The beginning of a new year has a certain energy to it:
Fresh starts
Clean pages
Good intentions
It’s also a time when many people feel an undercurrent of pressure—especially around money.
We are making plans, setting goals and adjusting budgets, and money is the resource that makes it all work more easily.
We are asking ourselves questions about current stability, future security and what’s possible next. And, we are trying to anticipate and manage an unpredictable future.
And before any of our plans turn into action, there’s something important to understand.
In this essay
Why money stress isn’t just financial
How money affects the nervous system
A calmer way to approach planning for the year ahead
(good cutoff to blog page)
Money Is Not Just Financial
A client recently told me that when she searched for a career coach, I was the only one she found who also talked openly about money.
That stopped me.
When people are transitioning, they want to address the implications of that on their financial life. Often, there are some extreme reactions to stepping into a career change or being forced into one.
It’s natural to go straight to thoughts like “I’m going to have to move” and while it may ultimately be the case, it may not be necessary. Worse case scenario planning kicks in quickly.
Money is always part of the conversation—whether we like it or not. So, best to start welcoming the conversations.
When someone is:
Considering a career change
Building or growing a business
Re-entering the workforce
Trying to plan “the right next move”
Money isn’t just a spreadsheet issue or something we can separate ourselves from emotionally.
It’s a nervous system issue. It’s important to be aware of the difference between a fear reaction vs. a considered response to this life change.
How Money Stress Shows Up in the Body
What I understand now—far more deeply than when I began coaching—is how significantly money stress affects the nervous system.
Financial uncertainty can:
Narrow thinking
Reduce creativity
Increase fear-based decision making
Make even good opportunities feel unsafe
This is also why starting the year with “big goals” can sometimes feel overwhelming instead of motivating.
When the nervous system is dysregulated, clarity is hard to access. Clarity about what you want or where you are headed is key to making a successful change.
Usually, if you are feeling the stress in your body, you have been telling yourself and believing your deepest worries. The physical stress reactions are the result of the stories you’ve been telling yourself. In other words, thoughts lead to feelings.
Why This Changed How I Coach
Earlier in my career, focusing on the transition was where the energy went, both for me and the client. Money was something to touch on, but often in the background.
Now, it’s central to our conversations if that helps to facilitate better decision making. Financial planning for the current situation can help create calm in the midst of transition.
It may be an interruption in a larger financial plan, but accepting a temporary disruption is part of the process. You can plan to get back on track once a change is made.
Money is one of many considerations, but it can overpower others because unaddressed money stress affects everything.
Your confidence
Your choices
Your sense of safety
Your ability to imagine a different future
Until the nervous system feels supported, we risk making less desirable decisions.
A Different Way to Start the Year
January doesn’t have to begin with pressure.
Instead of asking:
What should I achieve?
What should I fix?
What’s wrong with where I am?
Try starting with:
What feels stable right now?
What feels tight or constricted?
What feels possible—but a little scary?
What’s my priority?
These questions create information without judgment.
And information is what leads to sustainable change.
Regulation Before Resolution
Sometimes the most helpful thing at the start of a new year isn’t a detailed, actionable plan.
It’s regulation.
I once had a therapist tell me she wanted to “get me in so I could get some relief.” I never forgot that—because simply talking things through can calm the nervous system and restore perspective.
That’s true with money.
That’s true with career.
That’s true with life.
Relief creates space.
Space creates clarity.
Clarity makes planning effective.
A Gentle Invitation
If money feels loud, confusing, or emotionally charged as you start this year, you don’t have to sort it out alone.
Sometimes the most productive next step is simply having a thoughtful, grounded conversation—one that helps your nervous system settle before you decide what comes next.
That’s where real momentum begins.