“If money can fix it, it’s not a real problem.”
I posted a reel saying this and the comments were split. Some people felt seen by it. Some people were pissed. I get both reactions, and I wanted to dig into why.
The idea is about the difference between a hassle and a crisis. An unexpected bill is a hassle. A sick kid is a crisis. Most of us treat both with the same level of panic, and that’s the thing I want to talk about.
I share a season from 2014 and 2015 when I took over a fast-growing business that had no cash. We were running on personal credit cards and I ended up about $80,000 in unsecured debt. That stress taught me something no quote could. I was still safe. I still had people, options, and the ability to keep going. Safety, not wealth, is what changes your relationship with money. It’s also what lets you take smart risks.
I also talk about why bankruptcy exists, how the US system is actually built to let you fail and recover, and why worst case scenario thinking can be calming when you do it on purpose instead of at 3am.
Then I get into three ways I’ve been building an abundance mindset before the abundance shows up. Specific gratitude, down to the exact paycheck amount. Letting go of the idea that money equals happiness or worth. And getting some global perspective on what rich actually means.
There’s nuance here too. Poverty is real. Illness is real. Money can’t erase those and I’m not pretending it can.
If you’ve ever spiraled over a bill or carried shame about not having enough, this one’s for you. Share it with a friend who needs it.