Is your financial mindset strong—are you financially BOLD? How much power do you give to money? Many people I talk with give a great deal of their power to money, they allow money to control what they can and can’t do and they are stuck. Is this you? Do you blame what you can and can’t do on the lack of it, or occasionally celebrate the bomb-ass things you’ve been able to do with it?
I went to a networking event last night, and a young girl joined a conversation I was having with a couple of women. She could only talk about how pitiful her life was and all of the limits she has. She can’t afford to join the association, her student loans are as much as her rent—and it will be years before she makes any money, and on and on the spew of “Wo is me” went, until I had to excuse myself. That is a stuck mindset, there was no room for progress and no ability to entertain a way out.
A few minutes later I had a conversation with two students that was much more upbeat, they were excited about their future and how they would enter the work world after next year. Two completely different perspectives on life and money!
What are your daily thoughts about money? You do have them, “I can’t afford that!” or “I’ll buy that next month,” or “I’m so excited about the raise I know I’m going to get,” or “I’m really looking forward to my vacation and saving money by cutting back on Starbucks so I have lots of money to spend while I’m gone!”
It’s a choice. You can make excuses for why you can’t do things, and why you missed your sales quota (very tied to your money mindset), or you can shift your perspective and welcome money in your life, expecting it to show up. Anyone who’s been to my live seminars knows I like to give chakra candles as gifts. I burn a “Money” candle regularly in my office to welcome it in—money is only energy. It’s an exchange, a piece of paper created so we don’t have to swap sheep and goats, for clothes and food. It is simply a system to give and get what you want and need. That’s all it is.
Where is your health mindset today? Are you an 8 out of 10 or higher and know you’ll always have what you need on a consistent basis? Or do you constantly struggle, complain and focus on the lack of money you don’t have, stuck in your fears to invest in yourself, or your future? In this space you miss the inner guidance and cues that will steer you in the right direction? Small but powerful shifts in your thoughts, words and beliefs can create abundance from poverty. I know I’ve done it.
Wherever you are today, it’s likely that you have the ability to improve your money mindset and beliefs. Most of us grow up with a lot of garbage planted in our heads about money—you may even be uncomfortable reading about it in such an open conversation. One thing is certain, you cannot be successful in life without it. You cannot serve and support others, raise a family or live life without it.
Shifting your beliefs is a process. We all learn at different speeds. Some of my clients act on everything we discuss and experience amazing transformation in their first six months of coaching. Others tell me their excuses week after week for why they didn’t take action on goals they set—until they “get it” and make the shift to improve their quality of life.
The first things I did before moving into my new home in February was to put a dog door in. I didn’t know if my dogs had ever had one before or not, since I got them at age 7. Kiska had it figured out within 3 days. “Wahoo, I can go in and out any time I want!” Little Ms. inside dog, now spends time outside during the day and sleeps outside! Something she ever did before.
Niko being my shy guy has taken much longer. With a great deal of coaxing he started using it to come in for walks. Then one day he heard me petting Kiska, and voila, in he came! When he’s motivated enough (time to walk, or get cookies or doggie pet time) he takes action. He will still “woof” at the door to come in during the day to be my office assistant. I remind him to use his door and he comes in. Old habits die hard! Just this week he started coming in when he wants and greets me upstairs with tail a-waggin. He has yet to go out the door…we’ve got time.
Regardless of how you learn and how risk averse you are, you have the ability to learn new things. You have a choice about how you show up in your life every day and your expectations about money. If you want to change your circumstances, you’ve got to change your thoughts, imagination and self-talk. Being financially BOLD doesn’t mean spending recklessly, it means having the courage to get unstuck, to take the big step forward when the opportunity is laid in your lap that offers huge rewards, and scares you to silly. The Universe REWARDS action. Act BOLDLY.
PS – Because this is such a HOT topic, watch for my upcoming money mindset webinar and seminar series created to help you shift and align your money mindset to where you want to be!