Growing up in a middle-class Marathi family in Pune, I was taught that the only safe investments were fixed deposits and small savings schemes. My father, an accountant, would proudly show me his FD passbook, with its steady 5.5% annual interest. Investing in stocks or mutual funds was considered gambling - something "rich people" did.

Now, at 28, I have a decent corporate job that pays ₹65,000 per month. But when my colleagues discuss their investment portfolios, I quietly change the subject. I've accumulated ₹12 lakhs in my savings account, earning a measly 3.5% interest. Every time I log into my banking app and see that paltry figure, I feel ashamed.

The 2008 recession left a deep impact on my psyche. I remember my parents stressing over their depleted retirement corpus. They had trusted their money to a broker who promised huge returns, only to lose it all. The fear of exposing my own hard-earned savings to such volatility paralyzes me.

I've tried to educate myself - reading personal finance blogs, watching YouTube videos, even speaking to a financial advisor. But every time I consider investing in mutual funds or stocks, that lingering dread creeps back. What if I lose everything? How will I face my parents?

Sometimes I wonder if I'm being too conservative. My money is essentially losing value to inflation while sitting idle in a savings account. But the emotional scars from my parents' past experience make it incredibly difficult to take that leap of faith.

I know I need to overcome this mental block for the sake of my long-term financial health. Maybe I'll start small, with a modest SIP in an index fund. But the fear of the unknown keeps holding me back. All I can do is keep educating myself and pray that one day, I'll muster the courage to invest beyond the safety of a fixed deposit.