On this week’s episode of Unleashing YOUR Great Work, advisor, author, and public speaker Michelle Arpin Begina guides us through one of THE MOST taboo topics most people fear the most: money. 

Why is it so difficult to talk about money? 

As the daughter of two entrepreneurs, Michelle is no stranger to overcoming many trials and tribulations with the thoughts and struggles of money. She takes us on a powerful journey through her own personal relationship with money and how it’s shaped her into finding her own Great Work. 

Michelle brings an insightful awareness to the fact that money isn’t just about how much you make, how much you save, or even how much you spend. It’s about the root of where the idea of money lives and where it comes from.

If we are told money isn’t important, do we spend more? What happens when we make more money? How do we gather the courage to ask for more money without feeling guilty? Michelle answers all of these questions, and so much more!

Listen in as Michelle shows us why we should be more open to discussing the topic of money and how easy it is to talk about once we finally gather the courage to do so.

Michelle Arpin Begina delivers a passionate perspective on the stigma attached to discussing your finances. She believes that if we just start talking about money, we can stop arguing about it. 

At a young age, Michelle made a personal vow in which she said, in regards to financial mismanagement, “This is not going to be me.” And she made sure of that. 

How many times, in our own lives, have we been timid about talking about our finances for fear of judgment? And not just from others. But also ourselves. 

Michelle truly gives the best advice on finding the confidence and strength to be open about one’s finances.

Join us as we discuss: 

02:24 Anytime we know how to do something, it always becomes easier. 

03:06 What is it about specifically talking about money that is important?

04:14 A story of someone who’s feeling weird talking about money, and what opens up for them when they learn how to talk about money.

07:18 Common about money.

08:14 Why do we have such a hard time talking about money?

11:26 Why would we feel offended to be talking to somebody who sees money or perceives money in a way that’s different from us?

13:54 What can someone do to start learning how to talk about money?

18:51 We were internalizing what we’re hearing from the outside world.

20:09 Michelle’s parents’ relationship with money and how she personally overcame it.

26:17 Michelle’s struggles in her late teens, in her 20s.

31:25 Marrying love of people with love of numbers. 

33:42 How Michelle helped New Jersey become the first state to include financial psychology as part of their standards.

About the author

Dr. Amanda Crowell is a cognitive psychologist and business coach who helps accidental entrepreneurs get more clients and have a bigger impact. She is the author of Great Work, the host of the Unleashing Your Great Work podcast, and the creator of the Great Work Journals. Amanda's TEDx talk has received almost two million views and has been featured on TED's Ideas blog and Ted Shorts. Her ideas have also been featured on NPR, Al Jazeera, The Wall Street Journal, Quartz, and Thrive Global.