#153| How To Rewire Your Brain To Feel At Ease With Money & Reduce Overwhelm With Your Finances: Overwhelm, Productivity, Time Management & People Pleasing

Do you feel a knot in your stomach when it’s time to check your bank account?

You’re not alone—and it’s not because you’re “bad with money.” This episode dives into how unconscious money beliefs from childhood are quietly running the show. If managing money feels heavy, scary, or stressful, it’s time to shift that emotional wiring.

In this episode, you will:

• Discover how to spot and reframe the toxic money thoughts keeping you stuck
• Learn how to create emotional safety when dealing with money (yes, your nervous system matters)
• Explore powerful visualizations to help money flow in with more ease and less fear

Press play now to start breaking the cycle of fear and build a healthier, more confident relationship with your money.

Wondering why you're overwhelmed? Take my "why am I overwhelmed" quiz to find out the source of your overwhelm, and what to do about it.

Send Me a Message - Have a question, comment, or just want to say hi? Message me here, I'd love to chat!

Work With Me - Interested in working with me 1-on-1, taking a class, or joining one of my coaching groups? Message me here to get the scoop.

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Life can be overwhelming, but on this podcast, you'll discover practical strategies to overcome overwhelm, imposter syndrome, and negative self-talk, manage time effectively, set boundaries, and stay productive in high-stress jobs—all while learning how to say no and prioritize self-care on the Overwhelmed Worki...

Episode Transcript

Michelle Gauthier (00:00):
If you feel overwhelmed every time you think
about finances, it probablyisn't because you're bad with
money.
It's because your brain isrunning on some old programming.
You're listening to OverwhelmedWorking Woman, the podcast that
helps you be more calm and moreproductive by doing less.

(00:21):
I'm your host, MichelleGauthier, a former overwhelmed
working woman and current lifecoach.
On this show, we unpack thestress and pressure that today's
working woman experiences andin each episode you'll get a
strategy to bring more calm,ease and relaxation to your life
.
Hi, friend, thanks for joiningtoday.

(00:43):
Today's episode is a quick one,but it could seriously change
your relationship with money.
On episode 152, we talked aboutways to make managing our money
easier and more efficient, andtoday we're going to talk about
how to rewire your brain aroundmoney, because if you feel
overwhelmed or avoidant oranxious every time you think

(01:04):
about finances, it probablyisn't because you're bad with
money.
It's because your brain isrunning on some old programming
and maybe having unconsciousthoughts about money.
When you listen to today'sepisode, I'm going to teach you
how to interrupt and replacethose money thoughts that you
had before and how to createsafety around money

(01:25):
conversations.
It sounds funny, maybe, to saysafety, but sometimes it feels
almost dangerous to talk aboutor think about money, then I'm
going to help you learn how tovisualize money flowing in with
ease.
A little bit of extra woo-woofor you today.
Laugh if you want, but thewoo-woo works.
I'm telling you.
Okay, let's jump right in.
So the thoughts that you thinkeven if those thoughts are

(01:49):
unconscious, because, remember,our thoughts are coming into our
mind.
We don't choose which ones comeinto our mind, but we get to
choose whether we believe themor not.
So you have thoughts cominginto your head and repeating
themselves over and over untilthey become a belief, and they
do not necessarily need to betrue.
In fact, what I find is theyare very often not true.

(02:10):
So if you catch yourselfthinking something about money
like I will never have enough,I'm bad with money.
I can't check my bank balancebecause I'm afraid to see the
numbers.
Making more money means morestress.
You know, if you've been apodcast listener for a while,
and just in case you haven'tbeen, I'm going to tell you that

(02:30):
the way that we think changesthe way that we feel, and the
way that we feel changes theactions that we take, and the
actions that we take create theresults that we get in life.
So if you start off thinkingI'm bad with money, it's going
to make you feel what Like crap,or depressed or frustrated.
And then, when you'refrustrated, what kind of action
are you going to make you feelwhat like crap, or depressed or

(02:51):
frustrated?
And then, when you'refrustrated, what kind of action
are you going to take?
From the place of frustration?
You're going to ignore money,spend money that you don't have,
not check your bank balance,and when you do that, the result
that you get is that you're nothandling your money in a mature
and resourceful way, and itjust reinforces that I'm bad
with money.
And then you go around thecircle and the cycle again.

(03:12):
So let's talk about how tobreak that thought cycle.
The first thing is noticing whatyour thoughts about money are
that are causing you to feel soanxious or worried about money.
Often, this can go back tochildhood.
So a good exercise to do is tothink about what did your
parents say about money when youwere a kid.

(03:34):
A lot of times that we willlearn at an early age that money
is stressful or that there'snot enough or that we shouldn't
spend too much.
So think about what yourparents said, and then think
about the thoughts that are inyour head.
Just try to notice them whenyou think about money.
When you notice what they are,you can ask yourself is this
really true?
Is there any evidence to thecontrary?

(03:56):
So, for example, if I'mthinking I'm bad with money and
I would say, is this true?
Is there any evidence to thecontrary?
Well, I own a house, so I can'talways be bad about money.
Or I have had a steady job for20 years, or whatever it is that
gives evidence to the fact thatyou aren't bad with money.
And then replace the thought ofI'm bad with money with

(04:18):
something new and believable.
Don't go toxic positivity.
Reach for something that's justone notch better than the
thought you were thinking before.
So maybe something like betterthan the thought you were
thinking before, so maybesomething like I'm learning to
handle money with moreconfidence.
Or having some money is stillmoney and it adds up.
Come up with a thought thatfeels like a good replacement.

(04:40):
If even thinking about money ortalking about money makes your
chest tight or gives you astomachache, you're not alone.
A lot of women associate moneywith fear or shame or pressure,
and to rewire this you need tomake your.
You're not alone.
A lot of women associate moneywith fear or shame or pressure,
and to rewire this, you need tomake your money feel safe again.
So before you check your bankaccount or talk about a budget
if that's the kind of thing thatmakes you feel really anxious

(05:02):
or nervous try saying somethinglike it's safe for me to look at
my bank account.
I can handle whatever I say,it's just numbers and then do
something calming like take adeep breath, unclench your jaw,
soften your shoulders, and thatsignals to your brain we're okay
, this isn't a threat, it's notactually dangerous, and that
alone starts to shift how yournervous system responds to money

(05:25):
and conversations about money.
And then the last thing isvisualize money flowing in with
ease.
I said this is your littleextra dose of woo woo, but when
you visualize something, yourbrain thinks that it's actually
happening.
So instead of spending timeimagining what will happen when

(05:45):
you run out of money and youcan't pay all your bills bills
and you're super stressed aboutit spend time imagining what
would happen when you open yourbank app and you feel calm and
you see a number in there thatmakes you feel super happy.
Or picture yourself making amoney decision with clarity or
paying a big bill and thinkingI'm so grateful I can afford

(06:07):
this, and just imaginingyourself doing that over and
over every day will start tocreate money flowing in with
ease.
I could go on and on this topic, but I promise you it works.
So if you have any kind ofstress around money, try these
three tips.
Number one find out what it isthat you're thinking about money

(06:29):
that's causing the anxiety.
Tips Number one find out whatit is that you're thinking about
money that's causing theanxiety.
Replace it with a betterthought.
Remind yourself when you lookat your actual dollars and cents
in your bank account that youare safe.
You can look at it.
It's just numbers.
You can handle whatever you seeand then work on visualizing
money flowing in with ease and Ipromise you your relationship
to money will begin to change ina way that is super positive.

(06:52):
Okay, that's it for Quick HitThursday.
I hope you have a fantasticweek.
If this episode was helpful toyou, or any episode in this
podcast, I would love if youwould take the time to leave a
review or even just a rating.
It is super helpful and I wouldreally appreciate it.
Have a great week.
Thank you for listening to theOverwhelmed Working Woman

(07:22):
podcast.
If you want to learn more aboutmy work, head over to my
website at michellegauthier.
com.
See you next week.