In 1996 I had a money epiphany. It started when I saw myself telling a story that felt honorable, true, even inevitable. But it was false.
Here’s the story:
“I have to shut down when people ask me to give money to a good cause. I care; I care a lot. But I can’t let my heart soften, because I can’t afford to help. The truth is, I feel defensive and resentful. I hate that I’m closed off, but I don’t have a choice. This is just the way it is.”
I’d told that story to myself hundreds of times, but this time I saw that it was false.
I realized that I didn’t have to shut down, no matter how much money I had or didn’t have. I could always choose to let my heart soften. And if my heart softened, there wouldn’t ever be anything to feel defensive or resentful about.
And when I stopped being defensive and resentful, anything was possible.
I realized I had plenty of choices
From that moment on I stopped wearing my minimal income as a badge of honor. I let go of my story that nice people don’t focus on monetary goals. I quit pretending that I wouldn’t like to earn more.
Most of all, I stopped letting money be a barrier between my heart and the world.
Here’s what happened next
I looked into my heart to see how I would like to live if money weren’t an issue. I made a decision to earn enough to live that way. And I committed to doing the inner and outer work required to generate that income.
Since then I have reached my goals consistently, so long as my insides and outsides were fully aligned around money.
It hasn’t been all sunshine and roses
I’ve fallen short every time my heart contracted out of fear or envy. I’ve missed goals when I substituted someone else’s vision of wealth for my own. And I’ve gotten into financial hot water when I stopped paying attention or taking simple actions to create wealth.
But even when I lose my way, I know there’s a way back. I’ve proven to myself that money doesn’t need to be a problem.
What’s your money story?
I don’t know what your money story is, but I know you have one. We all do. And if yours is causing you pain, you may want to consider the Authentic Wealth Virtual Retreat.
How do you skillfully create authentic wealth without making money the center of your life?
Find out and rewrite your money story in the Authentic Wealth Virtual Retreat.
Photo Credit: dvortygirl via Flickr
Graphic: istockphoto.com