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Whether you love it, hate it, or are indifferent to it, money is necessary for modern life. Since there’s no way around the fact that you need it, you can at least have a good relationship with it.
Changing the way you see money – how you receive, give, save, and spend it – is a matter of making intentional changes in your thinking. You can learn to not only enjoy your money more, but to experience less stress around it. And when there’s less stress around money conversations, you’ll find that money itself is less of a burden and more of a friend.
Let’s look at some ways you can begin to make powerful shifts in your money mindset.
Your relationship with money
Maybe you’ve never considered your finances to be a relationship, but think about it. There’s give and take. There’s ebb and flow. Money comes in, it goes out, it grows and depletes, and it helps us get things we want and need.
Everyone has their own unique understanding of and relationship with money. For some, there was never enough when they were growing up and they cling tight to every penny in adulthood. For others, money seemed to cause a lot of fights between their parents, so as adults they overspend in a subconscious effort to keep money far away.
In fact, it seems like you can count yourself incredibly lucky if money has never once been scary, difficult, confusing, or lacking in your life. Even those who are financially successful now often have a difficult money story from childhood, or from lessons they learned as adults.
Your current relationship with money does not define your financial future. Wherever you are starting from, you can choose to change your journey for the better.
Money mindset shifts
1. Stop saying “There’s never enough” and start saying “I’m so grateful for what I have.”
Whatever message we choose to repeat to ourselves, our brain will eventually accept as truth. We can become wrapped up in the same old song and dance. If you find yourself caught up in “never enough,” try instead to find the good. Acknowledge and appreciate every dollar that comes your way, and know that there is always more on its way to you.
Cut off the spiral of negativity and see what shifts in your mind and emotions. Take that a step further and write out a budget. Determine how much you need in a month to pay your necessary bills. See if there’s room for something to be dropped or changed.
2. Cast a long-term vision
It’s entirely possible that some expenses you’re holding onto do not serve you and should be let go.
Set aside 10 uninterrupted minutes to envision your future self. Close your eyes and really picture your ideal life. If success was guaranteed and you could do whatever you wanted for a living, what would your life look like in 3, 5, or 10 years?
Picture in your mind:
- Where do you live?
- Who is there with you?
- What are you wearing?
- What are you eating?
- How do you feel?
Once you’ve gone through those questions thoughtfully, take a look at your budget and/or bank statements. Look at any non-essential spending like subscription services, dining out, shopping, etc. Would future You spend like this? Is your money currently moving you toward your vision or away from it? Which expenses are no longer serving you and can be dropped?
When you have a clear understanding of where you want to go, you can get there so much more easily!
3. Start viewing bills as blessings
If you have bills to pay, you have blessings in your life. Bills are not the enemy.
Open your eyes to the roof over your head, the food in your fridge, the lights and running water around you. Maybe you have a garage with a car inside. You are surrounded by miracles that protect you, sustain you, and make your life easier!
If the things you are paying for are NOT making your life easier or better, that’s when it’s time to reevaluate. You may need a car to get to work, but you don’t really need a brand new car. You need to feed your family, but you don’t really need to order out every single day or week.
Choose to pay your bills with gratitude, knowing they are serving your needs.
More on money & mindset
Ready to start making big, impactful changes in your life and your finances? I’m a Certified Life Coach and work closely with people just like you to help them find balance in not only finances, but all key areas of their lives.