Why money is now our #1 cause of stress
Money is now the number one cause of stress, according to the recent Cigna International Health Study UAE edition (authored by mentl). But why?
In this episode of ConnectForHealth, Scott Armstrong and Maissa Al Khafajy are joined by chartered accountant and money coach Carol Glynn of Conscious Finance Coaching to explore one of the most universal sources of anxiety.
Drawing on years of coaching experience and audience insights, Carol explains why financial pressure affects every part of our lives – our sense of safety, our relationships, our wellbeing and how we make daily choices.
The discussion looks at why people across all income levels experience money anxiety, including those in senior, high-earning roles. Carol breaks down how mindset, self-esteem and inherited beliefs shape our relationship with money, and why earning more rarely solves the underlying problem.
They examine how men and women often view money differently, why couples can struggle to understand each other’s financial behaviour, and how arguments about money usually stem from emotional meaning rather than numbers.
Carol shares practical tools for getting clarity, understanding spending patterns, building a cash-flow plan, and aligning money with your values. The conversation also explores how financial stress affects families and how children absorb money behaviours from the adults around them.
Later in the episode, Carol explains the foundations of financial wellness, from budgeting and needs versus wants, to saving with purpose, building a cash cushion, managing debt and approaching investing with confidence and understanding.
This session is part of the ConnectForHealth series from Cigna Healthcare Middle East and Africa, supported by mentl.
Chapter List:
00:00:10 – Welcome to Connect for Health
00:02:03 – Why money impacts every part of our lives
00:03:55 – Mindset, self-esteem and stress around money
00:04:46 – Two families, same income story, different outcomes
00:08:27 – How men and women think differently about money
00:11:10 – What money means to you: audience perspectives
00:17:01 – Values, clarity and purpose: the core money mindset shift
00:20:24 – Are we living our values or the ‘hamster wheel’?
00:23:34 – What causes financial stress: clarity, planning and debt
00:43:37 – Building financial skills: budgeting, investing and long-term goals
