealth stretches our comfort zone in th right direction. Befriend your financial fears. Get curious and closer to them.
Key #3: Increase your money confidence.
We all have the capacity for wise money management. It might come easier to some people than others, but you can do it! There are so many tools available to do the number crunching for you. Financial competency develops through knowledge and practice. The more you know about something and the more you do it, the easier it gets! Subscribe to a personal finance podcast or read a book on the basics of investing. Money confidence comes as a result of competency plus courage. Being in a positive community builds courage. Women are stronger and braver together. Unfortunately, we’re conditioned by society to fear money and distrust other women. It’s time to change that! Plug into a supportive community of women who are growing and learning together on this financial empowerment journey.
By leaning into the discomfort, mastering the power of your emotions, and surrounding
yourself with like-minded women, you’ll manifest positive changes in your mindset and your bank account!
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Meet the author:
Christine M. Luken, Financial Dignity® Coach, is the founder of the Wealthy Woman Book Club™ and the host of the Money is Emotional podcast. Christine has coached hundreds of high-earning professionals, business owners, and divorcing women to pay off staggering amounts of debt and massively increase their net worth. The author of four books and founder of the Wealthy Woman Book Club™, Christine blends wise money management with emotional intelligence.
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