Get a Life! Volume 3 Issue 7

Money really does grow on trees, the $186 temple, three legged frogs and other tricks to improve your relationship with money

Napoleon Hill in his famous book Think and Grow Rich categorized six groups of fear faced by human beings: fear of poverty, fear of criticism, fear of ill health, fear of loss of love, fear of old age and fear of death. It is not surprising that fear of poverty tops this heavy list, as he explains:

"This fear paralyses the faculty of reason, destroys the faculty of imagination, kills off self-reliance, undermines enthusiasm, discourages initiative, leads to uncertainty of purpose, encourages procrastination, and makes self-control an impossibility."

When left unchecked, this constant fear about money (Do I have enough? Will I lose it? Will someone take it from me? Will it run out?) will add tremendous stress to your life.

There are many practical and cognitive ways you can develop financial literacy that will greatly improve your ability to budget, save, track and invest your hard-earned dollars. But the key to improving your relationship with money is not to think about it more, but rather to build a positive emotional (and for some spiritual) connection with it.

Invite your heart and soul to the money table

For thousands of years, people all over the world have used symbols and rituals to create meaning in their life. Here are some that you can utilize to improve your emotional relationship with money:

Remember to always give an offering

My husband Darryl is Native American (Navajo) and learned many valuable things from his grandfather who was a medicine man. They would travel to the mountains around Flagstaff, Arizona to gather plants, wood, water or earth for his healing work. Before removing anything from the area, he would sprinkle corn pollen or tobacco as an offering and explain the purpose he was going to use it for. He explained to Darryl that this practice of "offering" kept the relationship of humans and the "green nation" in balance and ensured that there would be abundance for future generations.

This principle can also help in practical matters of business. The exchange of goods or services for money is also the practice of offering. When your customers give you money, make sure you provide them something of great value that will have a positive effect on their lives. Whenever you receive something of value from someone else, make sure to give an offering back. This does not always have to be money - it can be kind, supportive words, your service in exchange, or even good thoughts and prayers for the person's well-being.

Create a $186 temple

Both my husband and I work for ourselves, and are very grateful for the money that comes to us from our clients. To give thanks, we each created a stack of six dollar bills in the denomination of 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1. The hundred is on the bottom, and the rest of the bills follow in order, ending with the one dollar bill on top. We place our business cards on our respective stack, as well as stones like turquoise and crystal. By doing so, we honor and give thanks to the money that has come and will come to our businesses.

Sit a three-legged frog inside your home

In the Chinese practice of Feng Shui, the three-legged frog is believed to be conducive to great wealth, often depicted with a Chinese coin in its mouth. In Chinese mythology, it is the frog that lives in the moon. Each of its legs represents the three lunar phases, and a lunar eclipse occurs when the frog swallows the moon. Regarded as a trickster and a magician, the frog also knows the secret of immortality. Placing him on the ground inside your front door facing inwards symbolizes wealth.

Invite a money tree into your home

Most of our parents told us "money doesn't grow on trees" as a way to help us associate hard work with attracting money. But our Feng Shui friends do have one exception with the money tree. A money tree is a 5-leaf plant with braided stems that symbolizes wealth. The five leaves represent the five elements of metal, earth, air, fire and water. As you care for and nurture your money plant, talk to it and encourage it to grow. (Interesting note as to how this is catching on in popular culture: in addition to specialty stores like Smith and Hawkin and Red Envelope, WalMart is now selling money trees in some locations. I don't know whether to be encouraged or frightened!)

Give thanks to the goddess of wealth and beauty

In Hindu tradition, the goddess Lakshmi represents abundance and prosperity. According to the description from About.com:

"Goddess Lakshmi means Good Luck to Hindus. The word 'Lakshmi' is derived from the Sanskrit word Laksya, meaning 'aim' or 'goal', and she is the goddess of wealth and prosperity, both material and spiritual."

Households and businesspeople alike worship her and conduct special annual celebrations to ensure their lives are full of wealth and prosperity.

Hang a visual image of wealth in your place of work

Choose an image that represents prosperity and abundance. For some, it is an overflowing chalice, flowing water or images of gold and silver. For others, it is a picture of themselves on the deck of a yaught, sipping bubbly and toasting the good life. There is no "right" symbol that fits everyone, just the image that is right for you.

Carry around a lucky coin

If I have ventured too far out in "woo woo land" for some of you, you could do something as simple as my Dad does, and carry around a lucky coin in your jeans pocket. My Dad carries a silver dollar engraved with the year of his birth wherever he goes. For those of you familiar with US coins, the silver dollar has a wonderful shape, size and weight to it.

The symbol that you choose to represent your emotional connection with money should be meaningful to you personally. When you feel fear and anxiety arising due to an uncertain economy, unanticipated bills, new business ventures or dwindling savings, look at your picture or symbol, smile, give thanks to it and feel your jitters calmed. Then you can get busy with the good old fashioned ways of attracting money - working hard, providing value with your services, saving and investing.

Share your tricks with others

If you have found other ways to improve your emotional connection with money, please share it with us at the blog!

Let's hear it for your health, wealth and happiness!

In Escape from Cubicle Nation, I write about 5 entries a week on topics related to helping people in corporate jobs break out and start their own business. Here are some recent posts from the month of July:

Can you get VC mentors and money if you don't play hockey with Guy Kawasaki?
59 is the new 65 and other reasons to start your business NOW
Who is on your bus?
How to have the "I want to quit my job" conversation with your spouse
I'm finally getting serious and writing "The Book" - Escape from Cubicle Nation

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-Pam

Pamela Slim
Ganas Consulting
7744 E. Albany Street
Mesa, AZ 85207
480-663-3252
pcs@ganas.com
www.ganas.com

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