For as long as I can remember, I’ve been afraid of anything medical related. When I was younger it was almost debilitating. It felt shameful and embarrassing, like a secret I didn’t want to share. I tried not to let on how much it horrified me. So I lived with it instead, and it weighed me down without me even realising it.

I started this blog with a silent pledge to be as honest and as open as I can be. I wanted it to be a place where I could tackle hard topics, and not shy away from being real. I wanted to use my writing to reach people who may benefit from it in some way, if only to make them realise they’re not alone. And to this day, it’s one of my motivators to continue writing. Because no matter how small my platform is, I recognise it still exists, and I want to use it for the good. I want to use it to promote change. And all change needs to start somewhere.

It is one of the most basic and fundamental needs, and it impacts even the most mundane decisions. And yet, I cringe every time I have to say the word “money.” Money. It’s just a word, but it’s become like a dirty word for me. I still can’t bring myself to say it, especially out loud. Even in situations where it’s the most appropriate word to use, I’ll say “payment” or “bank transfer” instead. But I’m far from the only one. A quick google search brings up pages and pages of links to people who feel the same as I do about money — interesting.