Money can be a taboo topic. Hidden in the shadows like someone’s dirty laundry. It’s often not talked about in homes. It causes us stress. On the surface, we may think we want to be successful, that we want to make money and get paid for our chosen profession…..but our stories and beliefs say something different.

 

There is an energy to money…..and that energy is up to us.

 

Money is a neutral party. It’s just paper. Money isn’t the fuel for your life. It’s not good or bad. It doesn’t offer you abundance and grace….that’s the creator’s job.  Money is just…….money.

 

When we believe that money is our source and supply, we give away our power. When our mindset to money is that of stress, lack, trauma, pain or struggle….we repel it. If money was benevolent only good people would be rich. If money was evil then only evil people would be rich. But that’s not what we see do we? All sorts of people have money. Evil people, kind people, greedy people, ambivalent people, sad people. 

 

Money may come to us through a variety of means. It can be passed on through our parents, we can win it, steal it, we can work hard for it. When money comes to us easily – we are in flow. There is a flow to money when we recognize our ability to attract….or repel it.

I love the book Happy Money by Ken Honda. In Japan, there’s a concept of “happy money” or “sad money.” When we are grateful for money, when we give and spend it with joy…. it’s happy money. When we hoard, struggle, or have feelings of shame around money….it’s sad money. Most of this energy is hidden. We have never been taught this about money. What many of us have been taught about money are stories like

 

  • Money causes stress
  • Money is non-existent 
  • People with money are bad
  • People who don’t have money are good
  • Making money is a struggle
  • You shouldn’t talk about money
  • Be careful with money

 

Read these beliefs and notice the physical sensations in your body. Have you been taught this? Do you believe these stories about money? Notice how all of these stories have the energy of fear, lack and shame. 

 

Our thoughts….become our reality. Everything in the world is made up of energy and money is no exception. If the energy you attach to money relates to any of these stories it’s going to be very hard for you to make it, keep it or appreciate it. 

 

Growing up, I lived simply. My family did not have a lot of money. There was always stress around not having enough of it….and needing to squirrel it all away. I hated those stories. It led me to not crave money…..but to repel myself away from it. I was ambivalent towards money. It could come, it could go….I didn’t care. I was never taught to be grateful for money. To work for it, save it, spend it….and be grateful for it. There was more shame, lack and guilt around money than anything else. 

 

When I decided to devote much time and energy into teaching yoga, these beliefs got even more convoluted. Yoga was not about making money. The two never went together. I taught yoga for peanuts. I taught a lot of yoga for free. I ran a yoga studio for years, not really taking home any money at all. I thought I tried to make money, but I didn’t really. I continued to give it away. I taught often for free believing that I shouldn’t be making money at yoga. 

 

My hidden beliefs (note the importance of the word “hidden”) around money as an adult professional yogi were….

 

I should just be grateful to be doing work that I love

You don’t make money teaching yoga

It’s wrong to take money for yoga

Good people work hard and struggle for money…..and people with lots of money must be selfish and have it handed to them

 

Wow. How could I ever have been financially successful with those beliefs? Eventually these beliefs led to me……(drum roll pls)…..not making money. Surprise surprise. Yes yoga is a service. It can be taught for free, or for little money and can be done so with joy. But the reality of working 40 hours a week while supporting a family, paying my bills and raising two children was me…completely running out of steam. Money can be the engine that supports your passions, your service and your community. I didn’t have any gas in my engine anymore.

 

When I started my coaching business, I started evaluating my beliefs around money. I noticed that the more I struggled for money. The more I was careless or felt guilt around money…the worse I did financially. 

 

So I changed. I began to look at money as neutral energy and I started looking at my energy instead. I started spending 15 minutes a day reflecting on God as my energy source, not people or money. I started imagining what I wanted….instead of stressing about what I didn’t want to happen. I started ATTRACTING…..and allowing….and appreciating. I started getting clear on what was coming in, and what was coming out, and how I would direct that flow.

 

And everything changed. 

 

I cleaned up my beliefs and attitudes around money. I became grateful and appreciative. I took the stress off of people and money….and looked to source energy for opportunity. I created space to dream and manifest and all of a sudden everything started moving forward….without struggle, without stress…..but with ease and joy.

 

My energy changed. 

 

Now I see money as a neutral party. I attract the work and clients that are ideal for me and I never force, struggle or strain in my business. I pay my bills promptly and with joy. I happily pay my assistant and coach. I can’t wait to pay them. Because I know that’s the kind of energy I want to attract with money. Money comes to me easily, and I give freely too. I reflect daily on what’s already here….and what I WANT. When I charge for my work…I am neutral. There’s no story here anymore, it’s just money. My energy is that of abundance, gratitude, and joy. 

 

Examining your money beliefs is a powerful practice. Our thoughts become our reality. Attaching harmful beliefs to money, judging others for having or not having money…is counterproductive to your own success. The world is abundant, God is lavish and abundant…..WE are the ones in our way. 

 

For more practices around money work, send me an email. I’d love to help you shift some beliefs too.