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  That is an outdated belief that does not serve or apply to your current relationship with money.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.

Make sure you are only spending YOUR money

Make sure you are spending YOUR money

So we start spending money that is not ours.  Credit card bills, particularly in the United States are out of control.  In college, I remember someone giving me a free 2 liter of coca-cola if I spent 5 minutes filling out a form.  Two weeks later I had a credit card with my name on it in the mail.  What an easy way to pay a bar tab!  This is spending money that you do not have.  By using credit cards that you cannot pay off once the statement comes in the mail you will constantly be playing catch up with your money.  If this is your case, make a conscious decision right now that before you buy or spend money on anything that you do not need that you will pay off that credit card. Or student loan, or car loan.  

Get your financial spending under control and sorry to be blunt, but get your ego under control.  Live within your means.  Accept and appreciate where you are today.  If, while you are paying off these debts you need to make some cutbacks - do it.  Take inventory.  Decide what you actually NEED to live.  Make a monthly budget.  It is perfectly ok to ride a bike to work if you cannot afford a car or gas this week.  If you are getting your financial house in order and you don’t go out to eat for 3 months, who cares? There is nothing wrong with taking a break from spending so that you can catch up with money that has already been spent.  But do it now, because the longer you wait, the longer it will take and the harder it will be.  Let’s make your debt a thing of the past.  You cannot move forward with money until you have cleaned up your past.  You will find this incredibly empowering and satisfying.  The weight on your shoulders will lift as soon as you start to make a dent.  

And it’s addicting, when you begin to see a difference you will want to do more and more.  Cut up your credit card and liberate yourself from a stupid debt.  Money loves to be used for this so it will just keep coming once you start on this path.  My sister-in-law worked the morning shift every Sunday at a breakfast restaurant to pay off her student loans.  That meant she didn’t go out on Saturday nights during college and thereafter.  Was it super fun to miss out on parties? No, but that girl worked her tail off and she showed money that she knew how to use it.  She showed money that she could be trusted.  We do need to work for our money and we also need to stop spending money that we don’t have on things that we do not need.  It’s fun to play the lottery and someone does win, but don’t count on it being you.  It’s better to have a plan that’s actually riding in the front seat than to count on someone else coming in and saving the day.

There has been a lot of talk lately about the unemployment rate and the debt ceiling.  One side of the fence blaming the other side, “you’re not doing anything”  “it’s your fault we are here” blah blah blah.  The president of the United States is not going to knock on your door and offer you a job.  You have to do it yourself.  You cannot wait for something to happen, you have to make it happen.  What’s the Harvard line?  “We don’t get jobs, we create them.”  Amanda Foreman said this week on Bill Maher, “the government doesn’t create jobs, innovation does.”  So true.  Use your resources.  Follow your path.

I know that the current financial situation all over the world is very unstable. One thing that amazes me about where we live is that kids do not work here. I’m not talking about child labor, but when I was younger there was always a motivation for working and making our own money.  I thought about asking the kid next door to mow our lawn and my husband just shook his head and said, “yeah, they don’t really do that here.”  Seems silly to me.  When my dad was 12 he cleaned windshields at the drive-in.  So why not call upon this spirit and find some odd jobs here and there to help you bring in money.  Does the older gentleman across the street from you need some help pulling weeds?  What about the rich people in your neighborhood?  Can you clean their pool?  Leave your ego at the door and do what you have to do to bring in some extra income.  Look around you and the opportunities will present themselves.  

 Don’t forget to use your talents for this.  If you make beautiful birthday cakes, start asking around for parties that need help.  If your talent is shopping, start doing that for other people. And if you are not satisfied in your current job, keep your ears open, now that you are walking in the money path, the little light energy is traveling with you and it will illuminate new opportunities every step of the way.

“The money is there.”  Now go out and get it.

You Deserve Money

You Deserve Money.

Remember that light energy I spoke of in the Introduction?  It truly does want you to know that you deserve to be happy and to have things come easy to you.  We all deserve happiness and a nice life.  Believe in this light and call upon it to help you and it will.  It is waiting and wants to show you your highest potential.  It does not matter if we have made mistakes in the past or even if we make mistakes in the future, we are human.  The world is our oyster.  Start believing this. 

 

A nice life needs to be defined.  Is a nice life a house with a swimming pool and the latest Prada bag? Or is a nice happy life one where your needs are met and you are surrounded by love and ease.  Ponder the things you really need to be happy.  Let go of what your neighbor needs to be happy.  True happiness lies in the simple.

Hey, guess what? YOU deserve money.  If you start thinking that when you get some money the first thing that you do will be to give it to your daughter so that she can pay her rent, it will not work.  The money will not be there.  Remember the child at his first day of school?  Do you think he will be happy if your intention is to put him into a new classroom with new classmates and a new teacher just as he got to know you? Nope.  The intention of the money has to be that it is coming to you, for YOUR needs. Your daughter’s rent is her problem.  Get all your ducks in a row, pay all your own debts and then if you have money left over, then you can give it to someone else.  And please note the GIVE it to someone else.  Unless you are a bank, it is not your business to loan money. If you think lending money to a family member or friend ever works out, I advise you to watch a marathon of Judge Judy.  She constantly has friends and family suing each other for unpaid loans.  Take care of yourself first, then, once you are in good shape, yes please feel free to help those around you.  What you give out you will definitely get back, but don’t do it with strings attached and don’t do it if you are not able.  So when someone comes to you and asks for help, make sure you are helping your own situation first before you give them the shirt off your back.  Once your needs are met and you are on the path to a worry free money situation, then you can and should help others.

You will also need to show the confidence that comes along with saying, “I deserve.” There are some of you reading this who for whatever past reason, are still holding onto an idea that you are not worthy.  I tell you that this is not the case.  We are all equal beings in this world and we are all worthy.  Healthy survival is a human right.

Here is the other end of the spectrum.  You may need a car, but do you really need the latest BMW model?  Some of us have become people who believe that we deserve things but we actually don’t really need them.  We use them as a means to feel better about ourselves.  If you are reading this and you have all the money you need, good for you.  Start sharing that money with those who need it instead of wasting it on things that will never bring you happiness.  Use your money to make others happy.  Money is delighted when it is used for good and not in vain.  

           Say it with me people, “The money is there.”

Stop Worrying about Money

Stop Worrying about Money

            In order for the money to start coming, you will need to create an emotional environment that welcomes it.  An emotional environment is the place where your feelings live, plain and simple.  What state of mind are you in?  Are you positive or are you doubtful? Imagine money is a young child and you are a teacher introducing him to your classroom for the first time.  What kind of experience would you like that child to have?  Would you like the child to feel secure and happy?  Or would you like that child to feel worried and unsure about the future?  I know it may seem silly to compare money to a child, however this exercise is about looking at your feelings regarding money and about the kind of place where you are inviting money to come.  Where would you want to go if you were money? Money wants to be in a place free of negative emotions.  Money loves confidence.  Money loves fun.  Money wants happiness.  Money will not bring happiness, but you can bring money with yours.  

If you are worried about money, money does not want to come to you.  Worry, in my opinion, is a negative projection of a possible future.  Therefore, by creating this worry, we are creating a possible undesired outcome.  Worry lives in our fears.  When we start worrying, we start to become fearful of the future.  Now if we fear something or worry about it too much we are actually going in the opposite direction we would like because we are fueling our fears with worry.

This is a very easy cycle to break.  Start to catch yourself when you say, “I am worried that…..” and change it to “I am confident that….”  By doing this you are fueling your desired outcome.  

Let’s take a moment to talk about caution.  Caution is very different from worry in that caution tends to live in the present whereas worry does not.  We can walk down the street without fear or caution and then when we choose to cross the street, we pause and look both ways.  This is caution. After we have crossed the street, the caution is over.  Caution is the little flag that rises up to take inventory of what is around us.  But when it is over, it does not stay with us.  We don’t think about what could have happened to us over and over if we hadn’t crossed the street properly.  Worry stays with us and will grow and grow if it is not nipped in the bud.

Let go of worry.  It does not serve you.  It does not serve those around you.   

Now say out loud, "The money is there."

Introduction

        

         I really want this blog to help you.  You probably really need this blog to help you.  I hope it does.  But before it can, you have to make one small leap of faith with me.  You will need to believe that there is some kind of energy in this universe that wants you to succeed.  I am not talking about God as taught in churches all over the world.  I am talking about a universal light/love energy that is sitting on the sidelines watching you, cheering you on and just waiting for you to ask it to jump into your game of life.  Brave scientists in the world are already working to prove this existence.  So please, for your own sake, just imagine that this energy is real and ready to help.  If you like to think of it as spiritual guides, do that.  If it’s easier for you to think of it as dead Aunt Sally, do that.  I personally prefer to think of it as light, that way it stays religiously neutral. 

In this blog, I intend to show you how to bring in the money you need.  This blog will not contain any stock advice or get rich quick tips.  It will guide you through a process where you learn to turn your negative thoughts about money into positive tangible results.  

            So what does a Nebraska girl living in Europe know about money?  I can tell you that I have witnessed the American dream first hand.  I have seen a man who came from very little and worked hard all his life reach his goal to be a millionaire.  He has put his children through college without the help of student loans and currently has education funds for all four of his grandchildren.  He has helped countless amounts of people over the years save for their retirement.  This man is my father and he is an accountant.  (He would also like to take this moment to tell you that he HATES credit cards).  He did not go to college but he is the smartest man I have ever met.  This is not a biography of my father, but I will continue to use him as an example.

 

         I am sure that in your life you have noticed that there are people who always manage to land on their feet.  And unfortunately, there are also people who continue to struggle and never manage to make ends meet.  This information is here to help those of us who can’t seem to catch a break, do just that.  When we are in the thick of things it is hard to step back and look at what is going on in an objective manner.  The people who need help the most often think that the world is against them and they tend to see injustice being done to them.  If you are one of those strugglers, I hope to help you change your perspective enough to draw in the resources and to end your struggle with money.

            I am not a rich person.  My husband owns his own business (with a great business partner) and I am a stay at home mom.  So why then, if I haven’t worked in 5 years, is money so easy for me?  Because I say that the money is there.  We have a beautiful home, take a vacation once a year, eat out when we can and genuinely enjoy our lives.  And even though my husband and his partner are amazingly talented and their work ethic is strong, there have been times when business has been slow.  There have been months when we have not had a paycheck.  But then I just say, “the money is there.” And then here comes the money.  Here comes the business.  I promise you it is that simple.

            If you start to think about what money really is, you realize it is simply paper that serves as a liaison between the service you provided at your job and the service or good that you would like from something else.  Money is there to make our lives easier and to help us function as a society.  We do need money.  Many people want money.   My daughter wants candy every time we go the grocery store, but wanting something doesn’t work.  As the Rolling Stones have said, “you can’t always get what you want.”  But if you try you can indeed get what you need.  Everything you need is there for you.  We were not put on this earth to struggle, we are here to succeed at life.  Of course, there are hardships and tragedy but there is also ease and comfort.

            I invite you to change your journey in life to comfort and ease.  To an existence where there is no fear or worry.  A life where you have everything you need and you are truly grateful for it.

            Now, say this out loud.  “The money is there.”