How To Transform Your Money Crisis
"The quality of your life is determined by the quality of your questions" – Tony Robbins
Most people facing money problems torture themselves with questions like "Why me?" "How could I be so stupid?" and "What will people think?" These questions lead straight into a pit of shame, fear, and paralysis. I know because I've been there - losing my house and hundreds of thousands of dollars in a failed business venture. But here's what changed everything: learning to ask better questions.
The Hidden Power of Your Brain's Search Engine
Your brain is like Google - it will find answers to whatever you type into the search bar. Ask defeating questions, and your brain serves up evidence of failure. Ask empowering questions, and suddenly new possibilities appear.
Science backs this up. Stanford researchers have found that financial stress can actually lower your IQ by 13 points - the same as losing a night's sleep. No wonder we feel stuck when money problems hit! But here's the good news: by changing our questions, we can redirect our brain's natural problem-solving power.
From Crisis to Opportunity: My Story
I remember sitting at my glass kitchen table with my son, papers scattered everywhere. We had worked through every possible scenario to save our franchise business. The numbers didn't lie - we had to walk away. Two years of hard work, our dreams, and our home were slipping through our fingers.
That's when I discovered a question that changed everything: "What do I need to do so that within three years, I can say this crisis was the best thing that could have happened?"
The Unexpected Gift
This new question led to something I never could have predicted. When we had to sell our house, instead of drowning in despair, I saw an opportunity. My daughter was home from college for Christmas break, and my son was suddenly available since our business was closing. We packed up our dogs, put our stuff in storage, and spent a month in an Airbnb on the beach in California.
We surfed, walked for hours, played games, and cooked together. That precious month with my adult children - something that could never have happened in our "normal" lives - became possible because I asked a different question. The situation hadn't changed, but my perspective had.
The Science Behind Better Questions
When you ask empowering questions, you activate your prefrontal cortex - the part of your brain responsible for planning, problem-solving, and creative thinking. Think of it like changing the channel on your mental radio. The station playing fear and worry will always be broadcasting, but you have the power to tune into a different frequency.
Practical Questions That Create Change
Here are some questions that can shift your perspective:
1. "What resourceful decisions have I made in past financial challenges, and how can I apply those strengths now?"
2. "What small, manageable step can I take today toward my financial goals?"
3. "How might this setback be preparing me for something even bigger?"
4. "What am I deeply grateful for in my current situation, even amid challenges?"
The 80-Year-Old Self Check
One of my favorite perspective shifts is to imagine yourself at 80, looking back at this moment. What would your older, wiser self say about how you're handling this challenge? Would they be proud that you had the courage to start over? This simple exercise helps separate you from the immediate emotional pain and make decisions you'll be proud of later.
Your Questions Shape Your Future
Remember, your brain processes about 60,000 thoughts per day, many in the form of questions. You're already asking questions - the only choice is whether they'll lead you toward recovery and growth or keep you stuck in patterns that no longer serve you.
Your financial setback doesn't define you, but the questions you ask yourself during this time will shape who you become through this experience. It's not about denying reality or pretending everything's fine. It's about directing your brain's natural search function toward solutions instead of suffering.
To help you on this journey, we invite you to subscribe to our FREE weekly money mindset emails and access FREE "Power Of Your Money Mindset Questions Mini Guide" with Journaling Prompts.
Tune into the Her Money Mindset Show on YouTube or podcast platform, and the full video on questions here.
Remember, better questions lead to better answers, and better answers lead to a better life. You've got this, and I'm cheering you on every step of the way.
