The Surprising Risk Of Believing That Money Makes You Succesful

Conscious Life Magazine

By Emma Loewembg Sustainability Editor mindbodygreen

I've spent the last few months interviewing wellness leaders about their relationships with money for mindbodygreen's Well Spent series. Regardless of whether it's a functional medicine doctor, a nutritionist, or a spiritual healer on the other side of the phone, it seems there are some things everyone can agree on: High-quality food is worth the steep price tag, kids need to be taught financial skills earlier, and everyone—everyone!—gets stressed about money at one point or another.

But this financial stress affects everyone differently. For some, it serves as motivation to take on more work or get better about saving. On the other hand, it can spiral into full-blown financial anxiety that leaves others feeling panicked, paralyzed, and unsure whether they have what it takes to get back in the green. One of the key drivers of the stress response seems to be whether you let your bank account define other areas of your life.

In other words, if you tie your self-worth to your net worth, chances are they'll both suffer.