Where has the money been?

Hard to believe it has been since November since I last wrote, but don't worry - The money is STILL there.  The money has not gone away, the money has been focused on other things for awhile.  But what happened while it was away?  Did it fail you?  Did it leave you stranded? No.  You are still here.  You are still standing. Money has been silently moving forward and hoping that you have been doing the same.

Money likes when you leave it alone for a bit.  It actually does not enjoy to be the focus of your attention.  It's like an independent child who needs and cherishes time alone.  This way, it can grow without being under a microscope. Money is like that saying, "A watched pot never boils."  The more you watch it, the less it performs for you.  Think about the people you know to whom money comes easy.  They hardly ever think about it.  They may expect it, but their attention is rarely on how much they need money.

Going on the idea that life is a mirror, if when we look at our money situation and see lack, life mirrors that and gives us lack. And just because you don't look in the mirror, doesn't mean your reflection is not there.  Find the positive points about what money has done for you and then money will take care of the rest.  Worrying and thinking about wants and needs will only leave you with wants and needs.

Maybe none of you are "richer" than the day I started this blog, but is that really the idea?  Is more money the answer to your problems?  Or is ENOUGH money.  If we truly wish to move away from a system where there is a gigantic gap between the "haves" and the "have nots," it must begin with you.  You have to change the idea that you need more of this or more of that.  Look at your life and evaluate the important things.  I bet none of them have to do with money.  And that is what money prefers.  Money understands it's role in this world and is tired of being mistreated.  Just like us, money would like to be seen in a positive light.

Money is a vehicle that allows us to get from A to B.  Like the Swiss train system, it is there.  It may show up a bit late from time to time, but it comes.  It always does.  Money does not want to be a reason for stress in your life.  It's okay to make it less important, money does not mind.


The money is there.  The money is always there. 

New Money.

New Money.

In the town where I grew up, there were four high schools.  We used to say that they were split up based on four sections.  Old money, new money, no money and borrowed money.  While this wasn’t really the case, it is an interesting view on the types of households out there.  We are all moving into a time of new money.  The systems of money that we have been using up until this point no longer apply to the type of world we wish to live in.

And because of this, money would like to change its relationship with you.  Money would like to forget the old rules that only certain people deserve money or you MUST work 80 hours a week to be able to have what you need and want.  Money does not think you have to struggle.  That is an outdated belief that does not serve or apply to your current relationship with money.

There is only one catch, you have to be the one who inspires and supports money to shift and be different.

Building on “money is ebb and flow,” if we would like to change the way that money comes into our life, we need to change the way money leaves it.  We can do this by applying all that we have learned so far.  Respect money.  We now use money thoughtfully and purposefully.  Gone are the days where we would “throw money away.”  That doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with your money.  Not only can you, but you should and money thinks you deserve to have a good time. Make sure you spend some to bring happiness.  And be thankful for the lessons of the past and the wealth of today.  Being happy and thankful are the keys to attraction.

But most of all, be a lighthouse.  Think of yourself as a strong bright light, guiding ships during dark times. This will work twofold.  You will now inspire those around you by showing them how much money loves the confident, fun and thoughtful person you are.  And by doing this, you will also indeed be the light that guides the money home. By motivating others, you show money the way to you.  I can say from experience that this works.

The money is there.  Turn your light on so it can find you.

Money? Is that you?

 

Money comes in all forms.

Have you looked at money lately?  It comes in all shapes, sizes and amounts.  Literally and figuratively.  Are you missing opportunities to accept money around you because it is disguised as something without a famous person on it?

Some of us have trouble accepting gifts, offers or help.  Whatever the past reason is, the idea of receiving help can make us uncomfortable.  It can be as easy as accepting a cup of tea at a friend’s house.  I have a tendency to say no to offers like this because I don’t want the person to go out of their way.  But, why not?  A friend is offering me a simple courtesy and yet I refuse.  Sure, this is not going to help me pay my phone bill.  What it does do is point out that I am blocking a gift.  If we want money to truly come into our lives, we have to start recognizing that money is not just paper.  Abundance does not mean a gigantic stock portfolio. 

We don’t have to do everything ourselves.  We are not put on this planet alone.  We are all here together.  Let’s start seeing the little offers during the day as ways to practice accepting and receiving.  Then, we will be sure to recognize all forms of wealth and money.

Now, let’s put that shoe on the other foot.  Do you feel like you have someone in your life to whom you are constantly giving and never receiving?  Do you and this person keep  playing out the same scenario over and over and you are always left uncomfortable with the results.  (because the results are ALWAYS the same).  Here’s some great advice.  Stop it.  That toy is broken.  The only way to fix it is to stop playing with it.  As I mentioned in a previous entry, money is ebb and flow, not flow and flow or ebb and ebb.  Be careful not to let someone drain you of your resources. Remember, you cannot change anyone.  You can only change the way you react to them. And this may not be a person, it could be your lemon of a car.  It could be your mobile phone bill.  Maybe it’s your porn addiction. ;)

I also encourage you to evaluate yourself to make sure you are in give and take relationships.  If there is a person in your life who helps you, please give back to them.

Whatever it is, love and appreciate it for what it is.  It got you here – again, money does not judge you.  With acceptance comes peace and abundance.

The money is there.  What does it look like?

Spend A Little.

That's right, I said, Spend A Little.

In the last blog, we talked about having confidence in oneself to attract money.  Now we need to show money that we have confidence in the process of it coming to us.  In order to do that, we need to spend a little.  The day after my parent’s divorce was final, my dad went out and bought a brand new Cadillac.  That, is not what I am referring to. That would be spending a lot.  That is a bad example. Although, to his credit, he did pay cash.

Money is ebb and flow.  Money is fluid.  Money comes and money goes.  In order to respect this cycle, we have to be willing to let go of a little to bring in more.  If we just hold on tight to all the money we make, we are not giving money the opportunity to be there for someone else.  We have to have faith that the money is there and a great way to show this is to spend a little.  A little.  Don’t go over budget and DO NOT USE YOUR CREDIT CARDS (that’s cheating – unless you fully intend on paying off the entire balance once you receive the bill).

Let’s think about how we are going to spend a little.  Are we going to spend it on an object that will not serve us?  Are we going to spend it on a dinner with great company?  Will we choose something like an online class to broaden our horizons?  Will we waste it on something that we will only wear once and then never think about again?  How about a much needed massage? 

Also, you need to define, in your budget, how much you can let go of and still be okay at the end of your month.  Don’t do this with worry or fear, be objective and confident that there is a bit of cushion and that you can use it for yourself.  It could be 10, it could be 100.

Now, think of this amount as a gift you are giving.  This money is there for someone else.  Who needs it?  I encourage you to think about how you are going to spend this little amount.  Be thoughtful in using this money on yourself so that your result is positive for you and for someone else.  We are not giving our money away, we are consciously deciding it is being used for good.  Here is an example, you received a flyer for a new yoga studio.  You spend your money on a class.  Something good for you, something good for the studio.  Or,  take a friend out to dinner at a privately owned restaurant.  Ooooo, that’s three goods.  One for you, one for your friend and one for the mom and pop shop.  Remember, money loves having fun and helping people and once it sees you doing this, it will want to come back for more.  (And just a side note, money also likes to keep it clean.  Make sure your idea of fun is not causing harm to anyone or yourself)

We know we can spend a little money, because more is coming.  We use our money thoughtfully and insure positive outcomes for all involved.  We spend because we deserve.  We respect money.

The money is there.

Shoulders back, head up.

Money loves confidence.

Just like all of us, money is attracted to confidence.  Money wants to be with someone who is sure of self.  Money loves it when we hold our head high, put our shoulders back and walk down the street with spunk in our step.

 

For me, confidence comes when I sit up straight, squint my eyes slightly and inhale.  My step is determined and people notice me.  It’s a funny exercise to try, walk down the street once with total confidence.  I used to tell the new freshmen to my sorority to “own the sidewalk.”  Don’t let anyone push you off, be proud and walk high.  Then, walk down the street with your shoulders hunched down, a depressed look on your face and slow your step.  The results may seem obvious to some.  But in any case, you will notice a complete difference not only in yourself but the reaction and interaction of those around you.  Just like the people you pass on the street, money can read your body language.

So now, let’s try to apply this attitude to money.  Money wants to come to you already.  It is out there waiting for you.  Imagine if now it is attracted to you and your confidence.  Maybe you are taking a bit of a chance with money, you better be confident when you do so.  My dad has taken a lot of risks on business and money in his lifetime.  He was always confident that he knew what he was doing.  And generally speaking, it has paid off for him.

Be careful not to walk down the path of ignorance and ego.  Confidence comes when we can trust ourselves.  Not when we think we know what we are doing, but when we know what we are doing. 

Confidence also comes with practice.  You may find that you get knocked off your horse a couple of times.  That’s okay.  Just get up and brush yourself off.  Then get right back on the horse.  This is just the universal way of making sure you are living in the now.  Don’t let it frustrate you or let you fall back into old habits.  As Dory says in Finding Nemo, “just keep swimming…”

The money is there, and there and over there and there.  The money is there.

Thank you, Money.

           

Be thankful. Appreciate.

 You know what money loves to hear?  Thank you. 

When my two year old says thank you without being reminded, I love that - it warms my heart. Money also loves to hear “thank you.”  Money, just like anything or anyone else, likes being appreciated.  Taking time to recognize the positive is incredibly important.  Remember how I said fear leads to more fear.  Well, here’s your good news for the day.  Gratitude leads to more gratitude.

I moved to Los Angeles the day after receiving my college diploma.  While I learned a lot during the two short years I was there, at times I was extremely lonely.  I can’t remember how or why I started doing this, but during a particular dark time I started writing down 5 things a day for which I was thankful.  Some days it was as simple as the guy who let me merge onto the 101 at 8am.  It was a way for me to find some happiness in an otherwise difficult time.  And guess what happened? I began to see more and more things around me as positive.  There was less dark and more light.

Money is just like this.  When you have that emotional environment intact, money is happy to come, stay and invite friends.  Positive.  Happy.  Thankful.  Now.

Expanding on the last entry of living in the present, I think it is very powerful to be thankful in the present.  When something catches your eye during the day, take a second, one second, to recognize its gift to you.  The landscape out my window in the morning is a more than wonderful way to start my day, I am often thankful to Mother Earth for her beauty.  This is more than just the regular thank you that is (hopefully) programmed into you.  This is looking beyond that and feeling the thankfulness in your heart. The next time you get some unexpected money remember to be grateful.

And let’s be thankful of where we came from.  If we are to be truly happy in this moment we must let go of prior judgments of self.  You did what you had to do to get where you are.  If you had made other choices along the way, you would be somewhere else.  Honor your path and appreciate your steps.  Look where you started and how far you have come.  Congratulate yourself for your arrival to this moment.  The moment where you are peaceful and happy.  The moment where you recognize that you have taken the reigns of your life and are in control.  The money is there.  Thank you money for being there.

The Money IS There

The Money IS there.

Now that you are on your way to cleaning up your past spending, it’s time to start living in the present.  Have you noticed that I don’t refer to money in the future?  I say that the money IS there.  Not the money will be there.  If you say the money will be there, you will forever be chasing it.  The language we use matters.  When we live in the moment, there is no reason to worry about the future.  When we are happy and loving in the present time, the future takes care of itself.  

I believe that the universe is a mirror.  What we put out we get back.  If I say it is so, it is.  If I say I want something, I just end up wanting it.  If I say I need something, I will need it.  If I say I have something, for example, “I have all the money I need.”  I have it.  Sounds simple, doesn’t it?  It is.  There is no mystery here. I use this all the time for parking spaces.  Test it.  It works.  Just make sure you believe what you are saying.

I did a weekend workshop a long time ago and we talked about beliefs vs. experiences.  The question was, “do your beliefs create your experiences or do your experiences create your beliefs?”  In which case are you designing your own path?  In which case are you letting life happen to you?  If a person truly believes that he will find a way out of debt and start living a comfortable lifestyle, he will.  On the other hand, if a person has spent too much money and allows fear and worry about the situation to take hold of him and thinks there is no way out, he will stay in debt and struggle.  If you saw a cocker spaniel bite a child and now you believe all cocker spaniels to be crazy, you are generalizing and letting one experience create a belief.  I found this to be an eye-opening perspective, and I have applied it throughout my life.  I am the captain of my own ship.  The waters may be steady or the waters may be rough, but I will take this vessel where I want it to go.  And the light energy around us is the North Star guiding our way.

Living in the present also means letting go of the past. Money is very forgiving.  It will keep coming back to you even if you have previously mistreated it.  Why not be forgiving as well?  Forgive yourself, your parents, forgive the boy who made fun of you in 5^th grade.  And say goodbye to the emotions caught up with the situation.  When you can let go of all those negative feelings holding you back you will move forward faster than you ever imagined.  You don’t live in the past.  You live today.  You live now.  Free yourself of your past mistakes.  This does not mean go out on a spending spree because you don’t have to be cautious about your days to come.  What it does mean is that you no longer have to worry about the days to come.  Because you live in the present.

So this week, let’s start paying attention to our language.  Mostly our verbs.  Are we living in the present or the past or the future?  Are we being proactive or passive.  Are we living life or is life dragging us along for a ride?  Keep all of these thoughts in the present.  

 The money is there.  The money is there.  The money is there.