Breaking free from financial anxiety and embracing financial empowerment

SHAH ALAM - Financial anxiety can be overwhelming, often leading individuals to make poor financial decisions.The pressure of managing money, particularly for those with limited or no financial security, can create a cycle of stress that negatively impacts decision-making.By understanding your financial situation and having a clear action plan in place, you can break this cycle and regain a sense of control.

Ringgit Oh Ringgit founder and financial expert Suraya Zainudin highlighted the dangers of financial anxiety and how it often leads people to make irrational choices.“Financial anxiety is something that affects people with little or no money, and I refer to it as a loop to hell,” said Suraya at Sinar Daily's She Leads 6: Crowned in Confidence – Smart Money Moves to Thrive Financially event recently.“When you're financially stressed, you're more likely to make even worse financial decisions."For instance, if you're already RM10,000 in debt, you might think, ‘What’s another RM1,000?"“That kind of mindset can be incredibly dangerous."Suraya emphasised that the first step in overcoming financial anxiety is creating an action plan.She stressed the importance of crafting an action plan by listing available resources, identifying marketable skills and taking proactive steps such as updating one's resume and applying for jobs.“Having an action plan helps prevent poor financial decisions and provides something productive to focus on. If you take the right steps, opportunities will follow,” she added.Meanwhile, supermodel-turned-entrepreneur and founder of Humble Pie, Zahnita Wilson, pointed out that financial anxiety often affects women, particularly those who take career breaks to care for family members.

“In Malaysia, almost half of women take a career break at some point, either to care for their children, parents, or in-laws,” Zahnita Wilson shared with the audience.“It’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed, but when you’re on the verge of burnout, that’s when you need to step back and seek help.”“It doesn’t mean you’re a failure—it’s okay to take a break when necessary,” she added, speaking at the event held at the Karangkraf Complex.Both experts emphasised the importance of financial knowledge and planning in reducing anxiety and making informed financial decisions.By taking proactive steps, individuals can regain control of their finances and avoid falling into a cycle of stress and poor choices.Sinar Daily’s first anniversary event empowered women with financial knowledge and confidence. Suraya and Zahnita led discussions on debt psychology, financial pitfalls and strategies for achieving stability.

Beyond financial literacy, the event also facilitated networking and the sharing of experiences among attendees.Participants enjoyed a delightful hi-tea session, curated goodie bags and a lucky draw, with a grand prize of a flight ticket to Seoul.She Leads 6 proved to be an inspiring platform, empowering women to take control of their financial future.