I completely disagree

we have to talk about this post

Oh my gosh! I came across a post from Tori Dunlap (Her First $100K) , and I immediately knew we had to talk about it.

If you don't know Tori, she has built an incredible business helping women become financially empowered. There is so much to learn from her, and I think she's worth following if her message resonates with you.

But this post, she's missing one of the biggest pieces of lasting change.

Her point is that the problem isn't a lack of information. It's a lack of action. She believes people spend too much time saying they're overwhelmed or don't know where to start when what they really need to do is take the first step.

I agree that action is what changes your life.

But I think she's missing one huge piece of the puzzle.

Your nervous system.

I've said it a dozen times, and I'll probably say it another hundred. Your nervous system isn't designed to make you successful. It isn't designed to help you become wealthy or build the life you've dreamed about. It has one job: to keep you safe. And safe almost always means familiar.

That's why people stay in jobs they hate. That's why people stay in unhealthy relationships. That's why people stay stuck in unhealthy money habits. Not because those things are good for them, but because they're familiar. There's a reason people say, "The devil you know is better than the devil you don't." Your nervous system believes that.

Money is where all of our demons come racing forward. Even though money is just a skill you haven't learned yet, almost no one experiences it that way. Instead, money becomes identity.

"I'm not good with money."

"I'm a failure."

"I'm not enough."

"I'm not safe."

"This will never work out for me."

Suddenly, making a budget isn't just making a budget. Looking at your bank account isn't just looking at your bank account. It feels like you're confronting every painful story you've ever believed about yourself. That creates shame. That creates overwhelm. And that overwhelm has a purpose.

It keeps you from taking action.

Because if you don't take action, you stay exactly where you are. And to your nervous system, that's a win.

Now, does that mean you shouldn't take action?

Absolutely not.

I push through the alarms and panic of my nervous system all the time. It isn't fun. It actually sucks. The difference is that I've learned what's happening. When my nervous system starts sounding the alarm, I no longer assume something is wrong. More often than not, it's because I'm about to grow. I'm stepping into something my nervous system hasn't learned is safe yet.

That doesn't make it comfortable, but it does make it understandable.

This is where Tori's message falls short. If someone has downloaded budgeting worksheets, read the books, listened to the podcasts, and still hasn't been able to consistently follow through, telling them to just take action isn't enough.

They don't need another free resource. They don't need another budgeting template. And they don't need someone yelling at them to "just do it."

They need someone who understands what they're actually fighting.

They need a coach. They need community. They need accountability. They need someone to hold their hand while they walk through the panic instead of turning around and running back to what's familiar.

That's why I coach the way I do.

Yes, I teach budgeting. Yes, I teach saving, debt payoff, and investing. But that's only half the work. The other half is helping people retrain their nervous system so they can finally implement what they already know.

Because once your nervous system realizes you're actually safe, taking action becomes a whole lot easier.

If you've been trying to change your finances for years and still can't seem to follow through, maybe you don't need another plan.

Maybe you need support.

I'd love to walk that journey with you.

Disclaimer: I am an educator, not your personal financial advisor. Please make sure to do your own research before moving forward with any actions discussed in this blog post. 

Know that all investments involve some form of risk and there is no guarantee that you will be successful in making, saving, or investing money; nor is there any guarantee that you won't experience any loss when investing. Always remember to make smart decisions and do your own research!