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.