Money and "The Stigma" of Not Having Much!
If you take a look on the internet, any number of dictionaries will define 'Stigma' as: "A mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality or person".
It is extremely disappointing to see that there is still a stigma attached to those of us that: don't make a bucket load of money in our chosen career paths; are receiving financial welfare or; are dealing with some form of financial hardship.
It absolutely baffles me how not having as much money as someone else can be classified as a mark of disgrace...
Really! 'Disgrace'? Are we that shallow as a species that, in this day and age we still feel the need to put people in classes of society? Unfortunately, the answer to that question for a number of people is a resounding YES...
Bear in mind that it is often these very same people who brag about how much money they make, what they can afford and how great they are at managing their money.
Yet in reality, the core of it all lies in the status that they think discussing what they can afford brings them.
More often than not, these same people brag to their friends, family and anyone who will listen without mentioning what their financial situation is REALLY like (e.
g.
they're actually deep in debt and continue to take out loans to buy more things they'll never pay off).
These people are largely disinclined to manage debt or clear debt, so tend to move through life under financial stress.
It doesn't matter how a person's financial hardship arises, people generally like to make the financial battle something they tackle on their own, as they don't want to put themselves out there for others to judge.
Unfortunately, it is a commonly held belief that the way our peers view us is of major importance which creates the situation where we are afraid of what people may think of us, instead of doing what we think is right for our particular situation.
This typically leads to people not wanting to look like a 'failure', so they only share certain, select parts of their financial situation with other people (e.
g.
You'll hear all about the income they make, but won't hear anything about all the debt they have).
After all, it can be incredibly intimidating to dig deeper and show people our true selves.
We really do need to stop thinking of ourselves (and other people) as failures just because we (or they) may be facing financial hardship, as there are literally millions of people throughout the world that are in exactly the same boat! Money actually isn't everything, it is merely just a tool that is used to help people navigate through life.
Much more important are family, friends and life experiences/lessons, however, advertising could have us believe that our lives aren't worth living without the latest Pay TV channels, clothing labels or mobile phones.
Living within your means doesn't necessarily mean living the life of a pauper, it just means separating needs from wants.
It is unfortunate that our materialistic cultures today have effectively blurred the lines between needs and wants to a point where, thanks to very effective advertising, wants are seen by many as 'must have' needs.
There should be absolutely no stigma attached to doing what you need to do (legally) to improve your financial situation, especially when you are actually taking control of your own financial destiny and doing what is right for your own particular situation.
Any person who is a naysayer or that looks down upon you for doing this should be removed from your circle of friends and never spoken to again, as you don't really need people in your life that don't support and care about you! Most people find it embarrassing and stressful to speak to their lender when they are having trouble with their mortgage repayments.
They're also concerned that raising the issue could have a negative impact against them however you have to remember that getting into financial difficulty is something that can happen to anyone.
Nowadays, with so many people experiencing financial hardship there is no longer room for an attached stigma.
When you're finding it hard to make ends meet and you can't seem to figure out how to make things better, it may be time to swallow your pride and ask for some help.
The people who care for you and love you definitely don't want to see you suffering in any way, either financially or emotionally, so friends and family are often a great place to start when you are after some advice.
It is more than likely that someone you know has been in a similar predicament to you, and generally they are more than capable of offering genuine emotional support and practical suggestions.
It is often embarrassing to reveal the problems in your personal life to someone however, if you can swallow your pride enough to talk to someone non-judgemental, you will feel much better about getting it off your chest.
It is also handy to get another person's opinion, as the particular problem is being seen through 'another set of eyes' and this can offer you a different perspective on the situation, one that you may not have even been aware of before.
I do truly believe that things are getting better regarding financial stigma's and people experiencing financial hardship need to remind themselves that they are definitely not alone.
It is extremely disappointing to see that there is still a stigma attached to those of us that: don't make a bucket load of money in our chosen career paths; are receiving financial welfare or; are dealing with some form of financial hardship.
It absolutely baffles me how not having as much money as someone else can be classified as a mark of disgrace...
Really! 'Disgrace'? Are we that shallow as a species that, in this day and age we still feel the need to put people in classes of society? Unfortunately, the answer to that question for a number of people is a resounding YES...
Bear in mind that it is often these very same people who brag about how much money they make, what they can afford and how great they are at managing their money.
Yet in reality, the core of it all lies in the status that they think discussing what they can afford brings them.
More often than not, these same people brag to their friends, family and anyone who will listen without mentioning what their financial situation is REALLY like (e.
g.
they're actually deep in debt and continue to take out loans to buy more things they'll never pay off).
These people are largely disinclined to manage debt or clear debt, so tend to move through life under financial stress.
It doesn't matter how a person's financial hardship arises, people generally like to make the financial battle something they tackle on their own, as they don't want to put themselves out there for others to judge.
Unfortunately, it is a commonly held belief that the way our peers view us is of major importance which creates the situation where we are afraid of what people may think of us, instead of doing what we think is right for our particular situation.
This typically leads to people not wanting to look like a 'failure', so they only share certain, select parts of their financial situation with other people (e.
g.
You'll hear all about the income they make, but won't hear anything about all the debt they have).
After all, it can be incredibly intimidating to dig deeper and show people our true selves.
We really do need to stop thinking of ourselves (and other people) as failures just because we (or they) may be facing financial hardship, as there are literally millions of people throughout the world that are in exactly the same boat! Money actually isn't everything, it is merely just a tool that is used to help people navigate through life.
Much more important are family, friends and life experiences/lessons, however, advertising could have us believe that our lives aren't worth living without the latest Pay TV channels, clothing labels or mobile phones.
Living within your means doesn't necessarily mean living the life of a pauper, it just means separating needs from wants.
It is unfortunate that our materialistic cultures today have effectively blurred the lines between needs and wants to a point where, thanks to very effective advertising, wants are seen by many as 'must have' needs.
There should be absolutely no stigma attached to doing what you need to do (legally) to improve your financial situation, especially when you are actually taking control of your own financial destiny and doing what is right for your own particular situation.
Any person who is a naysayer or that looks down upon you for doing this should be removed from your circle of friends and never spoken to again, as you don't really need people in your life that don't support and care about you! Most people find it embarrassing and stressful to speak to their lender when they are having trouble with their mortgage repayments.
They're also concerned that raising the issue could have a negative impact against them however you have to remember that getting into financial difficulty is something that can happen to anyone.
Nowadays, with so many people experiencing financial hardship there is no longer room for an attached stigma.
When you're finding it hard to make ends meet and you can't seem to figure out how to make things better, it may be time to swallow your pride and ask for some help.
The people who care for you and love you definitely don't want to see you suffering in any way, either financially or emotionally, so friends and family are often a great place to start when you are after some advice.
It is more than likely that someone you know has been in a similar predicament to you, and generally they are more than capable of offering genuine emotional support and practical suggestions.
It is often embarrassing to reveal the problems in your personal life to someone however, if you can swallow your pride enough to talk to someone non-judgemental, you will feel much better about getting it off your chest.
It is also handy to get another person's opinion, as the particular problem is being seen through 'another set of eyes' and this can offer you a different perspective on the situation, one that you may not have even been aware of before.
I do truly believe that things are getting better regarding financial stigma's and people experiencing financial hardship need to remind themselves that they are definitely not alone.
