Money Mindset Shifts I Wish I’d Learned in My 20s
Reflective truths & empowering lessons to help you build financial confidence in your 30s and beyond.
🌱 From Scrambling to Sovereign: A Reflection from My 30s
Looking back on my 20s feels like reading a worn-out journal—dog-eared pages of dreams, doubt, and doing the best I could with what I had. There were moments of joy, of course. But underneath it all, I was silently surviving. I didn’t understand the language of money. I had no roadmap for building wealth. And I carried an invisible weight of financial shame that kept me stuck in the paycheck-to-paycheck loop.
Now, in my mid-30s—single mom of two, full-time dreamer, part-time budget wizard—I see how different things could’ve been if someone had whispered a few sacred truths in my ear back then.
If you’re in your 20s (or even your 40s), I want to offer you what I didn’t have: wisdom, reflection, and the mindset shifts that changed everything for me. Because financial freedom isn’t just about numbers—it’s about who you believe you are.
🧠 You Don’t Have to Hustle to Be Worthy
In my early 20s, I thought success meant exhaustion. I overworked, overgave, and rarely paused to ask, “Is this aligned with the life I want?” If I wasn’t hustling, I felt guilty. But the truth is: hustle isn’t a requirement for worthiness.
Money Mindset Shift #1: My value isn’t tied to productivity.
We live in a culture that rewards burnout. But rest is a strategy. Slowness is a signal. The real flex? Earning in alignment with your purpose—not from a place of fear or proving.
Try repeating these simple yet powerful affirmations:
Ease is productive.
The Universe works when I rest.
Money loves my alignment more than my effort.
💸 Budgets Aren’t Restrictive—They’re Revolutionary
I used to think budgeting meant telling myself “no.” I now understand it means telling my money “yes”—on purpose. Creating a clear system for how I spend, save, and build has been the ultimate act of self-trust.
Money Mindset Shift #2: My budget is a self-love tool.
My budget is where my values meet my vision. It’s how I protect my peace, plan for travel, and invest in joy.
Soft plug: I created The Wealth Flow Budget Planner to make this process not just simple—but beautiful. It’s colorful, automated, and designed for clarity and empowerment.
🧠 Awareness Precedes Action
I didn’t realize how many of my financial decisions were driven by unconscious beliefs. From fear of not having enough to shame around spending, my money habits were inherited—not intentional.
Money Mindset Shift #3: Track before you judge.
Instead of rushing to “fix” your finances, spend time observing them. Journal your emotions after spending. Track your purchases without shame. Begin noticing patterns that don’t reflect the future you’re building.
💥 Financial Confidence is Built, Not Born
I used to look at women who confidently talked about investing or negotiating salaries and wonder, “How do they know so much?” The truth? Most of us start with confusion. Confidence is the outcome of small, repeated steps.
Money Mindset Shift #4: You don’t have to know it all—just start.
Watch a YouTube video. Open a high-yield savings account. Read one finance book. Confidence compounds.
Resource favorites:
Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin
Clever Girl Finance by Bola Sokunbi
The Budgetnista podcast
✨ You Are Not Your Bank Balance
I let financial hardship define my self-worth for too long. When I had less, I felt like less. But wealth isn’t a character trait—it’s a condition that can shift with knowledge, intention, and time.
Money Mindset Shift #5: Self-worth is your foundation.
You are not behind. You are not broken. You are not bad with money. You are someone in process, learning new skills, and becoming the version of you who can steward wealth well.
🧘♀️ Regulating Your Nervous System is a Financial Practice
Financial decisions often trigger fight-or-flight. If you’ve ever panicked over a bill or avoided checking your bank account, you’re not alone. It’s not just a mindset issue—it’s a nervous system response.
Money Mindset Shift #6: Safety creates clarity.
Practices like deep breathing, EFT tapping, and meditation can help you create safety in your body so that you can make empowered financial choices.
💡 Spending Isn’t the Enemy—Unconscious Spending Is
There were times I spent just to feel something. The dopamine hit of a new item distracted me from deeper discomfort. Now, I spend with mindfulness—and I budget for joy.
Money Mindset Shift #7: Joyful spending is intentional.
Give yourself permission to enjoy your money. Budget for beauty. Celebrate your wins. And if guilt arises, greet it with compassion and curiosity.
🔁 Repetition is What Rewires
The subconscious mind learns through repetition. One affirmation, one new habit, one journal entry won’t change your life—but consistency will.
Money Mindset Shift #8: You become what you repeat.
Say the affirmations. Write the vision. Track the spending. Budget weekly. Your small habits are building your big life.
📈 Investing is a Long Game, Not a Trend
I used to think investing was for men in suits—or people with extra money. Now I know it’s for me too. Whether it’s $10 or $100 a month, building wealth is about time, not perfection.
Money Mindset Shift #9: Start small, stay consistent.
Open a Roth IRA. Learn about index funds. Focus on the habit, not the hype. Wealth grows quietly over time.
💖 Abundance Isn’t About How Much You Have—It’s How You Feel
True abundance is walking through the grocery store and knowing you can buy what you need. It’s taking a walk with your kids and feeling free. It’s rest, peace, and enoughness in your bones.
Money Mindset Shift #10: Abundance is a feeling you can choose.
Practice gratitude. Visualize ease. Believe you’re supported. When you feel abundant, you attract solutions, ideas, and opportunities that match.
🌼 Explore More
Ready to embrace your soft life and stay on budget?
Grab the Wealth Flow Budget Planner and start building your calm, intentional lifestyle today.
Want more soulful money content? You might love:
Financial Self-Care: How Budgeting Improved My Mental Health
That Girl Energy: Building Financial Confidence from Scratch
“I Am that I Am.” - I am financially empowered. I am rewriting my money story. I am safe to receive, spend, and thrive in alignment with my highest self.
