Your Financial Power Is Closer Than You Think

Clarity, calm, and courage are wealth-building tools

As I’ve mentioned before, I had a small lawsuit settled around my husband’s death (he died in 2003, lawsuit settled in 2008).

It was a long, drawn-out, and exhausting process (one I don’t think I’d have the bandwidth for now).

At the beginning of 2007, we were given a date to meet for a settlement agreement. The day we went to San Francisco, the opposing side was running late and said they would have to reschedule (while we were there).

That was February.

They never rescheduled the in-person meeting, and we weren’t awarded the settlement until October.

Those were some of the longest months of my life. 😢

Not just because I was waiting for a financial settlement, but also because I was working at a job I absolutely hated, which seemed to exacerbate all the feelings I had about the state of my life in general.

Raising my kids on my own, feeling trapped in an industry that gave me zero quality of life, judging myself for not making better decisions in the past, and missing my husband.

I was in so much resistance and put so much pressure on myself that I felt like I was trying to force something I had no control over, often calling my attorney for updates. We had to say that we were prepared to go to court to resolve the issue once and for all.

Writing that brings tears to my eyes and an ache in my heart.

I feel so much empathy and compassion for my past self, who was doing the best she could. Yet I bought into “shoulds” and so much judgment. I set myself up to be stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I also know that I wouldn’t be who I am today without every experience I’ve had.

Letting go of resistance doesn’t mean giving up; it means focusing on the things we can control.

Like the state of the world right now, which let’s be frank, feels pretty wobbly.

The news cycle is a mess, the markets are unpredictable, and I’ve heard from more than a few women lately that they’re feeling the pull to do something with their money, without knowing what that "something" is.

So I want to offer you a gentle (but grounded) reminder:

You don’t have to panic to be powerful.

In fact, your greatest financial strength might be closer than you think—and it starts not with spreadsheets or hustle... but with self-trust.

---

When the World Feels Uncertain, Come Back to What You Can Control

Instead of spiraling into “What if everything goes wrong?”—try asking:

What would it feel like to root deeper into clarity?

Here are five grounded practices to reconnect with your financial power right now:

💡 1. Revisit your “enough.”
In times of external chaos, internal clarity is gold. What’s enough for you in this season? Knowing that brings spaciousness to your decisions

🪞 2. Audit your money inputs.
Unfollow fear-based finance bros. Follow women with values-aligned wisdom. (You’re allowed to curate your money mentors.)

📥 3. Do a “Money Pause.”
Before reacting to market noise or news headlines, take a breath. Ask yourself: Whose voice am I hearing? What would trusting myself look like here?

🛠️ 4. Create micro-systems of stability.
That could be automating your savings, creating a permission-based spending plan, or having a money date every Sunday. Small habits > heroic plans.

🧠 5. Remember: your brain was built to keep you safe—not wealthy.
This is why willpower fails. The limbic brain responds to stress with survival strategies, such as avoidance, spending, or self-criticism. But your neocortex (your logical brain) strengthens with practice, not pressure. Every small act of clarity is a neural upgrade.

---

Your Calm Is Contagious (and So Is Your Courage)

This isn’t about pretending everything’s fine. It’s about realizing that even in uncertain times, you can be the calm in your own financial story.

And when one woman shows up grounded in her truth, she gives permission for others to do the same.

Let’s be that ripple.

---

This Week’s Invitation:

Write yourself a financial permission slip.
Just one. Something your future self would be proud of.

Need some inspiration?

📝 I give myself permission to define wealth on my own terms.
📝 I give myself permission to not have all the answers right now.
📝 I give myself permission to trust that clarity compounds.

---

Because here’s the truth:

You don’t build wealth just by knowing what to do.

You build wealth by creating the inner safety to actually do it.

A Woman You Should Know

Jenny Bruno - Founder of Unlikely Hikers

Jenny Bruso is the founder of Unlikely Hikers, a hiking community and Instagram account that centers body liberation, accessibility, and inclusion in the outdoors. She’s queer, fat, and proudly in midlife — and she’s built a movement that redefines who “belongs” in nature, which (let’s be honest) is often portrayed as the domain of hyper-fit 20-somethings.

What makes Jenny powerful isn’t just her visibility — it’s her unapologetic voice and her refusal to wait for permission.

She turned her love for the outdoors into a purpose-driven business by creating group hikes, brand partnerships, and speaking gigs that align with her values. She models financial self-trust by not conforming to what a “businesswoman” is supposed to look like — and she’s showing others how to do the same.

If you’re in a season of reclaiming your body, your voice, or your relationship to work, she’s worth following.

Follow @UnlikelyHikers on Instagram

Money Moves

You’ve heard of emergency funds—but what about a Calm Fund?

This is a small, intentional pool of money (even $100!) set aside not for emergencies, but for grounding moments: a last-minute trip to nature, a float tank session, therapy, a getaway with a friend.

This fund isn’t frivolous—it’s a strategic investment in emotional regulation. Emotional regulation leads to better financial decisions.

Wealth isn’t just protection—it’s restoration.

Resources

1. Book: What Works by Tara McMullin
   Why It’s Great: Reframes success and productivity for purpose-driven creatives. A grounded read for midlife entrepreneurs.

2. Podcast: The Long Time Academy
   Why It’s Great: Invites long-term, intergenerational thinking — beautiful for values-based wealth building.

3. App: Monarch Money
   Why It’s Great: A collaborative, intuitive budgeting app — built with emotional clarity and ease in mind (think I may have shared this before?)

4. Tool: FutureMe.org
   Why It’s Great: Write an email to your future self for intention setting, financial visioning, or soft accountability.

5. Newsletter: Heather Vickery by @Heather Vickery | Joy Warrior

   Why It’s Great: Equal parts empowering and practical, this newsletter explores brave living, purposeful work, and soulful self-leadership — all from a grounded midlife lens—a must-read for women reimagining success on their terms.

A Great Visual Metaphor 😉

Spring is finally here in Northern California, and I am one happy woman!

The seeds that I planted are about ready to be transplanted, so that’s what I’ll be working on this weekend.

I went from calling them my ‘babies’ to calling them ‘my kids’ … 😂

Simple pleasures, what can I say?

I hope you’re having a wonderful week.

With love & abundance,
Kim