One chapter ahead AJ Ellis
Money & the mind

What financial stress does to us, and what helps.

I’m reading everything I can about money worry, mental health, burnout and the retirement gap, and sharing it in plain language, with sources. Hard truths included.

Research notes

What I’m learning

Each note has three parts: what the research found, where it came from, and what it means for someone like me.

Financial stress and mental health

Key finding

[What the research says]

Source

[Publication, year]

What it means for me

[Your reflection]

Money worry and burnout

Key finding

[What the research says]

Source

[Publication, year]

What it means for me

[Your reflection]

Why we avoid looking

Key finding

[What the research says]

Source

[Publication, year]

What it means for me

[Your reflection]

The retirement shortfall

Key finding

[How many people are on track, and how many aren’t]

Source

[Publication, year]

What it means for me

[Your reflection]

Working longer, by choice or not

Key finding

[What research says about work in later life]

Source

[Publication, year]

What it means for me

[Your reflection]

What actually helps

Key finding

[What reduces financial stress]

Source

[Publication, year]

What it means for me

[Your reflection]

Conversations with advisors

Asking the professionals the hard questions

I’m sitting down with financial advisors to talk about the cases that don’t end neatly, and sharing what they tell me, with their permission.

[Advisor interviews coming soon]

Questions I’m asking
  • What do you say to someone who looks at their numbers and realises it isn’t enough?
  • What does a realistic worst-case scenario look like, and how do people get through it?
  • Is “retirement” still the right goal for most people, or is it changing?
  • How can someone earn in later life from work they actually enjoy?
  • What’s one thing you wish clients knew before they first walked in?
Reading list

What’s on my desk

Know a study I should read, or an advisor I should talk to?

Send it my way

If money worry is weighing heavily on you right now, please reach out to someone you trust or a local support line. You don’t have to carry it alone.