Where Did Your Money Habits Really Come From?

For most of us, our relationship with money isn’t something we developed intentionally.

It’s something we inherited.

Before we ever make our first dollar, we have already absorbed powerful messages about what money means, who gets to have it, and how it should be handled. These early influences, centered around family, culture, and society shape our beliefs around money in ways we rarely ever question.

Maybe you grew up in a home where money was scarce, so now you hold on tightly to every dollar, almost waiting for the other shoe to drop, even when things are seemingly okay.

Or perhaps you learned that love looked like giving and now you find yourself overextending, putting others first while your own financial wellness and well-being are left overlooked.

We have all heard the saying, “money doesn’t grow on trees,” but many of us internalized that message and find ourselves working harder than ever, believing that financial security only comes from hustle, struggle and sacrifice even when we have already put in the work.

We will get into more of my story, but in essence, I was great at making money, but struggled with keeping it. Not because I was irresponsible or reckless, but because I was repeating patterns I had never thought to question. 

Overtime I came to understand that sometimes the most powerful shift is simply seeing things clearly, without shame and without judgment.

Once I started recognizing my own patterns not just as financial habits, but as deeply ingrained beliefs, I was able to change them. I realized that so much of what I had accepted as “just the way things are” was actually a learned behavior. 

And that meant I could unlearn it.

So, what money patterns have you adopted that may not actually be yours?

Take a moment to reflect on the influences that may have shaped your beliefs about money, including your family, your community, even the media you consumed growing up.

Notice any patterns? Any behaviors you might be modeling unconsciously?

Your relationship with money didn’t start with you, but it’s up to you to decide what happens next.