Why Money Brings Up Such Powerful Emotions

money and emotions
Tips to Tame the Fear and Anxiety You May Feel About Your Finances

The following content has been adapted from Chapter 24 of Momma’s Secret Recipe for Retirement Success, by Dan Ahmad & Jim Files.

For many people, money is scary. It produces anxiety and many other powerful emotions, too. Oftentimes, the root of fear or anxiety is that you don’t truly understand your finances. You may even blame yourself for your “lack of financial intelligence.” However, we believe that for the overwhelming majority of retirees, the confusion and lack of understanding have nothing to do with personal shortcomings. If you feel confused and don’t understand your money, it’s because you don’t have an actual plan in writing.

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4 Phases in Retirement

Everyone talks a lot about how to prepare for retirement financially, but there is less focus on how to adjust your mindset in retirement and manage expectations. You might not be happy every single day in retirement, but that doesn’t mean your retirement won’t be happy. Transitioning into retirement is no small task, and research shows that the way people feel about their retirements follows a u-shaped curve; first people are quite positive, then not as much, and then are positive again. It seems that there are 4 phases in retirement.

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Avoid Ageism in Retirement

Despite the fact that America has an aging population, there is much evidence of ageism around us. The way we perceive older adults can limit their roles in society and a pervasive negative view of aging can have a psychological impact on us. Sometimes ageism can be seen in a seemingly benign birthday card depicting age as something to laugh at or feel bad about, but other times it takes the form of workplace discrimination. And, it’s not just younger people who can be ageist, it can be people 50 and over as well. That’s why it’s important to be mindful of how you can avoid ageism in retirement.

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