Do you ever feel like there’s a voice inside your head that is repeating a fear or insecurity you have? In what ways does that little (or big) voice govern your life?
We all have scripts that run in our minds, things we tell ourselves about how we should think and behave, and what to believe is true. These make up our money mindset, and they impact our everyday decisions.
Some of these scripts were written long ago by our families. Some are societal or cultural. Some we’ve created ourselves. But the scripts run on a loop because thinking is hard! So our brain takes a shortcut. The script is neither positive nor negative; it’s just a way of telling your brain what to do next. Scripts run so quietly in the background we may have tuned them out.
When you begin to slow down and notice the scripts that run through your mind, that’s when the process of change begins.
You have the power to rewrite the scripts over time…not overnight. You have the power to effect change in your life by rewriting your scripts to serve your goals and values.
Let me give you a sample money script and 3 questions to ask yourself when you identify a script in your mind.
Example: “I have to make more money to have the life I want.”
Do we need to re-write the script? Is it serving us? To find out, we ask ourselves 3 questions –
- Is it true?
- Is it helpful?
- Is it kind?
Is it true? Is your life not what you want now? Are you depending on money, your income, in particular, to make the life that you want? That’s a lot to ask of money. What values are you considering that make the money script true – monetary wealth?
Is it helpful? What action does this money script inspire? The wording is self-defeating and doesn’t inspire action. There is no call to change, nor is there comfort with the present.
Is it kind? Would you say this to your best friend? Your child? Why would you say it to yourself? The “have tos” and “shoulds” place a lot of undue pressure on our subconscious, but the truth is there is no one way that is “right” to live this life.
These scripts can be about anything, not just money – they can be about body image, health, or friendships.
Next time you have a script play in your head, a line your mind has told itself a thousand times, I want you to stop and listen. Then ask yourself those three questions to identify if the script is serving you. Is it true? Is it kind? Is it helpful?
What if you rewrote the scripts and took control of the voice in your head? If you can worry, then you can wonder. We aren’t saying it’s easy. But it is doable. It’s all a matter of retraining your brain with better thoughts, and it starts by simply noticing and evaluating the scripts that already exist.
If you’d like to someone about these scripts in your head and how they impact your decisions about money, then a financial coaching arrangement might work for you. Contact Roberta for more information.