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How often do you use the word “need” either in your thoughts or in your conversations. Do you find yourself saying things like:

• “I need more money in order to ____________ (fill in the blank)”
• “It’s hard for me to get my needs met.”
• “I need you to give me more ___________ (love/money/attention/affection, etc.)”

When you recognize a need, do you feel helpless or empowered? Prosperous people see needs as a spur to action and have an underlying belief that they will find a way to satisfy their needs.

Let’s say you think you need more money in order to keep your business running smoothly. The prosperous action would be to get a clear picture of exactly how much you need, then develop a plan for finding the necessary funds. If the funds were not available, then a reorganization or restructuring of the business would be in order.

In either case, action is the key. Whining and wishing someone would rescue you would be needy behavior.

Many people who consider themselves prosperity seekers are needy. They keep themselves in a constant state of longing and wanting and have never developed the traits and feelings that accompany prosperity. These traits and feelings include satisfaction, faith in oneself, determination, discipline, financial literacy, and a willingness to make mistakes.

Would you like to eliminate neediness and develop a strong prosperity mindset? Here are a few things you can do:

• Make the decision to love, accept, acknowledge, and appreciate yourself. Alhtough it takes time to develop this habit, doing so will allow you to fill some of your most basic emotional needs and have others mirror that fulfillment back to you.
• Accentuate the positive. You can find pros and cons when evaluating anything. Train yourself to focus on the positive and, when considering the negative, do so realistically when you are in a calm and thoughtful frame of mind. If your habit is to assume the worst will happen, you will benefit from finding someone who can help you evaluate your options.
• When you speak to people, notice if you are using your child voice or your adult voice. Most people have both. The child voice will come out when you are coming from a needy place. Give your inner adult the chance to speak.
• Learn to view your life stories with detachment. Understand that every situation is neutral. Judging a situation as good or bad is your projection, not something inherent in the situation. In the current economy, dealing with events without taking them personally and without judgement can facilitate making rational, effective decisions.

Does fear get in the way of your taking action? If it does, consider listening to the recent teleclass, Live Fear Free In the New Economy. If you sign up now, you can still participate in the follow-up class on September 21. Read more about the teleclass on ProsperityPlace.com.

The desire to help others is a natural feeling because humans know that their well-being is dependent upon the health and strength of their “tribe.”  You can provide help by maintaining a hopeful, positive attitude towards yourself, your community, your country, and the planet.

Bottom line: love is the healer.

You and I are not separate beings, we are part of a whole. As part of that whole, our consciousness helps to define the nature of the whole. Although there are over 5 billion of us now (plus all other living things on the planet), and every single living being contributes to the makeup of the consciousness of the whole, each little bit is important.

Because of our interconnectedness, you can do service to the entire world by replacing fear with hope and faith, resentment with gratitude, self-pity with compassion, and judgement with acceptance. If enough people do this, the consciousness of the planet will reach a tipping point and move towards a harmonious state of being.

If we can see the goodness in others — and ourselves — and acknowledge and encourage that goodness to grow, we can all flourish. What a wonderful way to help others!

Here are some suggestions for adding to the love quotient on the planet.

• Everyday, take a few moments, perhaps before you get into bed, to think about five things for which you are grateful.
• If you are holding a grudge or resentment towards someone, imagine the person surrounded by a gentle, pink light, and repeat silently or aloud, “I forgive you.”
• At least 10 times a day, tell yourself that you are doing a good job and deserve all the joy that life has to offer.
• Whenever you are with someone, say something complimentary. It can be something as simple as, “You’re looking well today.”
• If you hear yourself judging yourself or others, stop yourself and say, “I am grateful for the gift of every moment.”
• If something is bothering you, rather than holding it all inside, find someone who you trust with whom you can share your concerns. Do this with the intention of finding a solution rather than just bemoaning your situation.
• Look in the mirror, look into your eyes and say, “(Your Name), I unconditionally love and accept you, just the way you are.”

Do you have some suggestions you’d like to add to this? Use the comment box for below.

Another way you can do service is by learning to move beyond fear. I’ll be talking about this at the upcoming seminar, Living Fear Free in the New Economy on August 24th. I hope you’ll join me. Learn more at www.LiveFearFreeNow.com

This teleclass will

• Help you make fear a creative rather than destructive force
• Discover marketable talents you have that you never realized can support you.
• Teach you techniques for activating your inner resources
• Lead you through your fear into a more peaceful place

For more information about this almost-free teleclass, visit www.LiveFearFreeNow.com

• Are you scared because of your financial situation?
• Is your job or business income threatened by current financial conditions?
• Do you wonder what has happened to the American dream?
• Would you like to move beyond your fear and experience financial peace of mind?

Join me on Auguest 24th for a new teleclass where you can learn the skills you need to thrive and prosper in these tough economic times.

Living Fear Free in the New Economy
A 90-Minute Teleclass with Joan Sotkin
August 24 – Noon Pacific, 3 PM Eastern

Listen on the phone, on the Web or download the recording. A transcript will be available along with other goodies.

Join me for this interactive teleclass and learn:

• The simple techniques to move through your fear and emerge in a solid financial position
• How to make fear a creative rather than destructive force so you can move on with your life
• The main steps you need to take to live fear free in the new economy
• How to discover marketable talents you have that you never realized could support you
• Techniques for activating your inner power so you build a realistic and secure future

If you are ready for a stress-free, fear-free life, read more about this teleclass at http://LiveFearFreeNow.com

Recently someone asked me why I didn’t include fear in my book Build Your Money Muscles as one of the basic emotions that people act out through their money. I explained that fear is the cover-up emotion, the emotion that people default to when they are unsure of themselves and their future.

Fear is often used as an excuse for not moving forward. Yet those who are willing to work through their fear and risk what might seem like failure are the people who are most successful.

Fear in the Current Economy

There’s no doubt about the fact that we are living in uncertain times. The recession, unemployment, foreclosures,
lack of available credit, and debt problems in Europe all add to an environment of uncertainty.

Even though large companies are earning healthy profits, the uncertainty is keeping them from adding jobs or making big investments. Instead of hiring people, companies are buying machines that allow them to replace people.

The news is filled with fear-producing stories of people experiencing financial difficulties and dire predictions for our economic future. However, if you decide to live without fear, you can.

Is this really possible with so much fear in the air? Absolutely.

The Choice Is Yours

Fear is never a requirement. It is an option. You get to choose whether to live in fear or in peace.

This period in our history provides a great opportunity for you to make the choice between fear or peace. The fact is that fear is never a solution to any problem, but rather a mechanism for avoiding action.

I don’t believe that you can just wish or tap away fear. I think that you have to make specific changes in your habitual thoughts, beliefs, emotional responses, and behaviors in order to develop confidence in your ability to survive and thrive no matter what’s going on in the world.

Yes, economic times have changed, and few people can continue to behave the way they did a few years ago and remain financially healthy. Fortunately,a growing number of people are choosing to save instead of spending freely and are beginning to see the value of developing practical financial habits.

Awakening Your Inner Voice

Now more than ever, getting in touch with the part of you that can see (or sense) the bigger picture is important. That inner voice is part of your human equipment and, if you can hear it, can lead you to your true life’s purpose and a way of life that supports your true needs (not those stimulated for you by endless advertisements).

The problem is that fear muffles the sound of the inner voice, often in many subtle ways.

A few years ago, I invested a lot of time, money, and energy into a project that I thought would be profitable. Although I was encouraged by knowledgeable advisors to move forward with the project, and although I was passionate about the subject matter, I have to admit that I was motivated by my fear of my economic future. I thought the project could offer me a level of security I didn’t already have.

Instead of making a lot of money, I lost a lot. As I was putting the project together, there was a nagging, quiet voice that questioned what I was doing, but the voice was overridden by my desire to secure my future in order to allay my fears.

In other words, I defaulted to fear and lost much more than I could have imagined. If someone had said that I was motivated by fear, I would have denied it. Only now, as I look back, can I see it — and avoid the trap in the future. As I said, fear works in subtle ways.

I’ve lived long enough to know that no matter how much trouble I might get myself in to, I can get myself out, which serves to overcome fear. I feel blessed that I’ve reached a point of inner peace and would like to share some of the techniques I used to get here.

So I’m going to hold a teleclass on August 24th called Live Fear Free in the New Economy.

This teleclass will

• Help you make fear a creative rather than destructive force
• Discover marketable talents you have that you never realized can support you
• Teach you techniques for activating your inner resources
• Lead you through your fear into a more peaceful place

For more information about this almost-free teleclass, visit http://LiveFearFreeNow.com

Recently a woman was recounting her experience of going from having very little to being able to buy a house, something she thought would be impossible. “Before everything turned around,” she said, “my whole life fell apart and I thought I’d never recover.”

What she didn’t understand at the time was the life-falling-apart experience was an essential element on her path to prosperity. People don’t realize that in order to alter their lives significantly, there is often a period where the old crumbles in order to make way for the new.

That’s what’s happening in the world right now. We are going through a major transition that is causing lots of chaos as the old is replaced by a new paradigm.

You can feel and experience the chaos in our politics, finances, education system, and other areas of our lives as the entrenched economic and financial systems are falling apart.

For many, these changes are confusing and frightening as institutions and systems that gave an apparent sense of certainty are falling apart. In many cases they are not being replaced by anything that guarantees certainty. Manufacturing jobs, pensions, health insurance, and even city services such as police protection, can no longer be taken for granted.

As the chaos intensifies, our only choice is to learn how to deal with what’s happening in the moment and to work together to get through difficult times.

Here are five suggestions for dealing with the chaos of change.

1. Get out of the child position.
It’s a time to grow up and stop waiting for those in apparent power to provide you with solutions. Facing reality and taking responsibility for your own outcomes is a way through the darkness.

2. Stay focused in the moment
The future is entirely unknown. Whatever you are afraid of is a fairy tale that you are making up. Why not imagine a positive future and stay focused in the moment. Right now, do you have enough to eat, a place to stay, and people to support you? If any of those are missing, what can you do to improve your situation.

3. Meditate to find the answers inside of yourself
Quite time with yourself allows you to connect to the universal consciousness and your true creative powers. Fear and complaining prevent you from doing this. Even if you only sit quietly for a few minutes each day with your eyes closed, breathing deeply, you will begin to train yourself to quiet down. Mediation instructions are at http://ProsperityPlace.com/articles/gethigh.html

4. Pay attention to your numbers.
During tough financial times people tend to stop taking care of their money because looking at the numbers brings up all sorts of uncomfortable emotions. Yet during tough times, it’s especially important to keep track of everything and make sound financial decisions, even if it seems that there isn’t enough to work with. Basic money management instructions are available in Build Your Money Muscles. http://ProsperityPlace.com/bymm

5. Join with others to find solutions
The days of “me first” are coming to an end as we learn to develop systems that support “we” rather than “me.” Rugged individualism may have worked in the past, but the new paradigm requires cooperation and teamwork. You may need to develop communication skills and join groups in order to learn the new foundation for thriving.

Ongoing, affordable help is available for those who wish to rise above what looks like a bad economic environment and find ways to prosper. Read about the Peace of Mind & Prosperity Program.

Years ago, when I was attending a number of 12-Step programs, I learned the Serenity Prayer and repeated it often. The Serenity Prayer states:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Let’s look at the phrase, “accept the things I cannot change.”

During these tumultuous times acceptance can be an antidote to fear. Acceptance allows you to find solutions to your problems and to experience peace of mind, no matter what is going on the world. Non-acceptance leads to dissatisfaction and many forms of emotional discomfort as well as poor financial decisions.

Like it or not, economic conditions have changed for most people in many countries. You can’t alter the state of economic affairs, but you can accept what’s happening as neither good nor bad. It’s just what’s happening. And by being aware and realistic rather than staying in a state of longing for what was, you can adjust your behaviors and goals to realistically fit current conditions.

Acceptance is not the same as resignation because resignation usually means giving up. I see acceptance as a stimulus for new actions and behaviors, and this can be downright exciting.

No Judgements
Acceptance starts with taking the judgment out of any situation. These times are not good or bad, they are what they are. What’s happening to you is not good or bad, it’s just what’s happening. What matters is how you deal with what’s happening.

It would seem relatively safe to assume that economic conditions are not going to dramatically improve for an extended period of time. That’s not good or bad, it’s just what is. The question is what actions can you take to turn this into a time of opportunity, growth, and financial stability, which may be something you’ve never had before.

This is the perfect time to learn real-world financial skills. Unless you’ve got your head totally in the sand, then you know that frugality and saving for the future are definitely in style. Gross consumerism no longer is.

If you’ve been out of work for an extended period of time or have been earning less than you did before, accepting the situation allows you to examine new income-producing pathways that you may never have considered before. Once you accept that old methods aren’t working, you can look for new ones.

Of course moving in the direction may necessitate altering habitual behaviors and accepting the discomfort of change. Don’t fight it, just roll with it.

I understand this isn’t easy for people who like to be in control or who need certainty in their lives. Learning to accept what is and act within the reality of a constant change takes time, patience, understanding, and self-acceptance.

For the last 10 months, members of the Peace of Mind & Prosperity program have been discussing and developing ways of overcoming fear and accepting what’s going on in their world. The results have been measurable, with the many of the active participants finding financial stability now.

During the 40 years that I’ve been on a spiritual self-improvement path, I’ve developed many techniques for overcoming financial difficulties and developing the real-world skills necessary to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

I consider it an honor to be able to share what I’ve learned with those on the Peace of Mind & Prosperity and prosperity program who are seriously looking for a new approach to life and finance. I hope you’ll consider joining me. Read more about the program.

If you have questions about the program, feel free to ask them via this the comment box below.

People often tell me why they aren’t able to make “enough” money. The most common include:

• I have a low self-image
• My needs weren’t met as a child
• What I did was never enough for my father
• I’m not very good with money (or numbers)
• I don’t know enough about marketing
• I feel pushy if I’m trying to sell someone my products or service
• Actually, the list could go on and on.

Here’s a fact: every one of the reasons given is an excuse for not moving forward. And everything listed above can be altered with conscious intention and effort — effort being the operative word.

There’s no reason why you can’t:

• Develop a positive self-image and accept your personal power
• Let go of the story of your past and meet your own needs now that you are adult
• Stop waiting for others to validate your talents and abilities
• Learn how to manage money. (It’s not rocket science.)
• Study sales and marketing techniques that can help you build a successful business

What it takes to move forward financially — or in any other area of your life — is a decision. . .a deep-down decision to do whatever it takes to learn what you have to learn and do what the marketplace requires in order to succeed in a capitalistic world.

If you are having trouble or dealing with a lot of fear because of the current economic environment, be sure to listen the your self-talk and see if you have excuses for not changing how you are living your life.

The current environment does require that most people alter their goals and behaviors and develop new skills in order to thrive financially. Although you may feel like a victim of circumstances, dwelling on why you are where you are is not going to change or improve anything. There is opportunity in every situation if you look for it.

W. Mitchell is an inspiring speaker who was severely burned in a motorcycle accident. He lost his fingers, has endured the pain and suffering of deep burns, and is confined to a wheelchair. His positive message inspires thousands: It’s not what happens to you, but what you do with it. (Watch this video of W. Mitchell)

People who join my Peace of Mind & Prosperity program and make real progress are those who have made the decision to give up excuses, including the excuse that there just isn’t enough time to learn new skills and techniques.

What’s your excuse?

(Here’s another good video that makes the point.)

NEW AUDIO: End Underearning & Debting

Now you can download the End Underearning & Debting teleclass that was recorded in May along with a follow up call we did a month later. You’ll also receive a worksheet and additional materials, all designed to help you become solvent and develop a healthy cash flow. It’s offered at a special price for a limited time. Read about the offer here.

Not that long ago it seemed rational to have material wealth as a measure of prosperity. People who promoted  methods for manifesting prosperity, such as the Law of Attraction,  used images of material wealth as the goal. The ultimate was a large home filled with the latest gadgets touted as necessary for one’s comfort.

Lots of people bought into this dream, often making purchases far beyond their financial means. The economy seemed to flourish as consumers, on whom our economy depends, acted as if they were rich when they weren’t.

When the economy tanked, people were left with lots of stuff coupled with burdensome debt. Many lost their jobs and had no cushion to fall back on.

Now, there is an effort to pull us out of the recession by stimulating consumer spending, as if our acquisition of material goods is what we all need to bring our economy back to health. At the same time, there is lots of talk about creating jobs, even though the majority of the manufacturing jobs that might produce the goods used by consumers have been shipped to other countries. None of this makes sense to me.

What does make sense is the new push for frugality and savings that many people are buying into. It no longer seems like “scarcity thinking” to live below one’s means while creating a financial safety net.

The Time Has Come. . .
It’s time to create a new definition of prosperity, one based not on individual material wealth, but on the health and well-being of society and how all of us interact with each other. A definition of prosperity would include a measure of peace of mind, the kind that comes from living within your means and having a financial cushion.

Prosperity is not about how much you can spend or generating a huge income, but about how you can live your life supporting your deep inner values and increasing the amount of love and happiness in your life.

This kind of definition could contribute to lessening the amount of anger, disagreement, and violence that appear daily through our news stories. Perhaps we could take money out of our politics and replace endless disagreements with honest cooperation and respect for each other.

It has to start with loving and respecting ourselves. Take a long hard look at what you are craving now and ask if what you seek is truly in tune with who you are and what matters to you. Do you want to spend your days in an anxious state pushing for more, or are you willing to take a chance and let go and allow good to come to you?

If you are, then your focus can be on love, giving, sharing, and caring. You can love and care for yourself and others and work for the establishment of a healthy society.

There are many people for whom a high-powered life is comfortable and natural. They thrive by building big businesses and working at a fast and furious pace, and they often have a gift for sales and marketing. We need these people to grease the wheels of capitalism.

But if that’s not who you are, then respect yourself and find a personal definition of prosperity that fits who you are and how you want to spend your time.

If this all sounds very philosophical it’s because I’m in that kind of mood. My beloved dog Lucky’s life ended this week, and that kind of event tends to put things in perspective. It brings love and caring to the forefront and diminishes the importance of material success.

——————–
Think Like a Black Belt by Jim Bouchard

Jim Bourchard is a no-nonsense kind of guy who teaches martial arts and lives the philosophy. In his book, Think Like a Black Belt, he shares — in his inimitable no-nonsense way — how to incorporate martial arts principles into daily living in order to insure success.

I’ve never met Jim in person, but we have shared many hours by phone. I have the greatest respect for Jim, his approach to living, and his genuine desire to help people connect to their true inner power.

Learn more about Jim and his book at http://ThinkLikeABlackBeltBlog.com

Here’s a question I received recently: “How do I break through my financial set point? I seem to be stuck at my current earning level and no matter what I do, I can’t sustain a higher level for any length of time.”

Your financial set point is actually an income and/or net-worth limit that you have subconsciously established for yourself. Feeling stuck at this set point is a common dilemma that I’d lke to address here.

As a review: Our finances are a result of our thoughts, beliefs, emotions and behaviors, with the emotions acting as the creative force behind our life stories. So, when trying to alter a financial condition, it is necessary to examine the emotions behind the condition. (This is fully explained in Build Your Money Muscles.)

If you have trouble breaking through to a new financial level, one of the feelings you may be acting out through your money is constrained, which is related to a sense of being trapped — one of the five main money feelings. Read the rest of this entry »

Are you thinking about using the Internet to develop a new income stream. Before you do, consider the following points:

1. The Internet is crowded. As more and more people bring their businesses online, consumers have many more choices. As a result, bringing people to your site and getting them to spend money with you requires a serious investment of time and effort. If anyone tells you that making money online is easy, don’t believe them.

2. A simple brochure site has value. If you don’t have the time, energy, or funds to build a sophisticated site with lots of bells and whistles, a simple brochure can be a sales aid. When you hand someone a business card with a Web address, they will go online to check you out. Having a clear description of your business and contact information is essenial. Read the rest of this entry »