So let’s talk about money! My sister was just here visiting and I have to thank her for the inspiration and for going down the family money history with me. It is amazing how born from the same parents, we have totally different perspectives about money and wealth, love and relationships, health and wellness, religion and spirituality. We are all wired differently!
Even my 2 girls, who pretty much did everything together growing up and who had only me to contend with, are like night and day! They both look like me, but they don’t look alike, think alike, or act alike… from the moment they were born! And I have observed how differently they view money among other things. Maybe because at the age of three my older daughter, Amanda, witnessed how tight I was with money, and by the time my younger daughter, Margaret, turned three, I was in a much improved financial state.
I remember bringing them with me to either SuperValu or Wal-mart only a few blocks from my apartment at the time to buy necessities. I didn’t have a car, so I would wheel them in their double stroller usually reclining Amanda’s seat so I can load groceries behind her and the storage space below. Like other kids, they would point to a toy, but I always explained they can only borrow because we did not have money to pay for it. And they always returned the toys happily at the check-out counter.
I would always tell the girls what we were buying, and so when one time I grabbed something not on the list, Amanda loudly reprimanded me, “But Mom, we have no money to pay for that!” I so wanted to hide under the stroller in embarrassment and made a mental note to filter what information I share with my kids.
And I can only guess that’s the reason Amanda was driven to start earning money at 16, while Margaret, now 17, still has no plan to get a part time job. I am not saying either one is good, bad, right or wrong. All I am saying is they are wired differently.
And so my sister and I were discussing our own childhood money memories and what individual experiences influenced our early key decisions and rules to either love or hate money. And that is what I mean by we are all wired differently. We either adopt or reject our parent’s rules, decisions or quirks about money depending on the meaning we attach to the situation. Some decisions we make consciously and deliberately, while some we unconsciously inherited or blindly accepted as truth.
For example, let me tell you about my black cat. When my sister first saw my black cat her first thought was bad luck! I knew about that superstitious belief and may have believed it when I was younger, but obviously I must have let it go, or I wouldn’t have agreed to adopt a black cat. And she’s a beautiful regal cat. And guess what? She’s pregnant!
We need to revisit the key decision we made as children… for example, if you witnessed your Mom working herself to death, you may have fantasized to only marry a rich guy (or gal). Or if your Dad had very little money but the family was happy and laughing, you may have decided you don’t need a lot of money, just a happy life. You need to examine what money set point you have predetermined early on in life.
On top of that, you also need to weed out any unconscious beliefs that may have been planted in your mind without your knowledge that is sabotaging your money goals. Like the black cat. Like the belief that money is the root of all evil. Or, it is not spiritual to charge money. Or, one that came up for me recently, it’s better than nothing.
So do this exercise. Write down the amount of money you would rather be making. Increase it by 10 percent. Notice how the body reacts. And just observe. Write down what comes up for you. Then increase it by another 20%. Imagine yourself with that kind of money. And scan your body for any contraction or expansion.
Your body will give you clues if having a lot of money is such a good or bad idea. Be curious. Challenge it. Why can’t I have a lot of money? Write down what comes up for you. Then increase your target money by 50%. Keep pushing it until you bring to awareness as many blocks, fears, resistance and limitations that is setting your money threshold so very low. Challenge them one by one. And make a conscious and deliberate decision to overcome them one by one.
Once you become aware of it, it’s within your power to raise your money consciousness to a whole new level. Yup. Even from rags to riches.
Here’s to abundance and prosperity!
Love, light and blessings to all.