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
Prosperity Tip: Protecting Your Most Valuable Asset
When I heard the news that Elizabeth Edwards is losing her cancer battle, I thought to myself that it doesn’t matter how much wealth or fame you enjoy in your life, what really matters is your health. Without good health, there is no prosperity or the possibility of living up to your true potential.
Although healthcare professionals can offer you advice and guidance, the ultimate responsibility for your health lies with you. Taking responsibility for your health requires commitment, determination and discipline, but knowing what to do is not rocket science.
The basics are simple: 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: 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: Combine Fantasy and Reality
Dreaming big and having goals that project you far beyond your current financial position can motivate you to excel and prosper. Problems arise when fantasies do not have any base in reality.
Visualizations, affirmations, and treasure maps are best used in combination with the development of reality-based financial skills such as record keeping, learning about investment opportunities, and even budgeting, which many people consistently avoid.
At the same time, your financial dreams and goals need to be congruent with both your nature and your knowledge level. (See: Are Your Goals Congruent with Your Persona )If you hate to work with numbers and make no effort to learn how to perform simple financial tasks, large sums of money can slip through your fingers with great rapidity. 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
3 Major Prosperity Myths Debunked
There are three myths that are popular among prosperity seekers that I would like to debunk.
1. God Wants You to Be Rich!
Wanting is a human state of being, so I seriously doubt that God wants anything. If God were to want something, it would seem to me that peace, love, cooperation, and compassion would top God’s list of wants. Along with this might be that people’s basic needs for food and housing would be fulfilled.
Since riches often cause many problems, conflicts, and corruption the only reason why a benevolent God might spend time wanting people to be rich would be so they would learn some serious life lessons.
I’m always amazed at how preachers will project human wants onto a supernatural being that no human can possibly fully understand. 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
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
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