Money really does grow on trees!

Last year, I stood beneath the towering sequoias of California’s Sequoia National Park.

It’s hard to put into words what it feels like to look up at something that has stood for thousands of years. Silent, steady, and magnificent.

These ancient giants have witnessed centuries of change, yet they endure. As I wandered through the trees, craning my neck to take it all in, I realised something simple but profound. Their strength isn’t just in their enormous trunks or lush canopies. It’s in what’s hidden below the surface.

People often say “money doesn’t grow on trees.” I believe it does.

Like trees, our financial lives have visible parts. Our actions, knowledge, behaviours and decisions that are out in the open. They’re the branches we prune, the leaves we see change with the seasons. But these visible parts can only grow as strong and expansive as the root system beneath them.

In money coaching, those roots are your subconscious money patterns. The beliefs, emotions and experiences you absorbed long before you ever earned a dollar. If they’re tangled, shallow, or blocked, no amount of trimming the branches will make your tree flourish.

Roots: where your money story begins

One of the most fascinating things I learned about sequoias is that their roots are surprisingly shallow. They don’t reach deep into the ground like many other trees. Instead, they spread wide and intertwine with the roots of neighbouring trees, creating a powerful underground network that holds the forest together.

That’s where their real strength lies, not in isolation, but in connection.

Our money patterns work much the same way. They’re shaped by what’s beneath the surface and often by the people and environments we’re connected to. Most of our “roots” were laid down in childhood, long before we were aware of them. We absorbed financial behaviours, beliefs and emotional cues from our families and communities: whether money felt scarce or abundant, whether talking about it was encouraged or taboo, whether giving was celebrated or security was prized.

These early experiences form powerful subconscious patterns. They sit beneath the surface, quietly shaping the way we relate to money as adults influencing decisions, emotions, and even the opportunities we allow ourselves to see.

Your roots run deep. They hold stories, beliefs and emotions that quietly shape every financial decision you make.

Maybe you feel guilty spending on yourself, even when you can afford it. Maybe you find it hard to say no to others, putting their financial needs before your own. Or maybe you avoid looking at your money altogether because it brings up anxiety or shame.

These patterns aren’t character flaws. They’re simply roots that have been there a long time.

When roots are tangled or undernourished, the tree struggles. But when you take the time to understand and nurture them, you create the conditions for real growth.

Soil: the environment that shapes growth

Even the strongest seed can struggle in poor soil.

The “soil” in this metaphor is your environment. The broader context in which your money story took shape. Family circumstances, cultural messages, community norms, economic conditions… all these factors create the soil your roots grow in.

Some of us grew up in nutrient-rich soil. Environments where money was spoken about openly, where resilience was built through shared knowledge and support. Others grew up in soil that was rocky or depleted where there wasn’t much to go around, or where money came with stress, secrecy or instability.

The soil doesn’t determine your destiny. But it does shape how your roots develop. By understanding the soil you grew in, you can begin to enrich it intentionally, adding new nutrients, pulling out the weeds, creating space for healthier growth.

Branches: the visible parts of your money life

It’s easy to focus on what’s above ground. That’s where financial literacy, budgets, savings goals and investment strategies live. It’s where we track expenses, set targets, or try to build new habits.

These are all important as they form the branches and leaves that make your financial tree strong and expansive. But without a healthy root system, these efforts are fragile.

A budget built on unexamined scarcity beliefs won’t last. An investment plan layered over guilt or avoidance will feel like a chore. Like a tree with weak roots in a storm, surface-level changes can topple under stress.

Real transformation happens when the visible and the invisible align.

Flourishing from the inside out

Standing amongst those sequoias, I remember how still everything felt. These trees weren’t striving or struggling to grow taller. They simply were, sustained by the strength of their interconnected roots and the richness of the soil around them.

When we nurture our roots and tend the soil, everything above ground changes. Branches grow stronger. New shoots appear. Fruit forms naturally.

In money coaching, this is where the magic happens. Not by forcing new habits from the outside in, but by becoming aware of what's happening beneath the surface. By discovering those inner patterns, your choices start to feel clearer and more grounded. Growth feels more natural. You stop fighting your money patterns and begin to rewrite them.

This is why money coaching isn’t just about tools and knowledge (though those matter). It’s about understanding your unique root system, tending to it with care, and creating the environment for the tree to flourish.

Your turn: look underground

If you’ve been pruning the branches but not seeing the growth you hoped for, maybe it’s time to look underground.

Take a moment to reflect:

• What kind of “soil” did your money story grow in?

• What subconscious patterns might be shaping your financial behaviours today?

• Where might your roots need more nourishment, attention, or space?

Because money really does grow on trees when you nourish the roots.

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