Lesson 2: Spot the Poverty Traps Before They Eat You
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Poverty isn’t just lack of money.
It’s invisible traps that drain you emotionally, socially, and financially before you even notice.
Gratitopia rule:
If gratitude makes you calmer, poverty traps make you panicked. That’s how you spot them.
Here are the big ones:
🐍 Trap 1: Emotional Purchases
“I’m stressed so I deserve this.”
Careful. That’s identity whispering dressed as self-care.
🐍 Trap 2: The Quiet Subscription Drain
Data plans. App trials. Little payments that multiply like rabbits.
🐍 Trap 3: Crisis Mode Decision-Making
Every emergency looks like identity is collapsing.
Gratitude calms the storm so you can choose, not react.
🐍 Trap 4: Social Pressure Spending
If you’re buying something so people don’t talk about you…
you already paid too much.
🐍 Trap 5: Family Guilt Loans
Love your family.
Don’t let them bankrupt your future.
⸻
The Gratitopia Twist
When you practice gratitude, your identity deflates and your clarity increases.
Suddenly you can see traps for what they are:
anxiety holes designed to hijack your attention.
"font-bold text-purple-700 dark:text-purple-300 mb-2">⭐ Activity
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Write down three poverty traps you’ve fallen into this month.
Circle the one that steals the most peace.
"font-bold text-green-700 dark:text-green-300 mb-2">🌱 Micro-Win
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You can’t dodge what you can’t see.
Now you see it.
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