According to the National Science Foundation our brain has the ability to produce as many as 50,000 thoughts per day. I ask that you challenge every thought going on inside of your head. Too often we focus our energy on negativity instead of using that same power to create better results.
Many Americans literally scare themselves with their negative and dis-empowering thoughts that neither promotes abundance or prosperity in one’s personal or financial life. Unhealthy thoughts can be detrimental to your financial success. Thoughts such as: “I am not smart enough to learn how to create an abundance financial plan for my life. I don’t make enough to save. It’s more difficult to earn more. I’ll never be debt free. I’m too old to start saving for retirement.” We hold ourselves back and drag around the “can’t and shouldn’t“ with us and use them as reasons why we should play it small. Remember your past does not define you. It strengthens you to make you who you are today—victorious. Part of having an abundant mindset is understanding a healthy relationship with money can help you create the life you want. If you want money to show up for you, you also have to show up for it. Just like any significant relationship in your life, you must nurture it, give of your time, communicate, and most importantly show love. Money is no different. Here are four breakthrough strategies I want to share with you to help you transform your money mindset to experience a breathtaking new financial reality.
Mental Detox
Your words have energy, power, presence and assignment over your life! Make up your mind to take the next seven days to throw out all negativity and think only positive supportive thoughts. Examples of negative thinking are: “Money isn’t that important to me. I refuse to look at any of my accounts because I don’t want to know the truth. I will never recover from all the financial mistakes I’ve made in the past.” Any thoughts that do not support your highest good are negative. Write and expose all the mental lies on a sheet of paper or a voice recorder you related to money. Then replace it with a more positive empowering statement that better serves you. Each week, write three positive statements on a fluorescent post-it notes or index cards and put them in a visible location as a daily reminder to yourself. Great starting locations are next to the door you frequently use to leave your home, your car ignition switch, in the bathroom mirror, or on the refrigerator door.
Rewriting Your Story
You are not alone in your journey towards rewriting your financial story. All of us are looking for something great, but we have to get rid of what we don’t want in order to make room for what we do desire. When we focus on our worries instead of the possibilities we create a self-imposed prison rooted in anger, blame, and resentment. Many adults need to re-parent themselves through forgiveness and love.
Honesty is the highest form of in-to-me-I-see (intimacy). Often times, we look outside of ourselves for love and support instead of knowing that we are our own saviors. Whether it is financial goal setting, saving, getting out of debt, improving your credit, or investing. No one else can do these things for you. You can get guidance along the journey, but you will have to drive the vehicle to your destination with clear intentions. A weak determination of finances will yield a life of incompletes. I believe wealth and abundance is a universal experience. We were created with the power to experience a life of financial freedom, abundance, and significance in the world. Every day, complete the affirmation sentence frames below. Remember, this is an intimate appointment with you, so not showing is not an option. If you have any resistance, question yourself by asking what am I feeling in this moment?
I am grateful for ___________.
I forgive you for ____________.
I love you because _____________.
One step I will take today is ______________.
Start with small baby steps until you’re able to build momentum. An example of a baby step would be committing to purchasing a money journal to record your thoughts, or simply checking your saving account for the total available balance.
Become Money Conscious
Sit down in a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. On a sheet of paper create four quadrants titled Why, Net Worth, Spending List, and To Done List. In the first quadrant, explain your why behind your commitment to being money conscious. In the second quadrant, list of all your assets (home, checking and savings balances, retirement savings, automobiles, and total stocks value) and liabilities (credit card balances, personal loans, student loans, auto loans, home loans, and so on) then take your total asset and subtract it from your total liabilities. It’s that easy to calculate your net worth. In the third quadrant, list all your expenses within the last 3 months as listed from your bank account. Why? Because bank accounts don’t lie. This process will give you a snap shot of your financial situation and where your money is going. In the last quadrant, pick two or three areas you would like to improve.
Set Clear Intentions
Once you know the area that you would like to improve its time to convert them into financial goals. If you desire to create a realistic spending plan, it may require you to curtail your expenses. Many times people share how their unable to make changes due to some reason outside of their control. As a financial breakthrough strategist via Natasha M. Campbell , when I ask with love and compassion, what if your employer reduced your salary by 10% what would you do? Their response is typically I would have to make some changes like reduce expenses, track my expenses, and create a more do-able spending plan. As you can imagine, my next response is― so you do have control over your response once there is a shift in events. Why not opt now to get real, wise, and into action with your finances?
A goal must be a positive written stated, clearly defined, and engages your sensory system. Visualize the pleasurable experience of achieving your goal with positive results. An example of a good financial goal is: I will save $500 by December 31, 2016 into a separate bank account, depositing $25 per week to support me through unexpected expenses. In the event an opportunity arises you will have access to funds to meet that need.
Your attitude around money will always be in direct relationship to your desire, thoughts, and actions. If you are waiting for a sign the time is now!
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