If money were an emotion, what would it be, negative or positive? Would it give you tears of gratitude, joy and peace? Or tears of guilt, fear, and loss?
We know money is not an emotion, but it carries a strong emotional reaction in each of us.
Love it or hate it, we all need it.
With such emotional impact that money has on our lives, we can easily lose sight of the purpose of money and start to focus on the negative effects the lack of it has on our lives.
So, first, I want to examine the purpose of money in our daily lives.
Investopedia defines money as “an economic unit that functions as a generally recognized medium of exchange for transactional purposes in an economy.” Notice how they don’t mention emotions!
By this definition, we use money in exchange for goods that we need or want. So, what you need and want is where the emotion lies, not in money per se.
How To Have a Healthier Relationship With Money?
1. Stop focusing on the negatives surrounding money.
What we think about most is what we attract into our lives. If we think of lack, that’s what we’ll attract. Look around and you’ll see evidence of this, for example, how successful people associate with other successful people. Like attracts like. Next time you’re paying a bill, try to find the positives, like: money allows me to have a roof over my head, or I’m so glad I can pay for this subscription I enjoy so much.
2. Be grateful.
Yes, we’ve heard it all about gratitude before. But it’s true! Being grateful for who you are, what you have right now and who and what you want in the future is proven to lower blood pressure, relieve anxiety, and usher in an overall feeling of joy, peace, and wellbeing. Starting a gratitude journal is a great way to overcome negative feelings about money.
3. What do you believe about money?
Is it the root of evil? This is something we hear quite a lot, and many people believe this, but I invite you to examine this belief. This old saying reinforces the negative feelings around money (see point 1), and you’d be surprised at how deep down these negative feelings have spread into your life. Here are some questions to ask yourself. Is this valid reasoning? Is it always true? How has this belief served me so far?
4. Do some research.
Find out how others from inside and outside your circle think and feel about money. How do they react to a loss or a windfall? I found this book insightful, and it helped me understand how the wealthy think of, use, and acquire money.
5. Does your money have a purpose or is money your purpose?
Money needs a purpose, a place to go and things to accomplish. If making it, saving it, and watching it grow is money’s only purpose for you, you’ll miss out on the best parts of having it. Devise a purpose for your money instead of waiting for that day when you’ll finally use it. Put your money to work and start living!
When you switch from money as an emotion to money as a tool, the shift is amazing and freeing. When you make it your goal to live life fully, with gratitude and purpose, the good life begins to flow. Fear, guilt and loss cease, and joy, peace, and love abound!
How do I know all of this? Everything I talked about are lessons I personally had to learn and implement into my own life. I keep practicing these things in my life every day, and I want to invite as many as I can onto this beautiful journey of truly living.
