Does Money Scare You?

When it comes to money, we've often been trained to believe there is not enough to go around, and this leads to fearful feelings. The only way to break this cycle is to shift our mindset into one of sufficiency and of understanding the true laws of nature.
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I LOVE Halloween for many reasons, including being able to put on a mask, act silly, and do unexpected things that I wouldn't normally do.

In the spirit of October 31, I came up with 4 'spirited' metaphors for looking at our experiences with money with a fresh perspective...

1. Trick or Treat?
When being asked to make this decision -- either TAKE a trick or GIVE a treat -- we often give the treat and forgo the trick. The flow of money into and out of our lives is similar as it requires us to make decisions, but, unlike trick-or-treating, often times our money decisions are made unconsciously. By becoming more aware of the decisions we are making with money, whether it be to earn and save more, spend less or to manage it better, there is always an opportunity to make sure it leads to a treat rather than a trick.

2. Dressing Up as Someone Other Than Yourself
We live in a world filled with excessive focus on external signs of wealth and status which makes it easy to think that life would be so much easier if we were someone other than who we are. And when times get tough, we may find ourselves escaping into cyberspace to read about how others spend their time rather than appreciating how awesome our life really is. So the moral of this story is whatever is appreciated, appreciates -- so always take time to be grateful and thankful for what you do have, even if things aren't perfect.

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3. Keeping Gremlins in the Dungeon
During a class I teach, we were talking about how we all have a relationship with money, and some of us have been in a dismal relationship with it for many years. When we ignore dealing with money, we are telling money that we want nothing to do with it which is sort of like keeping our money gremlins in the dungeon and occasionally throwing them some scraps of food. But what might happen if instead you bring money out from the darkness into the light and create a more conducive, love-centered and welcoming environment for it to show up in your life?

4. Feeling like a Scaredy Cat
When it comes to money, we've often been trained to believe there is not enough to go around, and this leads to fearful feelings. The only way to break this cycle is to shift our mindset into one of sufficiency and of understanding the true laws of nature. Doesn't it seem strange that human beings are one of the few species on the planet who have adopted this scarcity mindset?

So the moral of the story is ... don't be a Scaredy Cat when it comes to money. Instead take a moment to relax, pay attention to your money mindset and be sure to enjoy Halloween!

Photo by Leisa Peterson

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