From Survival Mode to Freedom

I’ll be honest with you, money and I haven’t always had the best relationship. For years, I lived in a poverty mindset without even knowing it. I thought being broke was just my story, that struggling was normal, and that “people like me” weren’t meant to have extra, let alone invest.

As a single mom, I spent so much of my energy in survival mode; robbing Peter to pay Paul, praying the lights stayed on, and stretching every dollar to the limit. My definition of financial planning was making sure there was food in the fridge until payday. And if I’m being real, sometimes even that felt like a miracle. What made it harder was being caught in the middle—I earned just above the income limit to qualify for SNAP, but that number was based on gross income, not what actually hit my bank account after taxes. So, while it looked like I was making “enough” on paper, in real life I was constantly falling short.

But something inside me started to shift.

There were the big, gut-punch moments—like the first time my gas got shut off because I couldn’t catch up on the balance. But just as powerful were the small, quiet moments of awareness. Like realizing I could choose to save $5 instead of spending it on something that didn’t really matter. Or the day I heard myself say, “I’ll never get ahead,” and thought, why am I declaring that over my own life?

I started learning—signing up for classes, reading books, listening to people who had walked this road before me, I also start putting this knowledge into practice with my own finances. And little by little, I began to see that money wasn't my enemy; It was my inner-me and an energy.

In his powerful book Rich and Righteous, Julien Gordon, breaks down money as energy in a way that challenges and transforms the way we think about wealth.

He reminds us that money isn’t just paper or numbers on a screen but how money is stored energy. And just like energy, it can carry a positive, neutral, or negative charge.

On a subconscious level, we know that money is a form of energy just by our language and how we use the word charge. We say things like: How much do you charge? Charge it to my card. Interest charges, etc. The word itself carries an energy, reminding us that money isn’t just currency—it’s current.

When we use money wisely, it carries a positive charge, helping us grow, build, and create. When we misuse it or operate in fear, it can carry a negative charge, keeping us in cycles of debt or lack.

In The Abundance Book, Jonathan Randolph Price created an acronym for M.O.N.E.Y.: My Own Natural Energy Yield. He reminds us that wealth starts inwardly, with how we generate, direct, and conduct our own energy.

Just like electricity flows through a circuit, money flows through you. How you think, feel, and act with money determines the type of energy you transmit. This is why shifting from a poverty mindset to a wealth-conscious mindset matters so much. Because money doesn’t just respond to budgets and spreadsheets, like I once thought it did, it responds to energy, stewardship, and intention.

Now I'm not saying that I have it all figured out. I’m still learning. I’m still making mistakes. But here’s what I’ve started doing:

• Putting something—anything—into savings, even if it’s just $10 a week. That adds up when you don't go back to get it the next day. (If you know, you know)

  
  

• Paying attention to what I really need versus what I was buying out of habit. Like a cup of coffee EVERY day. ($1.50 x 7 = $10.50 which is close to $50 a month)

  
  

• Talking to my kids about money so they don’t grow up repeating the same cycle.

  
  

• Reminding myself daily that investing isn’t just for rich people, it’s for anyone willing to start. And then start!

And you know what? Those small steps add up. They shift your thinking. They help you breathe a little easier.

The hardest part hasn’t been learning the number, it’s actually been rewriting my story and challenging old belief systems that kept me in that poverty mindset way of thinking.

That voice in my head used to say:

“You’ll always struggle.”

“You can’t save, there’s never enough.”

“Investing isn’t for you.”

Now I’m teaching myself to replace those lies with truth:

I can learn.

I can save.

I can invest in my future and my children’s future.

Because financial freedom isn’t about being perfect it’s about choosing not to give up.

Why This Matters for Us Moms

I know what it feels like to count pennies. I know the weight of being the one your children look to, even when you’re not sure how it’s all going to work out. And I also know the strength it takes to say, “I want better for me and for them.”

For me, this journey isn’t just about money. It’s about legacy. It’s about breaking cycles so my kids don’t inherit the same struggles. It’s about showing them that wealth isn’t impossible, it’s something we can build, even starting small.

So, if you’re reading this and feel behind, ashamed, or overwhelmed, I want you to hear me clearly: you’re not alone and things will improve.

You don’t have to get it all right today. You just have to start.

Start small and stay consistent. Put $5 in an envelope today, then $10 next week. Set up a savings account and have $25 transfer in automatically every time you get paid. (I promise you will not miss it). Sign up for a financial class that stretches you. Put a few bucks into a company you already spend money with—make your habits work for you sugamama. (FYI: Starbucks (SBUX) current price of stocks is $85.29 and Dunkin’ Brands (DNKN) current price of stocks is $106.48).

And when that voice in your head tries to talk you out of progress, shut it down. Whatever your first move looks like, make it. Then make the next one. Momentum builds legacy.

Because one day, you’ll look back and realize those small steps led you to freedom.

Poverty Mindset vs. Wealth Mindset: Why the Way You Think About Money Matters

Money isn’t just about numbers—it’s also about how we think about it. The way you view money can either hold you back or move you forward. This is the difference between living with a poverty (scarcity) mindset and stepping into a wealth (abundance) mindset.

What is a Poverty or Scarcity Mindset?

A poverty mindset is rooted in fear and lack. It’s when you believe:

• “There’s never enough.”

• “I’ll always struggle financially.”

• “If someone else wins, that means I lose.”

• “I can’t save or invest until I make more money.”

  
  

This mindset keeps you stuck in survival mode. Even if more money comes in, it slips away because the belief system hasn’t changed. It makes you play small, avoid risks, and miss opportunities.

Think of it like living with a closed fist—you’re holding on so tightly to what you have that there’s no room to receive anything more.

What is a Wealth or Abundance Mindset?

A wealth mindset is rooted in possibility, growth, and stewardship. It’s when you believe:

• “Money is a tool I can learn to manage.”

• “There are always opportunities to grow.”

• “I am capable of building wealth, no matter where I start.”

• “The more I grow, the more I can give and create for others.”

  
  

This mindset doesn’t mean you ignore reality or pretend money isn’t tight—it means you look for solutions, you plan, and you take small consistent steps that build over time.

Think of it like living with an open hand, ready to work, ready to give, and ready to receive.

The Shift from Scarcity to Abundance

Here’s the beautiful thing: you don’t have to stay stuck in a poverty mindset. You can shift by:

1. Awareness – Catch the negative money thoughts when they show up.

2. Reframing – Replace “I’ll never get ahead” with “I’m learning to manage money better each day.”

3. Small Habits – Save consistently, invest little by little, and celebrate progress.

4. Like-Minded Circles – Surround yourself with people who think bigger about money and life.

   
   

Why This Matters for Moms

As moms, our mindset doesn’t just affect us; it affects the way our children see the world. When we live in scarcity, we unintentionally pass down fear and limitation. But when we model abundance, we teach them confidence, creativity, and resilience.

Remember: wealth starts in the mind before it shows up in the bank account.

Wealth and Health,

Trici Noel

In the Salad Course of my book Step Up to the Plate of L.I.F.E. (Living in Full Excellence), I talk about the difference between living with a scarcity mindset versus stepping into abundance. It’s something that shows up in how we think, spend, and grow. If that’s a conversation you’re ready to lean into, the book’s there when you’re ready to dig deeper. https://www.amazon.com/author/tricinoel-her-storyinthemaking