Rewriting Your Money Story: How to spot (and break) financial self-limiting beliefs

Every one of us has a money story - a set of beliefs, habits, and emotions shaped by childhood experiences, culture, and even past mistakes. Sometimes, these stories empower us. Other times, they hold us back.

In Chapter 7 of the SheFinance Workbook, we explore how money stories influence everything from daily spending decisions to long-term financial planning. For women especially, self-limiting beliefs can be powerful blockers.

Common self-limiting beliefs

• “I’m just not good with money.”

• “Investing is only for the rich.”

• “Talking about money is rude.”

• “Debt means I’ve failed.”

These beliefs aren’t facts - they’re stories we’ve internalised. And the good news? Stories can be rewritten.

How to rewrite your money story

1. Identify the old script. Write down the beliefs you hold about money. Be brutally honest.

2. Challenge them. Ask: Is this really true? Or just something I’ve absorbed from family, culture, or past mistakes?

3. Reframe. Replace “I’m bad with money” with “I’m learning to manage money better.”

4. Take small action. Action is the quickest way to prove a new belief true. For example, reading one investment article or opening a small savings account.

   
   

💡 Workbook exercise (Chapter 7): Visualise your “future self” with a healthy money story. How does she act, spend, and save differently?

Write a short affirmation to reinforce this new belief, e.g. “I am capable of managing my money wisely and building wealth.”

Rewriting your money story isn’t about perfection. It’s about awareness, reframing, and taking small, intentional steps. When you change the story, you change the outcome.