Did grace “let her off the hook”? Grace removes condemnation so responsibility can be faced without collapse. Did fear scare her into living a sinless life? Fear would likely work only briefly, because we tend to overcome our fears. Value-driven change, by contrast, is slower, but more durable.

Identity is far more than your name or address. It includes your roles, beliefs, traits, and many other components. Think of it as the title of the internal story you tell yourself about yourself. Your thoughts, behaviors, and patterns are shaped by your identity.

Jordan Peterson tells us that we should care for ourselves as if we were caring for someone that we love. Self-care is a huge subject in mental health, and it is often thought of in terms of relaxation, medical care, and coping strategies. Extending this idea to personal finances, that is, managing one’s finances responsibly, is a form of self-care that reduces stress and anxiety in the present, as well as in the years to come.