Why it’s so important to separate your self-worth from your financial status.

Do you ever feel like your financial status influences your self-worth? It’s extremely common to get financial wellbeing mixed up with feelings of success and worthiness. But it’s crucial to understand that your financial worth and your self-worth are totally different.

While your financial situation can impact your lifestyle, it doesn’t define you or your values. Research actually shows that a tendency to centre values on acquiring material possessions and making money is associated with poorer overall wellbeing, irrespective of income level. In essence, it’s not good for us to value material things over other values.

If you find yourself getting your self-worth mixed up with your financial worth, here are some tips to help you separate the two.

Focus on non-monetary values

What truly matters to you? Values like giving back to the community, spending time with family, and looking after physical health can all feed our self-worth. Keep doing things that further your values and bring you joy.

Dial down your inner critic

We can often feel like we’re failing when it comes to money. We might do things differently from our friends or partners, or have anxieties that others don’t seem to have. It’s common to feel uncomfortable talking or even thinking about money. If that’s you, go easy on yourself. Practice self-kindness rather than beating yourself up.

Learn about financial wellbeing

Financial wellbeing is a big topic, and it’s something that most people struggle with from time to time. Money can be a huge source of stress, which can then impact your self-worth. Learning about financial wellbeing can help you to plan from a position of knowledge. Read our article, What is financial wellbeing?, for an introduction to this topic and where to go for more support.