Are you confident in your financial future—or have you been leaving the money decisions to someone else?

For many women, finances can feel overwhelming, intimidating, or simply easier to avoid. Whether you're married, divorced, widowed, or building your next chapter on your own, understanding your financial picture is one of the most important forms of self-care. Yet many women reach midlife realizing they don't fully understand their assets, retirement plans, or long-term financial options.

In this episode, I'm joined by financial advisor Bridget Borel to discuss the emotional side of money, the stories we've inherited about finances, and how women can begin building true financial confidence. Bridget shares why money is about much more than numbers, how our early experiences shape our financial behaviors, and practical steps women can take to become more informed, empowered, and engaged in their financial lives.

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by financial decisions, unsure where to start, or worried that you're not "good with money," this conversation will help you take the first step toward creating a new money story.

In this episode:

[01:00] Bridget explains why money is emotional, not just mathematical, and how our feelings often drive financial decisions

[02:00] The importance of understanding your personal money story and how early experiences influence your relationship with money

[03:00] Why many women disengage from financial decision-making and the risks of handing over complete control

[04:00] How financial awareness serves as an important form of self-care and personal empowerment

[07:40] Bridget shares her experience of always feeling like she needed permission and how midlife can become a catalyst for change

[09:40] How societal conditioning and limiting beliefs influence women's financial confidence

[10:50] Bridget introduces her "Confidence Equation" and explains why confidence comes from agency plus skills

[12:00] Practical first steps for understanding your current financial picture and identifying your future goals

[13:15] Sara reflects on her own divorce experience and how her perspective on financial planning has evolved over time

[16:00] The difference between being financially supported and being financially informed

[17:00] Lessons from women who discovered too late that they didn't understand their family's financial situation

[20:00] How to start having productive money conversations with your partner through regular "money dates"

[22:00] Why working with a financial advisor can help uncover the questions you didn't know to ask

[24:30] How couples can define financial security and retirement based on their shared values and goals

[25:30] Why financial planning should be an ongoing conversation that evolves as your life changes

[27:55] Creating a new money story and taking small, consistent steps toward greater financial confidence

Connect with Bridget Borel:

Bridget Borel, CFP® CDFA®, is the founder and lead advisor of Clairwell Financial Planning LLC. We partner with women in mid-life and beyond to re-align their financial lives after divorce and other major transitions. Let’s simplify wealth management and build a beautiful life.

 Email: bridget@clairwellfp.com

Website: clairwellfp.com

Instagram: clairwellfp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bridget.Clairwell

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridget-borel-44177240/

Substack: https://clairwellconversations.substack.com/

"The Confidence Equation" article https://clairwellconversations.substack.com/p/the-confidence-equation

Second Saturday Divorce Workshops: https://luma.com/c9u84tsy

Book an intro call: https://calendly.com/tpfp/15-min-introductory-phone-chat

Strangers: A Memoir of a Marriage by Belle Burden https://belleburdenbook.com/

Awake: A Memoir by Jen Hatmaker https://jenhatmaker.com/awake/

Connect with me, Sara Poldmae:

• Website: https://risingwomanproject.com

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsarapoldmae

If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to share it with someone who needs to hear it. Don't forget to follow, rate, and leave a review—it helps more women find this space so we can all rise and thrive together.

Have a question I can answer? Send me a message! I love to hear from my listeners!