There was a time when my bank account looked fine on paper.
I paid rent on time. Had some savings. Ate out now and then.
But inside?
I felt constantly… broke.
Not bankrupt-broke.
Just always-one-bad-month-away broke.
And no matter how much I earned, that feeling never left.
I remember checking my balance every morning — not because I had to, but because I didn’t trust it.
Like the numbers weren’t real.
Like I was one small mistake away from losing everything.
Weird part?
No one around me saw it.
I was “doing well.”
But inside, I was quietly drowning in money anxiety.
Then one night, after a full day of work and a $16 sushi dinner I didn’t even enjoy, I sat in my car and asked:
“What am I doing all this for?”
That was the moment I realized:
It wasn’t about the money.
It was about the relationship I had with money.
I saw it as a threat.
Not a tool.
A measurement of safety.
Not freedom.
I started changing small things.
- I stopped checking my bank app daily.
- I gave every dollar a job — not a guilt trip.
- I made peace with “enough,” even if it wasn’t flashy.
It didn’t happen overnight.
But slowly, the panic faded.
The noise got quieter.
And for the first time, I felt in control.
Not rich.
Not secure forever.
But… peaceful.
Final Thought
Sometimes, feeling broke has nothing to do with numbers.
It’s about feeling out of control.
Disconnected.
Alone.
But you’re not.
If this is you — start small.
Not with your money.
With your mindset.
You’re not failing.
You’re just tired.
And that’s okay.