The Space Between Spreadsheets and Soul Work

Finding your own path to financial wholeness

With my third week behind me in my Financial Planning class, I’ve officially accepted that I was not put on this earth to spend so much time in spreadsheets. 😉

That being said, there's nothing inherently wrong with the technical aspects of financial planning - the budgets, the investment strategies, the retirement calculations.

They're absolutely necessary.

But there's this vast space between the numbers and what actually motivates us to create lasting change with money.

It's like having a perfectly mapped route without knowing why you want to take the journey.

Think about it. How often have we been told to "just make a budget" or "start investing" without addressing the emotional and spiritual weight we carry around money?

✔ The spreadsheets don't know about the time you watched someone you love struggle to make ends meet.

✔ They can't calculate the value of finally feeling peaceful about money after years of anxiety.

And they certainly don't account for the generational patterns we're trying to heal.

I was blessed to have an amazing Mom. She was smart, creative, funny, strong, and loving. Yet she judged herself and justified behaviors around money when she didn’t need to (and unlike myself, she was great with spreadsheets).

She worked just as hard as my Dad, eventually working full-time and still managing life for a family of five (as much as my Dad helped, my Mom took care of almost everything for three kids, all family holidays, vacations, birthdays, you name it).

But women of my Mom’s generation (Boomers) rarely, if ever, received credit for all the unpaid labor they performed. For many years, she also managed the finances. She always credited my dad for “how hard he worked.”

But so did she.

What I'm learning (and what I'd love to explore with you) is that there's incredible power in bringing both aspects together - the practical and the soulful.

Here's what I'm learning about bridging the gap between the practical and soulful sides of money:

Start With Stories, Not Statements

Instead of jumping straight into "You need an emergency fund," we can ask ourselves: "What would help me feel more peaceful about money?" Maybe that leads you to want an emergency fund, but it comes from a place of self-care rather than shoulds.

For example, when I lived in Costa Rica, I realized that my desire for financial freedom wasn't about the numbers but about making choices that aligned with who I was becoming. The spreadsheet was just a tool to help me achieve this.

Create Rituals, Not Just Routines

What if checking your bank balance could be a mindful practice instead of an anxiety-inducing task?

This might look like:

• Setting aside quiet time on Sunday mornings with your favorite beverage to review your week's spending

• Creating a peaceful space for money conversations with yourself (and/or with a trusted friend)

• Taking a few deep breaths before opening financial statements

• Celebrating small wins in your money journey

• Gamifying your finances in whatever way makes it fun

The numbers matter, but how we approach them matters more.

Use Values as Your Filter

Traditional financial advice often tells us what we "should" do with our money. But what if we started with what matters most to us?

When I work on my finances now, I first ask:

• What brings me peace of mind?

• How can I use money to support my wellbeing?

• What would make future me proud?

Then, the practical tools become a means to those deeper ends.

Make Space for Both/And

You can be spiritually minded AND love a good spreadsheet. You can trust your intuition AND seek professional advice. You can desire wealth AND want to make a difference.

It's about integration, not choosing sides.

You can also find a tool you enjoy using or stick with pen and paper if that works for you.

I like using a mix of both… pen & paper to do a brain dump and then move into an online tool to see everything in one place.

The magic happens when we stop trying to separate the practical from the personal and start seeing them as two wings of the same bird. One without the other leaves us flying in circles.

At the end of the day, your financial journey isn't just about reaching a number in your bank account – it's about creating a relationship with money that feels whole, authentic, and aligned with who you are.

The spreadsheets give us structure, but the soul work gives that structure meaning.

And remember, you get to write this story your way.

The space between spreadsheets and soul work?

That's where we find our path to true financial wholeness.

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A Woman You Should Know

Lynne Twist - Author & Activist

Lynne Twist is a renowned author, activist, and global visionary dedicated to shifting the conversation around money, sufficiency, and conscious living.

As the founder of the Soul of Money Institute and co-founder of the Pachamama Alliance, Twist has spent decades working to end world hunger, support social justice, and transform our relationship with wealth.

Her book, The Soul of Money, challenges the scarcity mindset and invites readers to embrace money as a tool for purpose and possibility. Twist empowers individuals to align their financial resources with their deepest values through her work, creating a more just and fulfilling world.

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Money Moves

Here's something practical that bridges money management's technical and emotional aspects: Try the "Money Date Journal" method.

Before checking your accounts or making financial decisions, take 5 minutes to check how you're feeling. What emotions come up? What stories are you telling yourself?

Then, record the practical details (numbers, decisions made) AND your emotional responses. This simple practice helps you spot patterns in your money behaviors while honoring your financial life's practical and emotional aspects.

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Resources

Newsletters I read & recommend 📃

Call for Heroines: Where midlife women discover, plan, & achieve goals by connecting story structure to life. By

Lisa-Marie Cabrelli, Ph.D.

The Effortless Wallet: Feeling overwhelmed by money? Let’s make wealth-building simple. By

Katja Groesser

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Noösphere: Weekly musings on humans and the big rock we live on through a social sciences lens. By

Katie Jgln

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Read 📕

The Change by Kirsten Miller is a gripping tale of three midlife women who discover newfound powers and take justice into their own hands. When they uncover a murdered girl ignored by authorities, they expose a world where the wealthy evade consequences. Fueled by rage and a desire for justice, they decide—it’s time for revenge.

For Your Body 🧴

I get restless legs, and this has been a game-changer! Seven Minerals, Natural Magnesium Cream for Pain Calm, Leg Cramps, Sleep & Muscle Soreness With Moisturizing Organic Cocoa Butter & Vitamin E - No Harmful Ingredients. Check out the Magnesium Cream here.

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I AM 💕

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As we enter February, I want to take a moment to acknowledge that we're living in particularly challenging times. The weight of the world can feel especially heavy right now, and it's perfectly okay – necessary, even – to step back, take a breath, and give yourself whatever space you need to process, rest, and restore.

Remember that taking care of yourself isn't selfish – it's essential. Whether that means turning off the news, taking an extra-long walk, or simply sitting quietly with a cup of tea, honor what your soul is asking for. Our collective strength grows from our individual wholeness.

We're in this together, holding space for the hard stuff and the hope.

And sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do is simply be gentle with ourselves and each other.

Take good care of yourself,

Kim