Too many of us are stressed about financial matters these days. As a stress management coach, I hear plenty of worries around having a job, losing a job, should I take a job I don’t want, etc. Underlying it all is money stress. Is there enough? Can I really have the life I want in this economy?

Stressing over money will do you no good. Worry over lack of funds will do nothing to help you change your situation. Money stress plays a never-ending track of “not enough” in your brain, convincing yourself repeatedly that you do not have enough, will never have enough and will always be in debt.

This "glass-half-empty" approach cuts you off from other options. If you truly believe there is never enough, you are training your brain to see how life will let you down. If there is never enough, why look for solutions to the problem? Never means never, right?

Wrong! The focus of worry will actually keep you from making more money. The right focus is optimism. I’m not talking about fantasy credit card spending or adopting rose-colored glasses. The idea is to be open to the possibilities while remaining grateful for what you do have. For instance, instead of saying, “Money is always tight,” substitute “I am spending frugally now, but there is always a chance to make more.” In this way, you take power over your money and assert to yourself that you can make more. This simple change in focus will open up a world of possibilities.

By opening up possibilities you open your eyes (read: brain) to seeing other possibilities. Maybe you realize your hobby can be made into a second income. Maybe you see a job opening that pays more or is closer to home so you don’t have to spend as much on gas and car maintenance. Opportunities will arise. I have discovered renegotiating my cable bill with the same provider at a lower monthly rate. Savings. I saw that I could switch internet and home phone for a lower rate. More savings. And more savings means more money in the bank.

Nothing in life is permanent—things, people, conditions all change. Whether they change for better or worse is entirely connected to what you believe is possible and work towards. If you believe you will never have money, what are you working towards? More debt. If you believe you must be frugal now so you can change your condition for the better, options open up. When it comes to money challenges, change the worry to possibility.

Guided visualization, intuitive coaching and Reiki can all be used to help retrain the brain to a more optimistic outlook. By focusing on the possibilities, one opens to the myriad ways they have the power to change their situation. Clearly, this is far more empowering that, "it never works." And once you know that you can change your world for the better, guess what? You can.