If You Have Control Over Your Finances, You Have Control Over Your Life

Over the months since #BlogHer18 Health, there have been countless times when I thought back to certain moments—certain spotlight talks, the keynotes, especially the Voices of the Year awards–but one moment that has consistently surfaced in my mind was the talk by Farnoosh Torabi on the value of financial health. Especially during those nights when the stress of student loans kept me up or when I had to tell my friends that, “No, I can’t join you for happy hour,” even though they said, “We’re broke too, come on.”

“If you have control over your finances, you have control over your life,” Farnoosh told the #BlogHer18 audience. “You have to be your biggest advocate, especially when it comes to personal finances.”

I repeated that in my head so many times I lost count. But repeating that mantra over and over again kept me in line, kept me from feeling like I was draining my bank account by the time rent or those loan repayments were due.

The truth is, discussing your personal finances is a vulnerable and awkward thing to do, but as Farnoosh says, “We’re a community, and even with money, you can’t do it all on your own.”

“We have to ask questions. We have to talk to our friends, family, and partners about money, and through that, we can grow.”

What does that look like? It’s putting the feelers out to see if you’re overspending on xyz, it’s checking in with your bank associate to find out where your credit is at, and it’s being mindful of when you’re neglecting your financial health in the same way we all know when we’re neglecting our physical health.

For me, it was Farnoosh’s spotlight on financial freedom that left the biggest impact. Which spotlight will leave the biggest impact on you? Join us in New York City on August 8th for our BlogHer Creators Summit to discover the pieces of advice you didn’t know you needed.

BlogHer was founded on the premise that women’s collective voices hold boundless power. From celebrities to activists, and social media stars to entrepreneurs, hundreds of women have taken the stage at BlogHer. Our Spotlight Talks feature short videos from thought leaders and are a master class in inspiration and empowerment.