Libsyn Directory

Why You Can't Budget Your Way Out of Money Shame

Release Date: 06/16/2025

Breaking Money Cycles: Why You Feel Broke Even When You Have Money (10-Minute Daily Fix)

It's Not About The Money

Have you ever looked at your bank account and thought "this should feel like enough," yet still felt that familiar knot of anxiety in your stomach whenever money came up? You're absolutely not alone in this experience. This week, I'm diving deep into why you can feel broke even when you have money - and it has nothing to do with the actual numbers in your account. The real culprit? Your nervous system and how it's been programmed to recognise what feels "safe" around money. If you grew up hearing "we can't afford that" or witnessed your parents stress about finances, your body has been...

Breaking Money Cycles - Why Saving More Money Never Makes You Feel Safe

It's Not About The Money

In this deeply personal episode, I explore why having more money often doesn't make us feel safer, and why this isn't actually a money problem - it's a meaning problem. Drawing from my own experience of nearly losing my youngest son Thomas twice in his first five weeks of life, I reveal how our "not enough" programming around money often stems from our deepest fears about being unprepared when someone we love is at risk. Through my three-zone model of receiving, holding, and giving, I break down how these inherited money beliefs create an exhausting cycle where we work harder but can never...

Why Hustle Culture is Killing Your Success: The Long-Haul Leadership Revolution with Chris Ducker

It's Not About The Money

In this episode, I'm joined by Chris Ducker, serial entrepreneur, founder of Youpreneur, and author of the brand new book "The Long-Haul Leader." Chris shares his deeply personal journey from building multi-seven figure businesses whilst burning himself out, to being diagnosed with phase three adrenal failure, depression, and anxiety all in the same day in 2021. What emerged from that breakdown was a complete reimagining of what sustainable success looks like - moving away from hustle culture towards what he calls "long-haul leadership." We explore his Life OS framework with its four key...

Building a Business That Runs Without You with Alexis Kingsbury

It's Not About The Money

Episode Overview In this episode, I'm joined by Alexis Kingsbury, a multi-entrepreneur who started his first business at just 12 years old, yet failed with six consecutive businesses throughout school and university. After being told by a management consultant that he'd "never be able to build a team" and having his first employee quit saying his company had "no culture, no processes and no proper ways of working," Alexis has gone on to build two successful software businesses and a consulting practice serving over 600 organisations worldwide, including Google, Sony and Pepsi. Most...

From Leukemia to Financial Adviser: How Crisis Shaped My Money Story with Michelle Taylor

It's Not About The Money

Episode Overview In this episode, I'm delighted to chat with Michelle Taylor, founder of Women in Wealth and host of the "Talk Wealthy to Me" podcast, who shares her incredibly powerful and vulnerable money story. From growing up with two parents who had completely opposite approaches to money, to being diagnosed with leukaemia at 17, to finding herself unable to buy a magazine at the airport because four credit cards were declined - Michelle's journey is a masterclass in resilience and financial transformation. Her story beautifully illustrates how our early money experiences shape us, and...

How to Break Generational Money Blocks in 7 Days

It's Not About The Money

In this episode, I share a powerful story about a well-known financial celebrity who, despite decades of expertise and clear logical reasons, had been putting off the same property purchase for almost 20 years. What we discovered in our conversation reveals everything about why you might be undercharging, avoiding money conversations, or sabotaging your financial success - and it's not what you think. Through my seven-day money story discovery process, I'll show you how to uncover the hidden inherited survival strategies that have been passed down through three generations, affecting every...

Always Free - How to Become Financially Free with Jason Graystone

It's Not About The Money

In this episode, I'm delighted to chat with Jason Graystone, author of "Always Free" and investor who achieved financial freedom at just 30 years old. Jason and I actually met on a ski trip with Daniel Priestley earlier this year, and I couldn't resist having him on the show to discuss his remarkable journey from hiding behind the sofa as bailiffs knocked on the door in his childhood council estate, to building a half-million subscriber YouTube channel and living completely financially free on his West Sussex farm. We dive deep into why most people never achieve financial freedom, the...

Master Female Financial Freedom in 1 hour: Everything They Never Taught Women About Money!

It's Not About The Money

In this comprehensive masterclass episode, I share everything I learned during my 15 years working inside banks as a trained financial adviser, watching thousands of intelligent people convinced they weren't good with money. After discovering that you don't need to be rich to get started, don't need financial qualifications, and definitely don't need to love numbers to build wealth like the top 1%, I'm pulling back the curtain on the complete system that's helped thousands break free from financial stress. This is your complete guide to transforming your relationship with money - covering both...

How to Build Rich Relationships With Selena Soo

It's Not About The Money

Episode Overview In this episode, I'm delighted to chat with bestselling author and visibility expert Selena Soo about her incredible book "Rich Relationships." After following Selena's work for years and witnessing the transformative results her expertise creates, I dive deep into her revolutionary approach to building, nurturing, and activating your million-dollar network. We explore how rich relationships - those that massively enrich the quality of your life - are truly the fastest way to get from where you are to where you want to be, especially in today's economy where trust is at an...

Why You're Busy But Not Profitable (And The 3 Ways To Fix It)

It's Not About The Money

In this episode, I tackle one of the biggest challenges facing business owners today: working 50-70 hours a week but still lying awake wondering where all the money has gone. Through a real client case study and practical strategies, I reveal why being busy isn't the same as being profitable, and share the three fundamental ways to transform your hard work into actual profit that pays you properly. Chapters 00:00 The Busy vs. Profitable Paradox 02:45 Understanding Profit Confusion 06:07 Designing Your Life for Profit 09:13 The Importance of Knowing Your Financial Needs 12:06 Time...

More Episodes

In this episode, I share insights from my recent interview with UK-based global company Agon about the crucial link between mental health and money. Rather than offering quick fixes, I explore the deeper emotional landscape beneath financial anxiety and provide six key questions to help you understand what's really driving your money worries

Episode Highlights:

Understanding the Root of Money Worries

Money itself isn't usually what we're worried about - it's what money represents
Common underlying fears: relationship security, business stability, lifestyle changes, and team obligations
How financial anxiety often stems from deeper meanings we attach to money
The difference between surface-level money concerns and their emotional foundations

The Emotional Spectrum of Money

My ladder metaphor: low-vibrational emotions at the bottom (shame, guilt, stress, anger) vs high-vibrational emotions at the top (gratitude, joy, happiness)
Why jumping straight to gratitude practices doesn't work when you're experiencing financial shame
The crucial middle step: acceptance of past decisions, inherited beliefs, and trauma patterns
How the nervous system creates fight-or-flight responses to protect us from perceived financial threats

The Complexity of Money Shame

Why shame is the hardest emotion on the spectrum to shift
How shame creates a freeze response in the nervous system, leading to financial avoidance
Recognising shame through language: the "shoulds" we place on ourselves ("I should be good with money," "I should be further ahead")
The importance of compassionate acknowledgement without judgement

Money and Neurodiversity

How traditional financial advice assumes neurotypical learning styles
Specific challenges for neurodivergent individuals: impulse control, budgeting, long-term planning
My personal ADHD experience: visual presentations, movement during money conversations, shorter but more frequent meetings
The correlation between depression, anxiety, and financial avoidance

Beyond Traditional Financial Solutions

Why practical solutions (budgets, investment plans) don't work without addressing underlying emotions
The problem with control-based planning when control doesn't feel safe
How impulsive spending patterns can sabotage investment strategies if safety concerns aren't addressed
The importance of understanding emotional patterns before implementing financial tools

Professional Development for Coaches

How coaches can support clients with money conversations without being qualified financial advisers
The power of holding space for psychological exploration around money decisions
Tools and frameworks for understanding the patterns behind financial behaviours
My financial coach certification programme and free 40-minute training

Final Thought

This episode emphasises that healing our relationship with money requires understanding the emotional spectrum beneath our financial behaviours. Rather than bypassing difficult emotions to reach gratitude and joy, lasting change comes through accepting where we are, understanding our protective patterns, and working with our individual psychological makeup.