The Hidden Money Stories You Don’t Know You’re Telling

I still remember the day I almost said no to my biggest freelance opportunity.

A brand I admired had reached out, offering to pay me more than I’d ever charged before. My hands were shaking as I read the email not out of excitement, but fear.

I stared at the number on the screen and immediately thought, This must be a mistake.

I convinced myself they would change their mind once they realized I wasn’t experienced enough. I even drafted a polite message suggesting a smaller fee, just to seem reasonable. That is when I caught myself halfway through writing an email that would have talked me out of my own blessing.

It hit me like a ton of bricks, this wasn’t about the client. It was about my beliefs. Somewhere deep inside, I didn’t believe I deserved to be paid that much. I was telling a story, not out loud, but through my hesitation, my guilt, and my insecurities.

That was the day I learned something life-changing, we are all telling unconscious, hidden money stories.

The Stories We Tell Without Knowing

Every creative I know carries a money story. It’s the invisible script that runs in the background, shaping how we price our work, how we negotiate, and even how we dream.

Maybe you’ve heard this before:

“If I charge too much, no one will hire me.”

“I’ll start making real money once I’m more established.”

“I’m not doing this for the money I just love creating.”

On the surface, these sound humble or practical. But underneath, they saying something harder to admit. I don’t trust myself with abundance.

Where the Story Begins

Most of these stories aren’t ours to begin with.

They start in childhood ,hearing parents argue about bills, being told to “be grateful for what you have,” or watching successful people be labeled as greedy.

Over time, those small lessons root themselves in our subconscious, forming invisible rules about what we can have, what we deserve, and how “good” people should think about money.

When I first started creating content, I struggled with insecurity and fear around money.

I thought being humble about money made me pure. I thought struggling meant I was “doing it right.”

I didn’t realize that I was unconsciously choosing struggle because it fit the story I knew best.

How Hidden Stories Show Up

If you’ve ever underpriced your work, hesitated to pitch a brand, or felt guilty celebrating your wins , that’s your money story talking.

It’s the same voice that says, “It’s not about the money,” when deep down, you know you’re exhausted from giving everything away for free.

These stories hide in plain sight. They sound like logic but feel like limitation.

They make you second-guess yourself just as you’re about to level up.

I wish I knew this earlier:

Your bank account doesn’t reflect your talent ;it reflects your beliefs about what’s possible for you.

The Turning Point

After that email moment, I decided to do something different. I didn’t negotiate myself down. I took a deep breath, said yes, and waited for the backlash that never came.

They paid me, on time, with gratitude.

That single “yes” changed everything. Not because of the money itself, but because it forced me to rewrite the story I’d been living.

I stopped asking, “Can I really charge this?”

And started asking, “Why did I ever believe I couldn’t?”

Slowly, I began to see patterns how I’d turn down opportunities, avoid talking about rates, and feel guilty for wanting more.

Just remember, your creative freedom expands the moment you stop apologizing for wanting to be compensated for it.

Money isn’t the enemy of creativity it’s the oxygen that lets your ideas breathe.

Rewriting Your Story

The stories we tell about money are never just about money.

They’re about worth, safety, identity, and love. They’re the narratives we use to decide how much joy and success we’re allowed to have.

And the moment you become aware of them, the moment you hear yourself shrinking, doubting, or playing small ,you have the power to change them.

So today, I encourage you to pause and listen.

Notice the story you’ve been telling about money.

Is it one of lack or one of possibility?

Of fear or of freedom?

Because when you start rewriting those hidden money stories one belief, one decision, one brave “yes” at a time you stop living in the past and start creating from the truth of who you are.

A worthy, abundant, limitless creator.

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Reset your mind as a creator by joining Delusional Creator Challenge. For creators who want to cultivate an abundance mindset as well as build a solid content-driven business.