Intentional Money Podcast

Thank you nohs mc, Liz Johnson, Grace in the Middle, Jennifer Raven, and many others for tuning into my live video with Julie Ciardi-50 Not Finished📕! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit intentionalmoney.substack.com

Thank you Chris Megia Barra, Jody Maley, Grace in the Middle, Tina, and many others for tuning into my live video with Kelly Roach! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit intentionalmoney.substack.com

Why Smart Women Still Feel Behind with Money (And How to Stop Comparing)Intentional Money Moves Live | March 3, 2026Have you ever scrolled through LinkedIn or Instagram and thought, how are they so far ahead of me? If you're a smart, accomplished woman who has done everything right but still quietly wonders why you feel behind with money, this episode is for you.In this week's show, Leah Hadley breaks down why this feeling is so common among high-achieving women, what is actually driving it (hint: it's not your numbers), and four concrete strategies you can start using right now to stop comparing and start building with intention.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhy "feeling behind" is not a character flaw That nagging sense that you should be further along is a completely predictable response to the environment we live in. We are constantly consuming the financial highlight reels of other people's lives, then comparing our full behind-the-scenes picture to their curated best moments. That's not a fair comparison, and your brain doesn't know the difference.The three real reasons smart women feel behind with moneyYou were taught that wanting money is selfish. Many women, especially those who identify as helpers and caregivers, were raised with an unconscious belief that wanting wealth is in conflict with being a good person. That story quietly shows up as undercharging, not negotiating, avoiding your accounts, and feeling guilty about wanting more.You are measuring against the wrong benchmarks. Who told you what "enough" looks like? Most of us are chasing numbers that were never designed for our lives. When you measure yourself against a benchmark that doesn't belong to you, you will almost always feel behind, because you're running someone else's race on someone else's track.You think you should already know this stuff. Accomplished women often feel behind because they expect themselves to be more financially confident. But personal finance is a set of learned skills, not an intuitive gift. Most of us, especially women, were never formally taught. That's not a failure. It's a gap in the system.What comparison actually costs you Feeling behind doesn't just feel bad. It leads to reactive financial decisions, lifestyle spending you can't afford, avoiding your accounts, and not asking for help when you need it most. Comparison keeps you in a chronic state of scarcity, even when your actual numbers don't reflect that. Getting out of the comparison trap is not just an emotional exercise. It's a real financial strategy.Four strategies to stop comparing and start buildingDefine your "enough." Get specific about what a life that feels fulfilling actually costs. Not a vague idea of comfort, but a real number tied to your real values. Once you have your number, you have a finish line that's actually yours.Build your personal financial baseline. Look at the facts, not the feelings. Know your net worth, your cash flow, your insurance, your retirement savings, and your estate plan. Women often feel further behind than they actually are. Getting clear gives you either a confidence boost or a clear action plan. Both are better than the comparison cloud.Audit your financial inputs. For one week, notice everywhere you are consuming someone else's financial narrative. Ask yourself: does this inspire me, or does it make me feel worse? Content that consistently triggers shame is not serving you, no matter how popular the source.Find your people. Real community, where people are honest about what they don't know and where they're struggling, is one of the most powerful antidotes to comparison. You can't white-knuckle your way out of the comparison spiral with willpower alone. You need a different environment.Q&A HighlightsHow do I stop feeling guilty about wanting to build real wealth? Connect wealth to impact. When you get clear about what financial security means for your family, the people you support, and the causes you care about, it stops being about ego and starts being about alignment. Intentional Money includes a full chapter on giving with intention that speaks directly to this.I'm in my fifties. Am I too late? No. Not even close. The experiences, the focus, and the wisdom you have now are advantages, not liabilities. What matters most is getting clear, addressing the stories that may be holding you back, and taking intentional action with the right support.What's the first real step to stop comparing and start building? Get clear on what you actually want your life to look like, and what that life really costs. Your target should be yours, not borrowed from someone else. That clarity changes everything.Resources Mentioned:The Empowered Sisterhood -- a membership community for accomplished women building wealth with clarity, community, and accountability. Intentional Money: The Modern Woman's Guide to Building Wealth, Purpose & Peace -- Leah's new book, coming very soon. Get on the email list to be among the first to know when it's available. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit intentionalmoney.substack.com

Leah Hadley hosts Intentional Money Moves Live and shares three financial reset moves to start 2026 strong, alongside updates from her free 30-day financial reset challenge (day 1: defining personal financial peace, day 2: naming money emotions like anxiety, shame, hope, and determination, day 3: identifying top money stressors). Move one is getting clear on where you stand by gathering a complete financial picture (accounts, debts, recurring expenses) and facing the numbers without judgment, illustrated with a client who avoided credit card statements and felt relief once she learned her debt was $18,000 and could make a payoff plan. Move two is aligning money with values by reviewing 2025 spending and asking whether it reflects what matters most, using examples like redirecting stress-shopping toward travel and reconsidering convenience spending like DoorDash/Instacart. Move three is choosing one financial priority for Q1 (one goal for 90 days) to avoid overwhelm and build momentum, with examples including emergency savings, paying off one card, increasing 401(k) contributions, estate planning, or saving for a trip; viewers share goals like reviewing spending daily in Monarch Money and learning to read monthly statements. Leah invites listeners to join the challenge (Facebook group community and prizes), previews next week’s topic on making value-aligned spending decisions, and directs viewers to watchherthrive.co for support. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit intentionalmoney.substack.com

Leah Hadley hosts Intentional Money Moves Live and continues the month’s focus on starting 2026 strong by moving from “what” to “how”: turning a financial priority into an actionable strategy. She reflects on progress in the 30-Day Financial Reset Challenge and emphasizes that the work is about progress, not perfection, and can be revisited anytime. Leah explains the difference between a goal and a strategy, then outlines a framework: get specific with numbers and deadlines, and break big goals into measurable milestones to create clarity and momentum. She covers how to fund the plan by identifying where the money will come from—redirecting current spending, increasing income, and using one-time windfalls like bonuses or tax refunds—highlighting that funding can come from multiple sources and trade-offs get easier when values and “why” are clear. Leah stresses accountability through a consistent tracking system and scheduled check-ins, celebrating small wins, and knowing when to pivot when life changes without giving up. She underscores the value of community, invites listeners to the Empowered Sisterhood and its investing-focused masterclass (including a quarterly compass on investment performance, 2026 outlook, and key investing principles), and previews next week’s episode on maximizing and optimizing a 401(k), including a new service offering. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit intentionalmoney.substack.com

Financial Success in 2026: Build Clarity, Values, and a System That Sticks Leah Hadley launches the first episode of Intentional Money Moves Live, introducing her background as founder of Intentional Wealth Partners, Intentional Divorce Solutions, and the Watch Her Thrive community, along with her credentials in divorce financial analysis, financial counseling, and financial forensics. She explains the show’s focus on practical, no-jargon money conversations and invites audience questions. With the episode airing on December 30, she addresses why New Year’s money resolutions often fail—vague goals, not understanding one’s starting point, and lack of support—and emphasizes change begins with clarity, not judgment. She outlines three essentials before setting goals: knowing what’s coming in and going out by reviewing the last three months of spending, knowing what you own and owe through a balance sheet, and identifying personal values so money decisions align with what matters most. Leah shares the six pillars of her Intentional Money Method—clarity, values, mindset, strategy, action, and support—highlighting progress over perfection and the role of community and accountability. She then announces a first-time 30-Day Financial Reset Challenge starting January 4, featuring daily email guidance, community support, and doable tasks in under 20 minutes a day, accessible via watchthrive.co. She closes by inviting viewers to share their 2026 financial goals and topics for future episodes and wishes everyone a happy new year.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit intentionalmoney.substack.com

Leah Hadley records a live episode of Intentional Money Moves Live focused on common 401(k) mistakes that can cost tens of thousands of dollars over a lifetime. She covers: (1) not contributing enough to get the full employer match (framed as leaving part of your compensation), with an example showing how missing $1,500 per year could exceed $100,000 over 20 years at a 7% return; (2) thinking you’re diversified when you’re not, such as holding multiple target-date funds or overlapping funds that duplicate the same holdings; and (3) investing too conservatively out of fear or lack of understanding, illustrating how a 4% vs. 7% average return over 30 years could mean a difference of over $250,000. She recommends logging into your plan to check the match and contribution rate, reviewing what you own, watching fees and expense ratios (including index vs. active funds), and rebalancing at least annually if allocations drift. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit intentionalmoney.substack.com

Leah Hadley honors her late mother ahead of what would have been her birthday by sharing five lessons that shaped the Intentional Money Method: reinvention without letting fear decide, resourcefulness through planning, generosity as a planned line item, making room for joy in the budget, and never stopping learning. She gives simple weekly actions like identifying one financial area that no longer fits, scheduling a 15-minute money date, planning intentional giving, adding a joy line, and learning one new thing about your finances, and previews next week’s episode with senior planner Jennifer Bush on money dates and budgeting support in the Empowered Sisterhood. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit intentionalmoney.substack.com

Leah Hadley hosts Intentional Money Moves Live and explains why focusing on one financial priority at a time creates faster, more meaningful progress than trying to tackle everything at once. She recommends choosing a single 90-day goal for Q1 and putting it in “growth mode” while keeping other goals in “maintenance mode.” Leah shares a client example of paying off $15,000 in credit card debt by prioritizing it (while keeping a small $1,000 emergency buffer), then redirecting freed-up cash flow to emergency savings, retirement contributions, and a house fund. She offers a “two-question filter” to pick a priority—what causes the most stress and what creates the most momentum—plus a “relief vs. opportunity” test when multiple items feel urgent. The episode covers common priorities (emergency fund, high-interest debt, retirement savings, estate planning), how to handle surprises during the 90 days, and how to navigate differing priorities with a spouse or partner. Leah closes with a recap, invites viewers to join the 30-day Financial Reset challenge, and previews next week’s episode on building a strategy to achieve the chosen priority. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit intentionalmoney.substack.com

Leah Hadley hosts Intentional Money Moves Live and continues the focus on strengthening the start to 2026 by going deeper on aligning money with values. She shares insights from the 30-day money reset challenge, including participants identifying autopilot spending, canceling unused subscriptions, and redirecting money toward priorities. Leah explains how misalignment between stated values (like family connection, health, or financial security) and actual spending can create guilt, resentment, and anxiety, and encourages a mindset shift from “I should” to “I choose.” She outlines a simple process: conduct a spending audit, evaluate whether it reflects what you care about, and distinguish joy-filled spending from habit-based purchases. She offers client examples (networking events, kids’ activities, and a Starbucks routine) to show how values-based choices reduce guilt. The episode introduces a one-question values filter—“Does this align with what I actually care about?”—and emphasizes permission to spend intentionally and ignore others’ expectations. Leah invites viewers to join the free 30-day challenge and previews next week’s topic on the “one priority rule.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit intentionalmoney.substack.com

Leah Hadley and senior financial planner Jennifer Bush explain what a “money date” is and how a short, intentional weekly check-in can reduce anxiety, prevent missed bills and subscriptions, and keep goals aligned. They share practical tips on making it sustainable (start with 15–20 minutes, create a routine, make it enjoyable, track next actions), what to review weekly vs. monthly vs. annually (spending, balances, bill pay, savings transfers, goals, taxes, insurance, estate plans), and how couples can use neutral language and empathy to avoid conflict. They also answer a question about feeling avoidant when budgets feel tight, discussing emergency funds, sinking funds, planning for irregular expenses, reviewing fixed costs, and intentionally increasing income. Jennifer's email - [email protected] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit intentionalmoney.substack.com

Leah Hadley recaps the recent 30-day money challenge, highlighting participants’ vulnerability, different needs for privacy vs. community support, and how progress looked different for everyone. She shares what didn’t work as well—30 days felt too long without more structure—and considers a shorter future challenge, while pointing to ongoing support through the Empowered Sisterhood and one-on-one planning. Leah previews a free Thursday masterclass on optimizing employer retirement accounts (401k/403b), mentions a paid 401k review option, and announces her revised book, “When It’s Just Not Working,” is free on Amazon as an ebook for five days. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit intentionalmoney.substack.com