Money!

What is it really?

For a moment, filter out the sounds that surround you. Go within, to that quiet, calm place, like you would when meditating…….

Now, when you read, see, hear the word money………

What do you feel?

Is it

• Anger?

• Anxiety?

• Agitation?

Or is it

• Enjoyment?

• Empowerment?

• Excitement?

What really shapes our feelings about money?

Mostly, we think that money is a mathematical, logical, physical, serious, intellectual, important ‘something’ that we must work for.

In ‘polite’ company, it is seen as brash to discuss money.

Money is something we feel torn about, think we don’t understand, hate to spend, save, boast about quietly (or on some social media pages, brag about).

We are encouraged to make important life decisions based on the amount of financial security these decisions generate. Reinforced by statements such as “get a decent job first, then you can be an artist”; yet we are simultaneously warned that “money does not buy happiness”.

So, what is money then? And how do we go about getting it?

What you really think, there in that quiet place inside of you, will determine, not only how you see money, but also how you behave towards it, and this will in turn, influence how money reacts to you……

Want to know how you really, really feel about money?

Try this exercise, using a pen and paper (or a journal). Writing with pen and paper helps you put down your thoughts vividly and accurately. When you write, you not only feel each word, but you also feel each emotion attached with that word that led you to choose it. You are more aware while writing that way. Keep the pen moving, don’t think, just write. Allow the pen to write. Set the timer on your phone. Write for 2 minutes on each prompt.

• The truth about money is…………

• I fear money, because…………….

• When I think about money, I feel……………

If you’ve never tried free writing from prompts before, here is an example of a 2-minute free write based on one of the prompts above

When I think about money, I feel……. ashamed. I am reminded of all the mistakes I have made with money in my life. All the money I have wasted. Bad business decisions, poor personal decisions, buying things I don’t need. When I think about money, I feel……. compassion. Compassion for the me who didn’t know, who wasn’t self-aware, the younger, naïve, someone who had things to learn. When I think about money, I feel……. empowered, knowing how far I have come, knowing that the lessons I have learned have prepared me for what is to come. I am ready to allow money into my life in all its abundance…….

Depending on the degree of your presence in the moment, this exercise should have given you a breakthrough. You may have felt something in your heart or in your mind. As you continue to expand your consciousness and your understanding, so too, will you expand your wealth.

How to go from financial anxiety to financial empowerment

If you feel anxious about your money, you are not alone.

60% of Australians admit that they struggle to keep $1000 in a rainy-day fund for emergencies; 62% confess to their finances being a significant source of stress and 65% of Australians say they rely on their partners to make the financial decisions in their relationship (they zone out when money is discussed)

If this sounds like you, some of these tips below can help you become more resilient and be more empowered when you take control of your finances

1. Take control of your spending plan (budget, cashflow)

• Unsure what your weekly or monthly expenses are?

  • Access 3 months’ bank statements

  • List all the income you earn and their source (regular job; side hustle; child support etc.)

  • List all the outgoings (daily coffee; take-out meals, all your bills)

2. Find your values

• Unsure what your values are?

  • Ask yourself what is important to you in terms of the way you interact with friends and family

  • What is a non-negotiable when it comes to you physical and mental health?

  • What is important to you about your community, your work and where you live?

3. Align your spending with your values

• Are your expenses aligned with your vision for yourself and what you value? Use these prompts to check

• Expense | Aligned with my value? | My commitment to my future self

  • Sunday breakfast with friends | Yes, I feel wealthy when I connect with my community | This is a priority for me

  • New outfit for a work event | No, I am guilty of buying a new outfit and wearing it once | Hire an outfit for an event

Now that you have aligned your values with your vision

Ø Set aside money for priorities that align with your version of your future self

Ø Automate your bill payments such as rent or mortgage; utilities; credit cards; loans; insurance and investments

Ø Be intentional with your finances

Want to learn more about money and your relationship with it? Curious about how to remove the barriers that prevent you from achieving your version of financial independence?