Fostering Financial Self Advocacy
Unfortunately, there are times when people will try to take advantage of a friend, colleague, or business contact’s good nature, and it is a real shame.
I share this as I recently experienced it myself, and while the temptation may be to roll over, there are proactive ways to address the situation.
Firstly, it’s natural to feel helplessness, frustration, anger, pride or a sense of injustice — I can’t claim to have risen above those emotions entirely — but the resolution comes via a policy of self-advocacy.
Self-advocacy is about knowing ourselves, speaking up and taking action to remove barriers.
What is self-advocacy?
Self-advocacy is about knowing ourselves, speaking up and taking action to remove barriers. It is a vital component of both a successful personal life and the reaching of professional goals. It’s about sticking up for ourselves and getting what we feel we deserve.
Have you ever had to inform a waiter that the food you’ve been brought is not what you ordered? If so, you’ll know it takes you out of your comfort zone to speak up, but it’s necessary. (If you never have, it’s time to start!)
Self-advocacy with your finances
Self-advocacy can be applied to our finances.
Consider, for example, when we’re underpaid, or when invoices remain unpaid entirely. We need to speak up. We are entitled to a voice in any circumstance we find ourselves in. Deploy that voice by communicating clearly and concisely, but without being rude, the only way to build confidence is to practice.
We must mitigate the extent to which those who would ill-treat us can be detrimental to our lives.
Unfortunately, not everyone has good intentions. We must mitigate the extent to which those who would ill-treat us can be detrimental to our lives. In my case, this involved putting my foot down, revealing a firm side and, perhaps hardest of all, accepting the reality of poor behaviour from people I would least expect it from.
But self-advocacy is not always about conflict. Sometimes it’s about taking all available steps to meet our financial potential.
We need to be upfront about our financial situations, whatever they are, and recognise that there are both people and systems that can aid us. There is no shame in seeking help.
For many of us, the route to financial health and literacy can feature obstacles such as difficulty understanding financial concepts.
For many of us, the route to financial health and literacy can feature obstacles such as difficulty understanding financial concepts. This can even be the result of psychological differences, including invisible disabilities, and while these can be less commonly understood, no one is “bad at money”.
There are always avenues for improvement.
There is also often a shame that comes with struggling financially, as we assume that those around us have their finances in perfect order. This is highly unlikely to be the reality and confiding in friends will often both reveal the true picture and provide much-needed support.
Beyond this, the likes of StepChange, MoneyHelper, Citizens Advice and Mind can all offer advice and direction and help to set us on a path to financial wellbeing.
Crucially, this all starts with advocating for ourselves. Self-advocacy is the key.
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About the author
Hi, I’m Krystle. I use finance and psychology to improve people’s lives through financial consultancy and education. My work tackles low confidence and improves financial acumen and economic decision-making. I work with individuals and through my company Mind Over Money partner with organisations to optimise decision-making and financial well-being. I love yoga, dancing, and creating fine art — find out more about me here.
Connect with me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, or email krystle@krystlemcgilvery.com — I’d love to hear from you!
