Wednesday, June 25, 2014

How to Prosper from the Inside Out

Dedicated to your happy prosperity!

Today we have more opportunities to prosper and thrive than ever before. But our beliefs and attitudes have not always caught up. What brings one person riches while someone else worries about money all the time? Our beliefs and attitudes about money influence every aspect of our lives. They live inside us though. Only you and I can discover our own beliefs about money and create financial freedom.

Creating prosperity is an inside job, so let's look inside to see just what this inside job description covers.

1| Raise Your Prosperity Consciousness.
When you think of money, do you think about what it means to you? Have you decided how much are you willing to be responsible for? Or do you, like most people, direct your attention outward toward stuff you want to buy or bills you need to pay? I shall be forever grateful for the turn-around in my own focus. At the time I lived in a converted commercial chicken coop in the foothills of the Catskill mountains with my 7 year old son. We heated with wood. The wood was green. I sat on the floor, in the middle of a cold winter night. Tears streamed down my face as I stoked and poked the fire in our little Shaker stove back to life again.  It dawned on me that I had an severe case of poverty consciousness. The time had come to break out.

2| Define what prosperity means to you and for you. The dictionary says it means "a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition, especially in financial respects; good fortune. 2. prosperities, prosperous circumstances." I like that "good fortune" one!

3| Avoid Contempt for Wealth.
It's almost impossible to attract something you scorn.

4| Learn from Envy.
Then move on! The next time you feel envious of someone else's good fortune, look to see if you want what they have too. Yes? Then focus on that desire. What you focus on grows. Don't grow envy and resentment. Cultivate what you want to bring into your life.

5| You've Got to be Willing.
Unless you are willing to prosper, no matter what you do, you'll run right into the walls you build with the limits you set. For example, do you (unconsciously) block abundance and joy because you believe you do not deserve it? The American advertising industry promotes the concept of deserving. It all began with that "You Deserve a Break Today" jingle for McDonald's. Now we hear about it every day. Fortunately you do NOT need to pass a deserving examination in order to thrive and prosper. There is no deserving panel to give you good fortune or sentence you to poverty.

6| Receive, Receive, Receive.
Practice receiving gifts with grace and gratitude. People who struggle with money issues often deflect the generosity extended to them. Do you feel embarrassed when someone treats to something you can't afford yourself? Have you ever  judged a gift as too small to bother with, perhaps even unworthy of you? That blocks the flow. When you block the flow, you really do block the flow. When you dam up the river all of the water stops flowing.

7| Give! Give! Give!
The most bleak state of poverty (beyond a struggle to meet your basic needs for survival) is that of believing you have nothing to give. You have plenty to give. Do not impoverish yourself with that myth. Allow yourself the joy of giving. It may be cash or a helping hand. Give a smile of thanks, a pat on the back, a service you can provide. Encourage someone. The important thing is to enjoy the flow of goods and actions. Bless your gifts; they may come back doubled.

8| Cultivate an Attitude of Plenitude.
What you see is mostly what you look for. Look around at this amazing planet. There is more than enough to go around. Look for opportunities and you will find them. Look for evidence of scarcity and you'll find that too. You choose.

9| Align Your Prosperity Goals with Your Beliefs About Money.  
Your belief-driven attitude directs the movie of your financial life. Will you star in a prosperity comedy, adventure film or a tragedy? Few of us ever think about that. We just act on our beliefs. We live by them and are often bewildered and upset with the results. Some of those beliefs lead straight to the poor house. Others scare us silly or tempt us to give up altogether. In my years of coaching and leading seminars, I've heard an amazing assortment of limiting beliefs about money. It's important to uncover and break out from the ones that hold you back.

10| Celebrate Every Day; Enjoy Your Money and Stuff.
We all know wealthy people and poor people who are happy and others who are anxious, angry and resentful. What about you? Do you have more money than you know what to do with? Or maybe you wonder how to make the rent with a maxed out credit card. Either way, would it be okay with you, if right now, this very minute, your heart and mind fill with thoughts of gratitude for your blessings and generosity toward others? Could you wish the same for all of us here on this amazing planet earth?

Cheering you on to happy prosperity!
Love, 
Mandy

I'd love to know what you think and always welcome suggestions for topics.