Many people think that in order to be successful with money, we need to give up spirituality. Or, to be spiritual, we need to give up financial wealth. Rather, the two go hand in hand.
Go With the Flow – The Flow of Money
I know that a lot of people would rather bury their heads in the sand when the topic of money and finances comes up. But, as you start to see the flow and patterns of money and what they represent, the subject becomes more bearable, and even perhaps a bit enjoyable. The main idea I’ll be discussing boils down to this: make your money work for you just as much as you work for it.
When you look at money on the surface, it’s just paper, plastic, or bits of metal. It can’t make its own choices and decisions, it relies on you. It’s your job to direct the flow and assign it uses. The first step in the path to balancing wealth and spirituality is to be conscious about your money. Take a few moments and think about what you are buying. What is your money going to? We’re conscious people, so our decisions about money should be conscious too. When we use our money in more philanthropic ways, it will make a difference. This will return to you, even more abundant than before.
Money is Another Arm
Metaphorically speaking, money is an extension of you, like another limb. Your intention is attached to your money. How you use this new arm matters. Making fear-based emotional choices with your money only makes more fear and lack. It’s a negative cycle. Rather, look at how you can gain personal growth from your money. Look for life experience. These will often correlate with financial growth too. Not only does this help your wallet, it helps you grow spiritually.
Life experiences give us more of a spiritual connection, feeling expanded, and fulfilled if you shift your attention from lack into how you can use your money to gain some rewarding experiences. No matter how small these may be, you will be making your money work for you, not just paying the bills.
Safety in Saving and Budgeting
Part of making your money work for you is knowing when and how to save and invest. If you ask a financial planner on where to start, they will say this: learn to live off of 80% of your income. As soon as you get your paycheck, take that remaining 20% and put it in your savings. In a way, it’s like paying another bill, but instead of to another company, it’s to your future self.
Once you have that 20% set aside, make a budget. A lot of people look at budgets as a tool for the poor and broke. Truth is, it’s a fantastic tool regardless of your current financial situation. Having a budget helps you track and manage every dollar that passes through your purse. When budget-planning, it’s important to consider every factor, the biggest ones for most people being things like food, car payments, service bills, and rent. These are all important and necessary, but there’s more you need to consider too, such as personal life activities and “fun,” if your budget allows. When your budget allows for essentials, bills, and personal enjoyment, you’ll start to see how this extra bit of organization will help bring emotional stability, instead of the anxiety and stress that comes with financial insecurity.
The Jam Jar Approach
A slightly different, yet similar, approach to saving is what I call the “jam jar” method. By putting a little money in each jar or account, you save over time for different things. These things could be personal fun, investment in studies, personal growth, clothes, vacation, gifts, and more. Being able to give gifts with your money is just as important as paying bills and using it for yourself. Money is a flow of energy, so your intention behind purchasing a gift for someone is not only to help them know they are special to you, but the joy of finding something and the fun of giving is very uplifting. And of course, we can give in so many ways it doesn’t have to be just through purchasing gifts, but for the sake of today’s theme, we are using money as a flow of energy to elevate ourselves and others.
Closing Thoughts
Thank you for joining me today. Today’s article was inspired from a conversation I had on my podcast, Your Unique Brilliance, with the lovely Susan Berkowitz. She has a great history of working in finance. Also, right now, my special course, How to Decode and Calm Your Emotions with Your Self Care Tool Kit to Overcome Stress, Anxiety and Overwhelm, is on sale with a special launch discount. If you want to learn more about your emotions, what they mean, and how to free yourself from self-sabotage, click here to learn more.
Thank you so much for reading. Today, I have you with two requests: make your money work for you just as much as you work for it, and stay mindful.
