Valuable life lessons from the women who shaped me

They say money is power, but I say that financial confidence is freedom.

The ability to make informed decisions about your money - how to earn it, save it, invest it, and knowing what your financial future looks like - creates opportunities, security, and peace of mind. Yet for many women, financial confidence can be hard to prioritise amid all the other demands of life.

Reflecting on the women who shaped my life, I've realised that some of their greatest life lessons about resilience, independence, and community apply just as much to financial confidence as they do to life itself.

Here are some of the lessons they taught me, and how women can use them to feel more empowered on their financial journey.

1. A problem shared is a problem halved

One of the most powerful lessons I learned from my wonderful grandma is that you don't have to carry the weight of the world on your own. She always reminded me that talking about a problem can make it seem smaller, and tackling it felt more achievable with someone in your corner.

Yet when it comes to money, many women still hesitate to speak up, whether out of fear, shame, the belief that they 'should' know more.

MLC's recent Financial Freedom Report found that women are significantly more likely than men to lack confidence in their financial knowledge.

But the truth is, no one has all the answers. Seeking advice from professionals, family, or even trusted friends and colleagues can be the first step toward building financial confidence.

2. A little bit of knowledge isn't dangerous-it's confidence

They say that 'a little bit of knowledge is dangerous', but my wonderful mum taught me that a little bit of knowledge can be a powerful starting point.

She showed me that 'we all have to learn and do things for the first time', and the importance and value of being supportive and patient with those around us doing just that.

I've also been lucky to work with some wonderful women over the years who have taught me that one of the most powerful things you can say is 'I don't know the answer to that' which is the window to learning something new and is a sign of strength, not of weakness.

You don't need to know everything about whatever it is you're striving for to make a start. You also don't need to be fearful of being honest with those around you about the things you don't know or seeking out someone to help. You just need to start somewhere and find people and resources who will support you on your journey.

Financial knowledge and confidence is built step by step. Read an article. Listen to a podcast. Ask a question.

Small steps lead to big change, and every bit of knowledge gained is a step towards greater financial confidence and the freedom that confidence brings. Once you do have the confidence to take the first step, suddenly the rest don't feel as hard to take, and before you know it, you're on your way.

3. Women are stronger together

Throughout my life, I've seen the benefits of women supporting, uplifting, and advocating for each other.

Whether it was a friend offering life advice, a colleague looking for opportunities to help me grow, or Mum showing me the value of financial discipline, the theme was always the same - we're stronger together.

Financial confidence grows when we create a culture where money and financial aspirations aren't taboo topics.

Normalising these conversations gives us the opportunity to learn, grow, and to feel supported in ways we didn't know were possible. A conversation over coffee today could lead to life-changing financial decisions in the future.

4. Vulnerability isn't weakness

Vulnerability is often mistaken for weakness, but it's actually a strength.

The women in my life taught me that being honest with others about struggles - whether personal, health, professional, or financial- opens doors for learning, growth and what could be support that could make all of the difference.

It's okay to admit if you don't understand something about your superannuation, investments, the stock market or your tax return. It's okay to ask for help managing your money.

It's ok to admit that you 'don't have it all together', that you 'haven't done this before and need some help', or even that 'you don't have time to do everything yourself'. The more open we are about our challenges, the more we learn, and the more confident we become.

5. Sometimes you need to divide and conquer

Life is busy, and financial planning often takes a backseat. The women I admire most have taught me that success doesn't come from doing everything alone. Delegation and shared responsibility are key (however, I will admit this is one that I still struggle with).

The truth is, our lives are busy, and we often try to manage everything solo, which can hamper progress and lead to inaction and even burnout.

And even if you do understand it doesn't mean that going it alone is going to lead to progress. I was a financial adviser in years gone by.

So often, I've thought about the things I need to do to take charge of my financial future, however, I've made very little progress on quite a bit of my to-do list.

The reason? I think I have the knowledge ability to fill in the gaps to do it myself, so why would I need help?

However like so many woman, I'm challenged by time and the many different hats that I wear. If this sounds like you, it's worth thinking about chatting to a financial adviser about how you could work together on tackling life together. Think of it as outsourcing while you use the time saved to attend to all of those other important things in life.

6. Be a super woman, not Superwoman

This is one from me.

The pressure to do it all, know it all, and be it all is immense.

But as I've struggled with this along the way thinking that I need to be able to operate at 150% all the time, the women in my life have taught me that real strength comes from choosing what to prioritise. It means accepting that some days, having the engine run at 80% is actually ok, and can help to avoid it burning out, making those days at 150% even more effective.

You don't need to have every detail of your financial life mastered today.

But taking small, consistent steps will make a huge difference over time. Even an improvement in your progress and confidence of 1% each day means that this time next year, you won't know yourself. Financial confidence isn't about perfection, it's about progress.

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