Inherited beliefs: where do your money habits come from?

Julie Murphy • May 3, 2012

I’m a firm believer in owning your choices and taking control of your life. But in order to move forward, you must spend some time looking back. Looking at our debt and how we accumulated it; looking at our 20s and what we spent our time doing; and even going as far back as our childhoods.

Whether we like it or not, our childhood experiences shaped certain parts of our personalities as adults. Were you one of many children (like me) and had somewhat of a scarcity mindset when money was involved? Or were you an only child given an endless supply of the things you wanted, including money?

Whatever your situation was, you were learning from it the moment you were welcomed into this world. Our parents, our siblings, our relatives and our friends were our most consistent teachers. We watched our family’s struggles with paying the bills or their lavishness with money as a result of having a lot of it. Subconsciously, we took on their actions and created our own money cues that we carry with us still as adults.

Like many people, I was shocked to see how my learned money behaviors spilled over into other areas of my life. And the biggest giveaway was my relationship with food. When I was given a treat as a child, I would devour it immediately. I was afraid that if I didn’t, I would lose my treat. As an adult, I discovered this pattern led to overeating. And that related directly to my patterns of overspending. Have you noticed anything like this in your life?

Sometimes, I think many of us feel like we’re trapped by our habits. When we’ve grown comfortable with a certain action, we feel like it’s so ingrained in whom we are as human beings that it’s impossible to change it.

Luckily, we are not our inherited habits. We’re free-thinking human beings, and we can take charge of our actions. We are the deciders of our fate; if you want a life a filled with financial, personal and professional abundance, we can take meaningful steps towards that daily.

Action step

What are your inherited beliefs? Take some time this week to look back on your childhood. Think about the things you saw your parents doing; describe the role money played in your household growing up. Try and remember their attitudes toward their finances; were they positive or negative when they spoke about money?

Now, compare your money experiences as a child to the things you do now as an adult. Think about the habits you feel are holding you hostage. More than likely, those actions are stemmed from specific things you learned growing up. Accept those experiences – as well as the money habits you have now as a result of them – without judgment, and let them all go. Once you do that, you’ll be able to move forward in your abundant life.

The post Inherited beliefs: where do your money habits come from? appeared first on Julie Murphy.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Share Blog On Social

A woman is smiling while money is falling around her.

A book titled the spiritual laws of money

Get it NOW!

Recent Blogs

How to End the Year Like the Wealthy Do

By Julie Murphy • December 10, 2025

Reset Your Money Energy for 2026 Every December, we all feel that pull, the desire to “be better with money next year.” But here’s the secret I’ve seen again and again after nearly three decades of walking alongside people from all walks of life: Financially wealthy people don’t just plan their next year — they energetically complete the one they’re leaving. They close loops. They clear emotional residue. They realign their energy field before they set a single goal. And you can absolutely do the same. As I share in The Emotion Behind Money , wealth is never created by logic alone. It comes from managing the emotions behind your money and understanding that money itself is energy. And in Awaken Your Wealth , I remind readers that energetic shifts begin when you consciously picture yourself stepping into a new reality, while compassionately acknowledging the one you’re standing in now. So let’s walk through the simple year-end process I teach my clients — one that spiritually, emotionally, and financially resets your money field for a powerful 2026. 1. Review Your 2025 Wins & Losses With Compassion Before you step into the new year, look back with the most loving, nonjudgmental eyes possible. I call it neutral observation . Wealthy people don’t spiral into shame when something didn’t go perfectly. They get curious. Ask yourself: Where did I expand financially this year? Where did I contract emotionally or economically? What choices were truly aligned with my values? Which ones came from fear, scarcity, or old patterns? In Awaken Your Wealth , the “Accepting Reality and Awakening” step of PACT teaches that awareness without judgment is how we break old money patterns for good. So breathe. Notice. Write it down. No shame. No spiral. Just truth. 2. Forgive Any Money Mistakes Here’s a truth most people never consider: Every financial mistake carries emotional weight and emotional weight blocks money flow. From my work in The 4 Spiritual Laws of Money , we know that your heart’s energy is more powerful than your brain’s logic, and intention is what redirects energy back into alignment. Forgiveness, of yourself, your past self, or others involved, releases stagnant money energy. Try this: Write down any money decisions from 2025 that still feel heavy. Place your hand on your heart. Say: "I forgive the version of me who made this choice. She/he did the best they could with what they knew at the time.” Forgiveness isn’t about letting mistakes slide. It’s about resetting your emotional money field so you can co-create something new. 3. Create an Energetic Closing Ceremony for the Year This is where wealthy people truly separate themselves; they honor the transition. You can create your own year-end ceremony using whatever resonates from your spiritual toolkit. Here are a few ideas inspired by the intention-setting and clearing practices throughout my work: Light a candle Symbolize releasing the old year and calling in the new. Write a “completion list” Include everything you’re ready to release: debts you’re no longer carrying shame over, relationships you’re energetically cutting cords from, patterns you’re finished reenacting. Burn or bury the list This physical act tells the Universe: “I’m done living from this version of myself.” In The Emotion Behind Money , we explore how inherited beliefs and emotional patterns repeat until they are consciously released. This ceremony is your line in the sand. End with intention Close with one powerful intention for 2026, aligned from your heart: “I choose a new flow of abundance.” “I trust that money comes to me with ease.” “I allow myself to receive the wealth I’ve been working toward.” As The 4 Spiritual Laws of Money reminds us: “The Universe responds to action.” Your ceremony is your spiritual action. Ready to Step Into 2026 Aligned, Clear & Empowered? If you’re craving deeper support with your financial reset, join me for my Emotions Behind Money Workshop in January. If you’ve been feeling the nudge to recalibrate your relationship with money, this is your moment. Let’s make 2026 the year your inner wealth and your financial reality finally match. You deserve abundance and you’re closer than you think. With love, alignment & a whole lot of possibility, Julie ✨