Wanna Talk Money? Me too.

/
wanna-talk-money-me-too.jpg

There’s been a great deal of discussion on all online and offline platforms about the power dynamics in the workplace and, to a certain extent, in the home.

It’s a touchy subject for all involved, with many of us feeling like we’re walking on egg shells any time we broach the subject.

Touchy as it may be, it needs to be addressed (for real—more than just talk). And it’s about time.

What does this have to do with money? Everything.

As we know, money makes the world go round. In this modern era, we need money for just about anything and everything we want to do, from spending leisure time with loved ones to going on a fabulous vacation to some remote location. 

It’s a fact: most activities require some amount of money for us to participate in them.

But money is useful for more than just buying stuff and living life in general. Money has secret powers. It can turn us into a superhero version of ourselves.

Money allows us to help our friends and family when they find themselves in a pinch. And it can help us save ourselves from Murphy's Law when he pays us a visit.

But money also allows us to do something pretty amazing, even when we’re not actively using it:

Money can help us stick up for ourselves and it can even help us right a wrong.

Now, I’m not saying anyone ever has a right to abuse another human being, be it verbally, physically, psychologically, emotionally or otherwise. 

What I’m saying is that money can have a significant influence on how we feel. And that can have a significant impact on how we react to abuse or insult, both in the moment, and after the fact.

I’ve been noticing over time that, as our savings and investment accounts grow and our debts disappeared, my self-confidence increased. I demanded more of myself and of others. I wanted the respect and regard I deserved as an equal in any and all relationships. 

In short, I wanted what I rightfully deserved.

This expectation applied to personal relationships, work arrangements, negotiations and even to everyday interactions with strangers.

Now, I’m not talking about turning into some kind of diva/princess/spoiled brat version of myself. On the contrary. It’s not a zero-sum game. 

We can both stand up for ourselves, refusing to sell ourselves short, AND have regard for others. In fact, respectful behaviour usually gets us more in life anyway. 

(Have you ever wanted to give anything to a chronic complainer or bully? If anything, I tend to want to take something away from folks who behave that way!) 

As I started to navigate the world a bit differently, thanks to my increased levels of liquid courage, I noticed others reacting with mild to marked surprise when I didn’t settle for what was on offer or that I felt comfortable walking away from proposed arrangements that I didn’t feel were equitable or in my best interest.

Knowing what I know now, I wish I could write a big fat cheque to my fifteen-to-eighteen-year-old self. She could definitely have used some serious liquid courage in dealing with some of what she went through. 

Is having savings the end all and be all in working toward equality? No.

Are there power dynamics other than money that can have a negative impact on our lives? Absolutely. 

But, to me, having some serious dough squirrelled away is a damn good start and I wouldn’t want to give up what it affords me: the ability to be my own hero, to have my own back.

As it turns out, it takes money to make money, but it also takes money to avoid having what’s rightfully ours looted by those who believe they can get away with it, be it our:

Stacking the odds in our favour is only fair when we might be walking into a rigged game. 

Image credit/copyright: anankkml / freedigitalphotos.net

This post contains affiliate links to amazon.com. Purchases made via these links help support the F2P blog. It doesn't cost you anything and helps cover ongoing expenses associated with maintaining this blog. Thank you for your support.