Getting Ready for a Prosperous New Year
In the next week or so, you’re going to hear a lot about New Year’s resolutions, and I’m not going to suggest that you make any. What I am going to suggest is that you think about what you would realistically like to accomplish financially in the next year and what first steps you might take in order to reach that goal.
People often set unrealistic goals, which is why they procrastinate and avoid taking action. It’s important that the goals you set be congruent with who you are at this moment in time.
Also important is in awareness of your own emotional relationship with money. If you are fearful about your financial future, ashamed of your current financial situation, or feeling powerless to change your situation, those feelings can interfere with your ability to alter your financial position.
So any action plan has to include both what you were going to do to shift your internal and external environments as they relate to your finances.
Here are some suggestions: Continue reading
Are You Ready for the Upturn?
There is no doubt about the fact that the global economy is going through a major upheaval and restructuring and no one really knows what the long-term outcome will be. The signs point to a slow recovery during the restructuring, and for business owners, this is a good time to prepare for an upturn.
Those of you who have been in the job market, especially older workers, need to consider how opportunities are changing, and in some cases disappearing. The question for you is whether you are going to stay in the job market or create a business opportunity by yourself or with others whose skills complement yours.
There are a number of emerging business models that reduce some of the risk of starting a new venture or reconfiguring the one you have now. For example, pop-up stores are literally popping up in many locations both online and off. (Google pop-up stores for more information.) Continue reading
Prosperity Tip: Lighten Up!
Do you have a sense of humor or do you take everything very seriously? If you are serious, does this help you enjoy your life? Does it make creating increased cash flow easier?? Probably not. More likely it just keeps you all wound up in knots (and “nots”).
I’m lucky because my brother Marc, who became a high-level comedy writer and producer, has always seen humor in everything. Being brought up in our household meant learning to always see the lighter side of life, so when I started studying metaphysics, it was easy for me to understand how, from a higher point of view, people can look ridiculous.
Here we are, powerful, infinite beings who walk around scared, worried, feeling guilty and stressed out. That’s as ridiculous as an elephant being afraid of a mouse. Imagine if you could climb the proverbial stairway to heaven and look down on earth watching everyone focus on the minutiae of life. From that higher-up view, we probably look like little children getting upset about losing our toys or complaining because we aren’t getting what we want. Continue reading
Prosperity Tip: Using Money as a Spiritual Practice
Because money is a powerful force that you deal with on a daily basis, it can be the cornerstone of a deep spiritual practice.
I’m defining spiritual practice as an activity or state of being that allows you to travel into deeper dimensions of yourself and understand who or what you are, thus helping you gain a deeper understanding of the nature of reality and your place in the total scheme of things.
Meditation is a traditional spiritual practice, as are prayer, fasting, quiet retreats, silence, giving service to others, chanting, various forms of yoga, etc. Money and activities surrounding money, on the other hand, are usually considered an external force.
How to Use Money As a Spiritual Practice
Most people I talk to think about money often and have deep feelings that the thought of money generates. People plan, worry, fret, panic and scheme about money. They long for, pray for and wish for money. Money is often seen as the solution to a wide variety of problems and a ticket to freedom. Continue reading
Prosperity Tip: The Moving Stupids
In my book, Build Your Money Muscles, I talk about the moving stupids. If you have ever moved into a new home, you probably have felt the disorientation that comes from being in an unfamiliar place.
The disorientation stimulated by moving often leads to forgetfulness, losing things, bumping into walls and cabinets, and more. You might hear yourself saying something like, “That was stupid.” The same symptoms often occur when you move to an improved state of consciousness, begins a project, or establishes unfamiliar financial habits.
I’m in the midst of a raging case of the moving stupids. A new dog (see below) and the start of a book that I have wanted to write for many years both contribute to a sense of disconnection and lack of focus as I adapt to a new schedule and tasks. Misplacing my debit card came as no surprise – it’s the kind of thing that happens when one has the moving stupids.
On some days, I don’t feel like doing much of anything. Occasionally, emotions thought cleared long ago, re-emerge, diminished but present. It’s as if I’m sitting in a big empty space waiting for something to show up. Fortunately, I know that if I wait long enough, this transitional state will pass and a feeling of stability will return.
The problem comes when the discomfort of the moving stupids triggers a reaction, causing the return to familiar, albeit dysfunctional, habitual behaviors. Recognizing that the moving stupids signal progress not resistance can make your journey towards a new financial identity smoother. Continue reading
Prosperity Tip: You Are Enough!
When I was living in Los Angeles in the 1980s, after attending Debtors Anonymous meetings for many months, I was introduced to the idea that codependency was at the root of my debting. Fortunately, there were a number of excellent Codependents Anonymous meetings that I attended almost daily for 18 months.
At the start of every meeting, a list of affirmations was passed around for group members to read aloud. The one that had the most potent effect for me was, “I am enough.” It took many years for me to integrate the concept, and as I work with clients and groups now, I see that many people perceive themselves to be not enough.
The craving for wealth and luxury that permeates the prosperity movement can be a reflection of a yearning to be enough. Yet in reality, fancy cars, a large house, and the accoutrements of wealth have nothing to do with our value as human beings. Continue reading
Prosperity and Neediness Don’t Mix
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. Continue reading
Live Fear Free in the New Economy
- 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
Prosperity Tip: Is Fear Your Default Emotion?
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. Continue reading
Breaking through Your Financial Set Point
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. Continue reading
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