How to Protect Yourself Financially When Democracy Starts to Crumble
I remember saying to a friend back in April of this year, after watching our current president dismantle everything our government was built to protect:
“I feel like I got to live in a bubble for the past 55 years where democracy worked for the people... and now? I feel like I’m living inside a history book as things shift back to all the stories I’ve read from the last hundred years.”
I didn’t know what I didn’t know.
I thought this country would always be a democracy.
But if you’re living in the U.S. right now, you’ve seen it too. The rapid unraveling. The shift from functioning democracy to something darker... something that looks and feels a lot like autocracy.
The Wake-Up Call
That’s when I started reading Heather Cox Richardson’s “Letters from an American”, a Substack written by a historian who teaches at Boston College. Her crash course in U.S. political history has been sobering and eye-opening.
From January 20th through today, I’ve been tracking the steady erosion of rights, transparency, and basic decency in our political system. The passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill, the expansion of ICE, whispers of “Alligator Alcatraz,” and an emerging police state... it’s a daily onslaught of fear, cruelty, and power grabs.
Read more about how this bill could affect your financial future here.
It’s hard not to wonder:
Are we in Gilded Age 2.0?
Why “Money = Safety” Is a Trap
Logically, it makes sense. If you’ve got a healthy bank account, investments, a retirement fund — you should feel secure, right?
Except... you don’t.
Because safety isn’t a number on a screen.
It’s a felt sense in the body. A regulated nervous system. A deep inner knowing that says: I’m okay, even if the world around me is not.
But most of us aren’t taught that. We’re taught to chase the number, thinking it’ll give us peace.
That’s the myth.
That’s the trap.
So What Can We Do?
We may not be able to control the larger system, but we can ground ourselves financially and emotionally in ways that actually help.
Here’s what I recommend (and what I’m doing myself right now):
1. Bank Locally
The closer you are to your money, the better.
If systems go down, if big banks freeze or glitch, it’ll be much easier to access your funds through a local credit union or community bank.
2. Audit Your Budget
You don’t have to control the world, but you can control your spending.
Now is a great time to review your numbers, reduce expenses, and resist the urge to buy “more” out of panic or boredom.
3. Avoid New Debt
Try not to create new financial obligations if you can avoid it. The more flexible and unburdened you are, the better you’ll move through whatever’s ahead.
4. Talk to Someone You Trust
That could be a friend, an accountant, or a money coach.
Sometimes just having another set of eyes (and a calm voice) on your financial situation can make all the difference.
What I'm Doing to Stay Grounded
I’m keeping it simple.
I’m not buying more stuff. I don’t need more stuff. Most of us don’t.
Instead, I’m tending to what I already have:
My garden and my yard
My retirement contributions
My spending habits
My nervous system
My relationships
And above all: I’m practicing gratitude for what’s here right now. Not someday. Not when the world is “fixed.” Now.
P.S. If you’re ready for support that honors your story and your nervous system, book a call, or simply join my email list.
There’s no pressure—just an invitation to step out of the weight and into something softer.
👉 Book a Free Call
👉 Join the List
Want to Go Deeper?
If you're feeling activated right now, it might be because a part of your money archetype is being stirred. When the world feels out of control, the Nurturer in us wants to protect everyone, the Maverick wants to rebel, and the Accumulator just wants to stockpile cash for safety.
→ Learn more about how your money archetype responds to uncertainty in my post:
5 Powerful Money Moves to Feel Safe in a Crisis
And if you’re not sure what your Sacred Money Archetypes® are, take the free quiz here:
👉 Discover Your Top 3 Archetypes