How to Increase 4 Different Happiness Hormones and Reduce Stress with Financial Planning

Many people think of financial planning as a source of stress. If this is you, I have news for you: you have it ALL wrong. Creating and following a financial plan is a great way to REDUCE your stress. In fact, financial planning activities are proven to release four important hormones that are all related to feelings of happiness and well-being.

What Are Happy Hormones?

Happy hormones are chemicals in the brain that play an important role in regulating mood, emotions, and feelings of well-being. The four main happiness hormones are dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins. Each of these chemicals affects happiness in different ways: dopamine is linked to pleasure and reward, serotonin stabilizes mood and promotes feelings of calm, oxytocin promotes communication and trust, and endorphins act as natural pain relievers, elevating mood during physical activity.

These hormones are released for a variety of reasons, such as achieving goals, social relationships, exercise, and even financial security. Activities that promote the release of these hormones—such as managing stress, setting and achieving goals, building strong relationships, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle—can greatly improve happiness and mental health.

You can release these hormones through financial planning. Not so sure? Read on to learn exactly how creating and managing a financial plan can increase your happiness immediately and make you feel good in the long run.

Dopamine and Your Financial Goals

Dopamine is a chemical messenger that flows through your nervous system. When dopamine is released in your body, it creates feelings of happiness. These feelings can be very encouraging.

This hormone is associated with motivation and reward. So, when you set an exciting or important goal, you get a dopamine surge. And, as you get closer to achieving that goal, you get a bigger dose of happiness.

Setting financial goals and monitoring your progress toward those goals is an important aspect of financial planning and a surefire way to release dopamine and happiness.

The Boldin Retirement Planner is a great way to:

• Create a program (get a dopamine boost)
• Find ways to improve your finances (release more dopamine)
• Monitor and stay on track to financial wellness (stay engaged with a continuous dopamine boost whenever you log in)

Seratonin and Financial Anxiety

Seratonin is considered a natural mood stabilizer. It reduces stress and controls anxiety. One thing that can increase seratonin in your body is a true sense of self-confidence.

Feeling bad about your finances can lead you into an anxiety trap.

As you take steps to take control of your current and future financial situation, you will be able to release seratonin and feel better about your money – increasing your overall health.

Simply having a written financial plan is a proven way to feel confident about where you are financially now and where you want to be in the future.

Oxytocin – Trust and Communication

Oxytocin is often referred to as the love hormone. It is involved in childbirth, breastfeeding, sexual activity, empathy, trust and social interaction.

The hormone has been described as “an important part of a complex neurochemical system that allows the body to adapt to highly arousing situations.” For better or worse, money can be emotional in both good and bad ways.

You can release oxytocin by increasing trust and social connection:

Trust

Loretta Breuning, author of Happy Mindset Habitssays “Social trust is what triggers oxytocin. If you hug someone you don’t trust, it doesn’t feel right. Trust comes first.”

Trust is difficult when it comes to money. Research has shown that financial services is the least trusted service sector. One of the problems is that many people simply do not have enough knowledge to be able to trust the advice from financial providers. In addition, many (but not all) counselors are self-employed.

Being able to track and manage your financial plan with a tool like the Boldin Retirement Planner is one way to build trust. You can test any advice you are given by plugging it into the program and seeing for yourself. This can help you gain confidence in the advisors, the articles, and yourself.

Social Communication

We hear it all the time, I don’t like talking about money with friends and family. This tendency to keep financial pressure on you can hurt you in many ways. Breuning says, “You can build public trust by taking positive positive action toward people.”

Maybe you’d like to try the Boldin Facebook group where people can post their financial questions to a support group of people interested in strengthening their financial plans.

Endorphins

Endorphins are released mostly in response to physical experiences. Endorphins are happy hormones that are closely related to exercise and laughter.

Therefore, there may not be a direct connection between creating and maintaining a financial plan and the release of endorphins, but you are sure to feel happier and better equipped to laugh and be happy with such a plan.

Think of your financial and retirement plans as a guide to a happy future filled with such endorphins.

Increase Financial Security and Happiness with Your Plan

Financial planning does more than protect your future—it can also improve your emotional well-being by boosting happy hormones like dopamine and serotonin. By reducing financial stress, providing a sense of control, and helping to achieve long-term goals, a strong financial plan promotes feelings of accomplishment and security – use the Boldin Retirement Planner now for financial happiness and security.

The program allows peace of mind so you can focus on enjoying life.