What subject can be more interesting and important to explore and unwrap than your relationship with money as a symbol of abundance?
Why is it important for us to be conscious of our relationship with money? It matters because it impacts so many aspects of our lives. It impacts your professional and your personal relationships; it is closely tied to your ability to experience freedom; and so much more.
Let me pause and make sure I clarify that although while I am referring to money, I use the term for convenience. What I would like you to keep top of mind as you read this, is that behind the symbols of money, such as the US Dollar, Credit Cards, Cryptocurrencies, etc. is an ever-present energy that connects us to abundance. An energy that connects us to our planet, community, family and life’s purpose.
What is the energy driving the power behind these symbols for you? What is your present experience with abundance, or lack? How is it impacting your life?
When we get curious about the energy of money we are exploring beyond mindset and limiting self-beliefs. We are exploring our very soul and our unconscious connection with the energies of abundance or lack thereof.
Where do we start when we reflect on such a powerful energy? The focus of this article is an invitation to explore your own personal mapping through your Money Story.
What is a money story? It is the story of your own very personal relationship with money. You scripted it consciously and unconsciously since you were old enough to cognitively interpret your environment. It is your map for how to interpret, connect and navigate all things related to money, having it, spending it, receiving it and gifting it.
There are 3 Key areas your money story impacts your life:
- Money Mindset: Your thoughts fueled by your inner beliefs around money.
- Partnerships and Relationships: The verbal and non-verbal agreements you enter into in your business and personal relationships.
- Money Exchanges: How you handle the transfer of money, both receiving and spending it.
These 3 can be explored in the context and using our money story as a map.
2 Key Components to Your Personal Money Story:
- The family of origin story, defined as any family environment you were raised in.
- There is your own adult story, the one you created since you have become financially independent.
As a Leadership and Business Coach, I encourage all of my clients to explore their relationship with money. It is transformational work and it really shifts our mindset in dramatic ways that impact our ability to price our services, have authentic enrollment conversations and negotiate win-win agreements with clients, team members and vendors.
Write Your Money Story:
Before you begin, set time aside and create a quiet reflective space and turn off all electronic devices. Sit down with your favorite pen and paper. Please use pen and paper rather than typing, this engages the more reflective part of your brain and will allow you to be in your heart space. Please be intentional in extending compassion for yourself and others. You may get emotional and uncomfortable. Trust your higher self.
- Write your family’s story about money
Reflect on the following questions (and any others that come up for you):
- What was your family’s financial situation as you perceived it growing up?
- Did the family (or families) you were raised in have a perception of abundance or lack around money?
- Who made the money?
- Who controlled the money?
- How did the family communicate about money? Was it calm or were there arguments about money?
- Was it a taboo topic? Did the adults talk about it behind closed doors?
- Or, did the adults include the children in conversations concerning the financial situation of the family?
- Write your own story about money
- What is your relationship with money now?
- How has it changed over the years?
- Are there stories about money that play in your head like broken records?
- Is there ever enough money?
- Is there a feeling that it’s hard to hold on to money?
- Is there impulsive spending?
- Does having money bring you joy or does it feel like it brings anxiety?
Our lives improve when we are willing to move into a conscious relationship with abundance. Getting clear, vulnerable and honest about our own beliefs about money and the energy behind it can lead us to have more honest, open and vulnerable conversations with people who are important to us.
We can start living with a sense of freedom and move away from old insecurities, anxiety and the sense that we are never quite good enough. We can confront our addictions and old limiting maps that do not serve us or others around us.
We lean into our sense of how we define success on our own authentic terms. We forgive ourselves and others for what we may have been holding onto as past hurts and wrongs. We start coming from an energy of deep connectedness. We start experiencing money as what it is: a symbol, not the truth about true abundance. We live knowing there is enough for everyone, including you.