Have you ever felt that pursuing FI affected your mental health negatively?

Today we talk to Hillary, who struggled with anxiety and depression in her younger years and has worked with therapists to improve her mental health. She is also on her journey to FI, but does not sacrifice her mental wellbeing for financial independence.

You'll love her story.

We also chat about...

Hillary's background
Doing therapy online
When is it time to see a therapist?
What to do as a friend
Gwen and J's experiences in mental health
The importance of setting boundaries

Enjoy this chat with Hillary, and please subscribe to us in iTunes if you enjoyed it!

Show notes and links from today's episode

Talk Space
The Frugalwoods
Calm App
Headspace
Hillary Wallace on Facebook
Episode: The State of FIRE : A Holiday Chat with Erin Lowry from Broke Millennial
Top Mental Health Apps
Impactful infographic from the National Alliance of Mental Illness
A walk though site on how to seek mental health treatment

Key takeaways from our chat with Hillary
1 - Like FI, improving your mental health comes from within
Both Gwen and Hillary have been through some tough mental health challenges. As a friend, it's not easy to understand what the best thing to do is. Hillary says that really it is up to the person to work their mental health. Similar to FI, someone can influence you and try to reach FI, but in the end you're the one who has to take action. With mental health, friends can support you and be present, but at the end of the day only you can work on your mental well being.
2 - The stress is not worth the money
Many times reaching financial independence can take a toll on your mental health. If you put work first and don't take care of your personal self, this can result in much more anxiety, stress and overall unhappiness. J used to work in a pretty stressful environment in California, and admits that the stress was not worth the money. Your financial health will only flourish when your body and self are prioritised.
3 - The importance of setting boundaries
Hillary explains the importance of setting boundaries at work and your personal life in order to better manage stress and anxiety. Although it certainly depends on your position and experience, turning down certain activities and setting boundaries can help you manage stress and anxiety much more easily at work (e.g. asking to do less international travel). Hillary also recommends talking to your boss and framing it in an open ended way, as well as having an emergency fund to have the flexibility to change jobs if needed.
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