Your Money Isn’t the Monster: Turning Financial Fear into Empowerment
Feb 25, 2026What If Your Money Stress Isn’t About the Numbers—But About Your Nervous System?
In this conversation-turned-blog, I’m sharing an unexpected lesson from five haunted houses at Jungle Island in Miami… and why it perfectly explains how so many of us experience money.
Five Minutes of Fear = Total System Overload
I went to the haunted houses with my daughter on Saturday night. The first one? Brutal. Zombie on the floor we had to step over. Scary bunny and pig masks. A man with a chainsaw chasing us so closely I could feel it in my spine. We were gripping each other’s hands, hiding in corners, running for our lives. My throat hurt from screaming. My body was tight. I was exhausted.
Here’s the wild part: it probably lasted less than five minutes.
Five minutes of intense fear completely drained me.
And it made me realize something uncomfortable.
A lot of us live in that same level of nervous system activation… every single day… because of money.
Your Brain Doesn’t Know the Difference
Logically, I knew the chainsaw couldn’t hurt me. My body did not care. My heart raced. My breath shortened. Adrenaline surged.
Fear feels real—even when it isn’t actually dangerous.
That’s exactly what happens when:
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You open your credit card statement.
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You see an unexpected expense.
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You get a text about a bill.
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Your child asks for money you didn’t budget.
Your brain doesn’t know the difference between stepping over a zombie and checking your bank account.
It just registers: threat.
And when that happens repeatedly, even at lower intensity, you live in a mini fight-or-flight loop.
Why Chronic Money Stress Is So Exhausting
Cortisol and adrenaline are powerful. They’re meant for short bursts of danger—not daily financial notifications.
When money becomes your haunted house:
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You avoid logging into accounts.
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You delay calling your accountant.
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You procrastinate on taxes.
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You feel tension in your chest over small things.
The exhaustion isn’t weakness. It’s biology.
You’re not bad with money.
Your nervous system is dysregulated around money.
Fear Is a Signal—Not a Sentence
In the haunted house, I noticed something funny. As I walked past the monsters, I started talking to them.
“Nice chainsaw.”
“Lovely mask.”
“Great sword.”
It sounds ridiculous, but it helped. It kept me present. It lowered the panic just enough to move through it instead of bolting.
Money works the same way.
You don’t eliminate fear by pretending it’s not there.
You move through it by changing your relationship to it.
Three Ways to Calm Your Money Nervous System
1. Just Look at the Numbers
If you avoid opening your banking app, start there. No fixing. No judging. No transferring money.
Just open it.
Look at the number.
Close it.
Looking is progress.
Avoidance feeds fear. Exposure builds stability.
2. Reframe the Inner Narrative
Notice the first thought that comes up:
“I’m terrible with money.”
“I always mess this up.”
“I’ll never get ahead.”
Then consciously shift it:
“I’m learning to manage this better.”
“I’m building new habits.”
“I’m becoming someone who handles money calmly.”
Your brain filters for what you believe. Change the belief, and your mind starts looking for proof you’re capable—not doomed.
3. Practice Regulated Exposure
Every time you calmly check your account, pay a bill intentionally, or make a conscious spending choice, you teach your nervous system:
“This is safe.”
That repetition is how you build financial confidence—not by waiting until you feel fearless.
Walking Through the Haunted House
The goal isn’t to never feel stress.
The goal is to move through it without letting it control you.
Money doesn’t have to be the haunted house of your life.
You don’t have to run every time you hear the chainsaw.
You can walk steadily.
You can breathe.
You can stay present.
And if you’re tired of your shoulders tightening every time money comes up…
Final Takeaway
If you’re building something bold, your nervous system has to believe it’s safe to receive it.
Financial fear isn’t about the numbers—it’s about perceived safety.
When you regulate your response, you reclaim your power.
💡 Ready to explore this deeper? Let’s turn your financial fear into clarity and control.
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