Being good with money isn’t reserved for those who have massive trust funds, who have no debt, who started saving for retirement when they were 25, or who pay all their bills on time. There is no right or wrong way to build a powerful relationship with money.
Wherever you are right now is exactly where you should be.
You may have ignored money, wished it would go away, cursed it, or thought it was a bother and a nuisance all your life. Or you chased money, made it your singular focus, and now have it, but you’re feeling dull and listless, like your life lacks meaning. Now, you are wondering if there’s another way. If there’s a way to engage with money so that it fuels what has meaning to you, where it doesn’t weigh on your mind or take up your entire life, where it can support your goals or align with your values. If that’s you, then let’s boogie.
No matter what decisions you’ve made in the past or what your current financial situation is, you can choose to forge a new relationship with money.
I’m a money coach and philanthropic advisor. I’ve been having conversations with people about money for 10 years; uncovering the taboo around money, the stories we hold on to, and the fears and dreams attached to money that shape our lives. I’ve supported people to move boldly and courageously with money, giving to causes and movements that align with their values. I’ve also supported people to learn patience, gratitude, and grace with money, building steadily out of debt and watching their businesses flourish as they value their gifts as healers, artists, and entrepreneurs.
What I’ve found is that we all have a story, and we all have a way that our ideas about money and what we’ve learned about money shape the way we move in the world. My mission is to unburden the emotional landscape of money so that you can move freely in your life. Being good with money is not reserved for the few. It is a skill set and a mindset that can be learned. In fact, by learning to meaningfully engage with money, it can become an asset in amplifying your message, talents, and gifts to the world. I believe everyone can engage with money powerfully and use it to amplify their authentic gifts.
How to be GOOD WITH MONEY
Have a vision worth going for. Something in life that you are willing to back 100%. Spend a lot of time here. Here’s a prompt to get you started. Imagine this: a friend approaches you 10 years from now, you haven’t talked much in the past decade, she says, “Wow! It really seems like you did the things you were always dreaming of doing. Tell me, how did you get there? And what is your day-to-day like now? What do you love about your life?” Answer as if you’re speaking directly to this friend. Do not judge what comes out; let it be as expansive, detailed, and badass as it can be. Don’t worry about the how, the path to getting there; get into the energy of what you, 10 years from now, would love to be living day-to-day. Notice with compassion if there is a voice in your head that says, “This is stupid, this isn’t actually possible,” and gently set it aside. For this exercise, this voice doesn’t have anything meaningful to contribute :)
Be honest with yourself about all the ways you do not honor that vision.
Inventory the ways you currently use your time, money, creativity, and intellect in your life. In what ways do you honor your greatest vision for your life? In what ways do you not?
Choose one way you are not using your energy to move towards your vision and correct it. Is it a bill unpaid? A conversation that needs to be had? A relationship that needs to end? A boundary that needs to be set? A price increase that needs to be made for your services? Notice it. Write it down. Write down why, up until now, you have not done it. What are you most worried will happen, and why? Note: Make the change that feels accessible but critical to your being able to move forward in your life. Pick the change that will free up energy for you to do more. Pick the change that is uncomfortable. Need to call your bank? Been avoiding it for months? Support yourself. Give yourself the most delicious reward for getting it done. Let yourself be completely supported in facing what you have been avoiding.
Repeat and refine. Go back to Step 1. Get clear on your vision. Spend time with people who inspire you, in nature, making art. Connect to the living force of creativity that hums through you. Let it speak through you. This may require creating more silence and stillness in your life.
Repeat steps 2, 3, and 4. Be compassionate in your self-assessment. This is no place for shame, blaming yourself, or blaming others.
Being good with money means that you are in the driver's seat of your financial life. You know where you're going, you use your time and attention wisely, and you're not distracted by comparison to others. Contentment and satisfaction in life come from aligning yourself to your authentic desires, not chasing quick fixes or keeping up with other's lifestyles. This is how money can turn into a fuel for your life: see it as the stored life force energy that it is and use it towards what matters TO YOU.
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