If you're anything like me—a high achiever with a thirst for growth—you've probably kicked off 2025 with something new to focus on. Maybe it's a project, a habit, or an area of your life you’ve decided to tackle. For me, it’s money. Not just the dollars-and-cents kind, but a deeper round my relationship with money.
Let’s dive into a revelation I had recently while reading Dana Miranda's You Don’t Need a Budget.
What Is Budget Culture, Anyway?
Dana Miranda draws a parallel between budget culture and diet culture, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Having spent nearly two years coaching some of the top obesity doctors in the world, I know diet culture inside and out. I’ve guided people through transcending the “rules” of dieting to find real solutions—emotional processing, embodiment, and letting go of rigidity.
Turns out, the same principles apply to money. Budget culture, like diet culture, can trap us in cycles of shame and control. And the more we try to force change, the more elusive true growth feels. Sound familiar?
Bridging the Gap: Using What You Already Know
Here’s the thing: when I faced diet culture, I didn’t just “willpower” my way through it. I used tools that allowed me to stand in an ice cream aisle and genuinely not want the ice cream. Those tools weren’t just about saying no—they were about transforming my relationship with food.
Now, I’m doing the same with money. The skills we cultivate in one area of life can be translated to another. You’ve probably experienced this too. Maybe you’ve tackled running a marathon, implementing parenting strategies, or mastered time management at work. Each success holds transferable lessons.
Questions I'm Considering on My Money Journey
What worked in my journey of helping others transcend diet culture?
Restriction is about control, which stems from fear. What story am I telling myself that generates fear?
What stories can I tell myself to generate love (the opposite of fear)?
Genuine desire is different from cravings to fill an emptiness void. When do I notice the difference when it comes to money?
Which parts of me are craving, and what do they need from me (instead of letting them eat empty food or buy more objects)?
What does my future self want to tell me about my journey with money?
These are the questions guiding me as I work to unravel my relationship with money. By reflecting on these, I’m finding clarity—and I hope they might spark insights for you, too.
The Books I’m Using Right Now
Two books are shaping my money journey this year:
Dana Miranda's You Don’t Need a Budget: This book offers a refreshing take on freeing yourself from restrictive rules and creating a financial life that works for you.
Sarah McCrum's Love Money, Money Loves You: McCrum dives into the energetics of money, helping me shift my mindset from scarcity to abundance.
And that’s it for now. I don’t need a stack of 20 books to work through topics anymore. I don’t need to know everything about something to change.
What Are You Working On?
Whether it’s money, health, relationships, or something else entirely, I’d love to coach you about your goals.
🗓️ Upcoming Workshop: Keep the Momentum Going: 2025 Goal Check-In
Worried about the new year energy fading? Let’s keep the momentum alive! Join me for a live coaching workshop where we’ll review your 2025 goals, celebrate your progress so far, and create a plan to stay on track without burnout.
When: Friday, January 24, 12 PM–1 PM ET
Where: Live on Zoom (link sent closer to the event)
Cost: Free for paid subscribers
This session is designed to help you realign with your goals and stay motivated as the year unfolds. Not a paid subscriber yet? Sign up here to join this workshop and get access to exclusive content and events all year long!
Here’s to making 2025 a year of meaningful progress—without the rules that hold us back. 🖤
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