E14 - Your Money Is a Mirror. What Did It Reflect About You in 2025?
E14 - Your Money Is A Mirror. What Did It Reflect About You in 2025?
Let’s be honest for a second.
December is chaos in a cute outfit.
Twinkle lights. Fuzzy socks. Holiday playlists. And underneath it all?
A mental load so heavy it could qualify as strength training.
You’re coordinating schedules, buying gifts, wrapping up work, managing family dynamics, and quietly wondering how it’s already the end of the year again.
And somewhere in the background of all of this…
Your money.
Not screaming.
Not exploding.
Just sitting there — quietly reflecting things back to you.
Because here’s the truth most personal finance advice skips:
👉 Your money is a mirror.
And whether you’re looking at it or not… it’s reflecting who you’re becoming.
If You’re Invested but Still Feel Uneasy — This Is for You
This post is especially for the woman who:
Is a high achiever
Makes good money
Is already invested
And still feels weirdly disconnected from her finances
You’re doing the “right” things.
But when it comes to your investments?
You avoid.
You defer.
You let someone else handle it — a partner, an advisor, or future-you.
And deep down, there’s this quiet feeling of:
“I worked too hard for this money to not understand what it’s doing.”
That feeling isn’t random.
It’s your power tapping you on the shoulder.
The Year-End Ritual That Changed My Relationship With Money
Every December, my husband Joe and I do a year-end money check-in.
Not the scary kind.
The cozy kind.
Drinks. Music. Low pressure.
More “hell yes, we survived another year” and less “spreadsheet interrogation.”
And over time, I realized something important:
The most powerful money question isn’t what did we spend?
It’s who are we becoming — and is our money helping or hurting that?
That question alone has guided some of the biggest financial and life decisions I’ve ever made.
The Question I Ask Instead of “What Should I Optimize?”
Instead of:
What should I cut?
What should I save more of?
What am I doing wrong?
I ask:
Who is the woman I want to become — and how is my money supporting her?
Because money used in alignment feels light.
Money used out of alignment feels heavy.
And most women don’t need more discipline.
They need more alignment.
Let’s Start Where Most Finance Advice Doesn’t: Feelings
Before numbers.
Before goals.
Before spreadsheets.
Ask yourself:
What am I genuinely proud of this year?
Where did money feel easy?
Where did it feel heavy?
What surprised me about myself?
Don’t overthink it.
Let the first answer come up.
Then let the honest one follow.
A Story (Because This Is Where It Clicked for Me)
Early in my career, I was living in New York City.
Long commutes.
12–16 hour days.
Grinding like it was a personality trait.
On paper? Impressive.
In real life? I was exhausted, disconnected, and slowly becoming someone I didn’t recognize.
One night I had a very unglamorous realization:
“If I keep going like this, I’ll build a life that looks successful… but feels wrong.”
That reflection is what gave me the courage to quit, move across the country, change careers, and go freelance.
And guess what?
That one identity decision shaped my finances for the next decade: how much I saved, how I invested, the risks I took, everything.
This is why reflection matters.
Where Did Your Money Feel Heavy This Year?
For so many women, this is where the truth lives:
Checking investments makes your stomach drop
You hope things are “fine” but don’t actually know
You rely on someone else because it feels safer
You feel smart and capable everywhere else — except here
That heaviness isn’t a flaw.
It’s feedback.
It’s the cost of outsourcing your confidence.
Where Did Your Money Feel Light?
Now let’s talk about the good stuff.
Where did money feel supportive this year?
Maybe:
Your income finally matched your effort
You spent freely on convenience or support
You upgraded something that saved your sanity
You stopped nickel-and-diming yourself
Lightness is information too.
It shows you what works.
A Reminder You Probably Need: A Year Can Hold Multiple Lifetimes
At the beginning of this year, I had a newborn.
I was sleep-deprived. Emotional. In survival mode.
By the end of the year?
I’m waking up early, walking to the gym in the snow, feeling strong, grounded, and purposeful.
Same year.
Different woman.
So when you reflect — zoom out.
You are allowed to be proud and want more.
The Only 4 Money Numbers That Actually Matter
Ready for numbers? Don’t worry — we’re keeping this sane.
Here’s all you need:
Income (total for the year)
Expenses (big categories only — back away from the weeds)
Net Worth (assets minus debts)
Savings Rate (how much you saved/invested vs. earned)
That’s it.
If you feel the urge to hyper-analyze…
Zoom out.
Clarity lives at the top.
The Energy Audit That Changes Everything
Confession:
I used to exhaust myself price-comparing tiny purchases.
Free shipping.
Retail cards.
Saving $3.82.
The emotional cost? Massive.
The financial payoff? Almost nothing.
That’s when it clicked:
Mental clarity is more valuable than microscopic savings.
As women, our mental load is already maxed out.
Part of building wealth is deciding which balls you’re allowed to drop.
Yes. Allowed.
Ask Yourself This (And Be Honest)
What gave me energy this year?
What drained me?
Where did money create freedom?
Where did it quietly create stress?
You are not irresponsible for choosing ease.
You are strategic.
Money Is Meant to Support You — Not Sit on Your Chest
Here’s the shift that changes everything:
Stop asking how to control your money.
Start asking how your money can support your life.
That might mean:
Building systems so money isn’t living in your head
Understanding your investments so you don’t feel dependent
Letting go of guilt around spending that genuinely helps you
Investing with clarity instead of hope
This is what financial independence actually looks like.
Not perfection.
Self-trust.
The Question to Ask When You’re Unsure
When you don’t know what to do next, ask:
What would the confident investor version of me do here?
Not the perfect one.
Not the optimized one.
The confident one.
Confidence comes from understanding — not avoidance.
Let This Be Your Takeaway
Your money is reflecting your identity
Avoidance is information
Clarity creates calm
Understanding your investments is power
You don’t need to master everything — just enough to stop giving your power away
Want Support Taking the Next Step?
If this hit — good. That means you’re ready.
Here’s how to keep going:
✨ Listen to the full podcast episode
✨ Download my free guide to understand your investments
✨ Join my email list for no-BS money clarity
✨ Book a call if you’re ready to finally understand your portfolio
You don’t need to become a finance bro.
You just need to understand your money well enough to trust yourself.
And that’s where everything changes.
This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute personalized investment advice. Always consider your own situation and consult a qualified professional when making financial decisions.
