Afraid to invest? You’re not alone in that. And if you’re a woman, it’s even more common to feel that way. But why should women especially be so fearful of investing?

There are quite a few studies out there that show women and men have pretty much the same underlying mental ability when it comes to math. And since finance uses math, we should also find little difference between men and women when it comes to (at least theoretically) feeling comfortable with investing.

And yet so many women are put off by the world of finance and financial markets. Even those with a good handle on day-to-day money management, like paying bills and dealing with credit cards, are fearful of making their own investment decisions.

The price of being afraid to invest

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Have you ever thought about money as a friend? I just read a wonderful article by Dorlee Michaeli that talks about the power your “money story” can have over your entire life. So much of what’s going on with you now, including money choices, may be about things learned ages ago. Things you digested and now accept as fact can affect whether you can be “friends with money.”

Our feelings about money and the relationship we have with it goes deep. It extends way beyond just wishing for things like a new house or that car you always wanted. As Dorlee tells us, money matters can be a major stressor in our lives. Especially true when worrying about not having enough.

Money in our daily lives

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