Chances are money has made you uncomfortable at some point. When we have too little money, our quality of life is devastated not only by harsher living conditions, but also the exhaustion of prolonged stress. Financial PTSD has lasting impacts on us; even those who later reach stability may show persistent effects of early-life hardship.

Those born into wealth can also feel uneasy about money. Feeling responsible for our society’s poverty, fearing that their friends only value their money, and/or having difficulty feeling worthy of their blessings are a few of the most common. Whether you’ve known utter poverty, only opulent wealth, or somewhere between in your lifetime you may still find yourself anxious or uncomfortable about money.

So, let’s get more comfortable with our money with these 3 steps:

1- volunteer/ work with marginalized souls
Give yourself the gift of connecting with people or animals down on their luck. In-person work is preferable to a monetary charity only, because by getting involved we expose ourselves to the other helpers and angels in our communities. Those are good people to know, which can strengthen our own connection to a support network. There can also be a subconscious karma affect, we feel more worthy and able to ask for support when we need it,if we’ve felt the joy of supporting someone else. We are not asking more than we have been willing to give. Plus, people down on their luck are still valuable people to know, so don’t be surprised if some of your most precious relationships begin this way.

2- Maintain a reasonable emergency kit/plan
We hope for the best, and we plan for the worst. Anyone who has seen hard times will especially want to create a nest of security. No matter your financial situation, a lot of fears and anxieties can be well comforted with preparation. Talk with your household about what a reasonable emergency plan would look like and what materials would be good to have on standby, just in case. A few packs of water, batteries, canned goods, and other emergency materials are easy to invest in and will save you hours of worry.

3- Value Spiritual Standing over Economic Standing
Commercialism would have us believe that the very best, most beautiful, and talented among us are wealthy. This is simply not true, historically or currently. All people experience deep suffering and deep happiness regardless of their economic standing. If you base your evaluation of a person on their job or clothes or car, you will be missing out on incredible relationships, but more importantly you become insulated in a class bubble. We think that if we do not see poverty, we will feel better. The opposite is true. We fear what we do not know. When we take the time to talk with people from all walks of life, we learn to value people’s hearts over their productivity or marketability.

Still want more actionable steps? No problem! Psychology Today has a few more pointers for us:
1)“Each day when you wake up say to yourself and write down the answer to: “What do I need to get done today (or the next week), to center myself and gain more control of my financial life?”
2)Then think, “Who can I call today and what specifically should I ask them and why that (you don’t want to overwhelm them with your anxiety) to help me center myself and gain more control of my financial life?”
3)Then “Just Schedule It.” Either for today or the next few days, because you haven’t made a commitment until you’ve scheduled it and you haven’t kept a commitment until you’ve checked it off after you have done it.”

Really, anything that gives us more sense of preparedness, compassion, and community will help lessen our money anxiety. What will you do today to ensure the success and happiness of your future self?