Prosperity Tip: 6 Ways to Simplify and Prosper
An increasing number of people are taking a major step and scaling back their lives in order to have more time for themselves and to discover activities and relationships that make their lives meaningful. Although it would appear that they are giving up material comforts, they are, in fact, letting go of the burdens and responsibilities that often accompany acquisitions.
People who opt for a simpler life, often experience feelings of freedom and satisfaction that they never had when owning more and more was their goal. They become conscious consumers who make carefully considered purchases that add value to their lives.
If you are feeling the urge to simplify, here are some steps you can take:
1. Take a look at your life and ask yourself how much of your time and effort is being spent in the pursuit of material success? How many hours do you have to work each week in order to pay for the basic upkeep of your lifestyle? 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
An Easy, Fun Way to Do Service
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. Continue reading
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
Prosperity Tip: 5 Ways of Dealing with the Chaos of Change
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. Continue reading
Prosperity Tip: Acceptance
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. Continue reading
The Courage to Change
Last week as I was conducting the End Underearning teleclass, I realized how very difficult it is for most people to make the internal shifts and take the external actions necessary for permanently altering their financial position.
I can give people all the advice in the world with the most specific proven techniques, but they have to take that final step away from their past into a prosperous future.
I remember clearly, although it was way back in 1984, when an up-and-coming seminar leader who was rooming with a friend of mine invited me to his workshop. I had no idea that Tony Robbins’s workshop included a firewalk.
After a few hours of motivating the audience in his inimitable way, Tony had us all line up and get ready to walk over the coals, despite our fear of “bloody stumps” and other imagined horrors. I can still recall the dialogue in my head as I gradually moved myself to the end of the line and tried to talk myself out of walking over the coals.
There I was, next to last, when suddenly this voice boomed out from inside my being, “Joan, you can do it!” Continue reading
Embrace Change and Prosper!
Tap into the energy of a new year and new decade to move yourself rapidly in a positive direction by making small, easily-doable changes — starting today!
If you want to alter your financial position, then you must make changes in the way you think, feel, and behave. To avoid resitance to change, rather than focus on important parts of your life, make small, seemingly-insignificant changes and you can begin to shift your position in life.
The idea is to adapt your system to change while minimizing the disorientation that comes with change. It is this disorientation that stimulates resistance or backsliding.
Here are some suggestions: Continue reading
Adapting to Change
Because of what is going on in the world, last week I did a teleclass with my Peace of Mind & Prosperity group on adapting to change. Our society is going through major shifts and people who are adept at changing are the ones who will thrive and prosper.
But for most people, any kind of change threatens their concept of who they are and their place in the world. Resistance to change is universal because of fear of the unknown and the unintended consequences of change.
If you want to thrive and prosper, adapting to change is a skill you will need to develop. Not changing means you’re going to stay stuck where you are and the positive momentum of the new economy will pass you by.
Here are some suggestions for learning how to make change a positive force in your life. Continue reading
One Step At a Time
Moving to a new financial position, no matter what your starting point, is an ongoing process that happens over an extended period of time. Although people often dream of winning the lottery, inheriting a lot of money, or somehow being transported into a new economic reality, that happens only rarely.Those who do come into money suddenly often deal with a wide range of problems as they adjust to their new position, with some never fully making the adjustment as their new-found fortune dwindles away.
Building healthy financial habits and wealth is best accomplished gradually so you hardly even notice the change. By making small changes in how you think, feel, and behave, you can comfortably ease into a new position.
The key: Do at least one thing every day that you haven’t done before. This can include activities such as:
- Reading a new financial publication or paying more attention to the stories in one you have read before.
- Learning something new about financial markets
- Paying more attention to your own finances by either keeping better records or, if you already keep good records, learning how to use the data strategically
- Improving the energy flow through your life by gradually eliminating clutter, toxic people, junk foods, complaining, and anything else that can negatively affect your energy.
- Replacing negative energy with positive people, food, exercise, and entertainment.
- Noticing your internal dialog and phasing out the critical parent in your head.
- Spending a few minutes each day either meditating or doing nothing
Your financial position can only change if you change it and you can insure your success by doing it one small step at a time.
Need more ideas for actions you can take to alter your finances? You’ll find plenty of helpful suggestions in Build Your Money Muscles. Read more about BYMM now.
Subscribe to our blog
Click to
subscribe in a reader
Coaching Program
Let's Connect!