I don't really use the word ignorance anymore, because I don’t feel you are. What I've replaced that with is vagueness. It is my feeling, and so many things that I look at these days confirm this, that so many of us are living in terminal vagueness when it comes to our money, how much of it we spend, exactly what we earn and exactly what do we need to live on.
I believe that we all need a serious financial wake-up call and the alarm is sounding! We are in what is being called the worst recession ever. Well, I'm not sure that someone living through the late 1920s and early 1930s would not beg to differ and tell you that was the worst ever.
We are indeed going through a challenging time. In fact, in my opinion, we are in the midst of a serious wake-up call and how better to be woken up than to be hit in our pocket books? We got woken up in August of 2005 with Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. However, if we didn't live in that area and weren’t hit personally by that tragedy, it all seemed to go away and we don't have to think about it anymore.
The tsunami happened and, yes, that was yet another tragedy (wake-up call), however, that was in a completely different country then the United States so it didn't affect many of us in this country personally. So unless we had a friend or knew someone who was there at the time, it too went away.
Then there was the earthquake in Haiti and there was more talk about it and though it was more recent, it too has gone away, so to speak. Of course these things have not gone away, but they have not, for the most part, personally affected us.
Many of us have been affected by this downturn in the economy and, where money is concerned (since it seems to be the most volatile and yet important thing in our society), the effect is farther reaching and considered tragic on many levels.
Rather than react to where we are financially, where the world is financially or where the neighbors are financially, whether it's good or bad, the question is: how to respond? When we continue to react and try to force something to change, as is evidenced “out there”, it continues to get worse and it grows.
When we respond and calm down long enough to take a look at exactly what's going on - "What is my individual part in it and how has it affected me individually?" - then we can start the process of healing inward and take that outward.
I am not saying that we only think about ourselves and just keep our focus there. I am saying that when we start taking personal responsibility to respond to our individual situation and work at that level, from within first, then real healing can grow. When we can be an example of “I did it, so can you, let me show you how” then a whole lot of individuals together can create a change.
I don't hear a lot of talk about the vagueness that is so predominant around money and finances today. I hear a lot of blame and shame and even that’s getting to be vague. As long as we keep shaming and blaming and making it about somebody else before we clean our own backyard, that shame, blame and anger grows and we continue to get nowhere.
So my friends, the alarm is sounding (not has sounded), it continues to sound. How are you going to choose to respond? Why not join me in a personal revolution of ”my response is going to be personal responsibility, I will start with me and then move on to the world from there”.
I believe, from personal experience, that personal responsibility and work begins with CLARITY - NOT having terminal vagueness, burying our head in the sand, believing ignorance is bliss and thinking "if I just don't pay attention to it the problem will go away".
Join me in the personal revolution of “vagueness to clarity equals prosperity”!
Reva Kussmaul
CVO – MoneyVisions
http://www.moneyvisions.net
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Moving Beyond a Limiting Poverty Consciousness
Let's take a walk into the future. I don't mean living in the future of “what will it be like when, how can I make this happen”, etc.
I'm talking about having a vision of what you would like your future to look like five years from now. The way I want us to look at it is to be right where we are now, in the present.
When we look at where we are right now, even though we might not like what it looks like, it's a reality. The reality is we might have debt, we might be in a job we don't like, we might not have the kind of income that affords us to take a vacation, etc. However, when we know what we want and are willing to vision that for ourselves, then we can proceed with allowing vision to be created in our lives.
I’m not talking about sitting and taking no action and simply having magical thinking. But magical thinking is exactly what this takes because, in order to get our minds out of a limiting consciousness, it’s going to take a little magic, yes?
Let's say that you have $60,000 worth of debt, you've just lost your job, and you're upside down in your mortgage. Now, even though this is a pretty dire situation, it could be worse… or it could be better. The first thing I'm encouraging you to do is: make a decision for your life to get better for you.
That's what I'm talking about when I say let’s go five years into the future. Then look back on where you are today and, from that perspective, vision what you'd like to have your life look like. After you've made that decision, the first thing that’s necessary is for you to know what you want, and believe that you are worthy of having it.
We live in a society, particularly today, that tells us there isn't enough and we aren't enough. If we continue to buy into that lie, then looking at your life from the future isn’t very optimistic because we don't have the mindset it takes to create your ideal life.
I'm sure that many of you have heard of vision boards, vision books and creating visually what it is you’d like to have in your lives. I know that for the most part a lot of what comes up are material things. That's not to say that the material things we'd like to have are not okay to desire, however, what we really must understand is prosperity and abundance are more than material things or stuff. Prosperity and abundance also includes peace and serenity around wherever you are financially.
Regardless of where you are financially or with your jobs or your business, you’ve got to move into a place of having peace and serenity rather than only fear. That comes before you can get into a mindset of “what is it that I'd like to see in my life and how can I go about allowing this and creating my life to look this way?”
One of the things about our beliefs is that they're not necessarily true in and of themselves. But, if we believe them, they become true in our experience. You know the old saying “as a man thinks so shall he be” or “you get what you think about all day long”.
If this all sounds a bit airy-fairy, that's okay. The question that I would ask you is “how is looking at it from the perspective of world-speak working for you so far?” Because, if you do not have peace and serenity in your life, you feel that life is nothing but a struggle and are unhappy much of the time, then what would be the harm in looking at it from a perspective that might “look a bit crazy”? What harm is that?
Would it be okay with you if your life got better? Try it on, it couldn’t hurt.
Reva Kussmaul
CVO – MoneyVisions
http://www.moneyvisions.net
I'm talking about having a vision of what you would like your future to look like five years from now. The way I want us to look at it is to be right where we are now, in the present.
When we look at where we are right now, even though we might not like what it looks like, it's a reality. The reality is we might have debt, we might be in a job we don't like, we might not have the kind of income that affords us to take a vacation, etc. However, when we know what we want and are willing to vision that for ourselves, then we can proceed with allowing vision to be created in our lives.
I’m not talking about sitting and taking no action and simply having magical thinking. But magical thinking is exactly what this takes because, in order to get our minds out of a limiting consciousness, it’s going to take a little magic, yes?
Let's say that you have $60,000 worth of debt, you've just lost your job, and you're upside down in your mortgage. Now, even though this is a pretty dire situation, it could be worse… or it could be better. The first thing I'm encouraging you to do is: make a decision for your life to get better for you.
That's what I'm talking about when I say let’s go five years into the future. Then look back on where you are today and, from that perspective, vision what you'd like to have your life look like. After you've made that decision, the first thing that’s necessary is for you to know what you want, and believe that you are worthy of having it.
We live in a society, particularly today, that tells us there isn't enough and we aren't enough. If we continue to buy into that lie, then looking at your life from the future isn’t very optimistic because we don't have the mindset it takes to create your ideal life.
I'm sure that many of you have heard of vision boards, vision books and creating visually what it is you’d like to have in your lives. I know that for the most part a lot of what comes up are material things. That's not to say that the material things we'd like to have are not okay to desire, however, what we really must understand is prosperity and abundance are more than material things or stuff. Prosperity and abundance also includes peace and serenity around wherever you are financially.
Regardless of where you are financially or with your jobs or your business, you’ve got to move into a place of having peace and serenity rather than only fear. That comes before you can get into a mindset of “what is it that I'd like to see in my life and how can I go about allowing this and creating my life to look this way?”
One of the things about our beliefs is that they're not necessarily true in and of themselves. But, if we believe them, they become true in our experience. You know the old saying “as a man thinks so shall he be” or “you get what you think about all day long”.
If this all sounds a bit airy-fairy, that's okay. The question that I would ask you is “how is looking at it from the perspective of world-speak working for you so far?” Because, if you do not have peace and serenity in your life, you feel that life is nothing but a struggle and are unhappy much of the time, then what would be the harm in looking at it from a perspective that might “look a bit crazy”? What harm is that?
Would it be okay with you if your life got better? Try it on, it couldn’t hurt.
Reva Kussmaul
CVO – MoneyVisions
http://www.moneyvisions.net
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
True Wealth
To attract something, or the lifestyle you want, become as joyful as you think having that will make you. The joy, not the thing or the lifestyle, is the point.
True wealth is not just about money, it IS about a lifestyle. It’s about who you create yourself to be, how you act and what your true beliefs and core values are.
Here are 7 steps to create and maintain True wealth:
1. MAKE A COMMITMENT TO FINANCIAL CLARITY
Stop lying to yourself and others about what you owe, earn and can afford. When you’re in terminal vagueness, you are as far away from financial clarity and, therefore, True wealth as you can come.
2. STOP SETTLING FOR LESS OR JUST ENOUGH
If you’re in a job and haven’t received a raise and your workload has been increased – go to the boss and ask for a raise and, if it’s not forthcoming in the near future, ask when that might be a possibility. If you’re self-employed, stop under earning. As Suze Orman puts it: “stop putting yourself on sale.”
3. AVOID THE TRAPPINGS OF DEBT
Most of the time when we can pay cash for things, we choose not to. If you must use a credit card for an emergency or you use a credit card for mileage points – respect it. Pay as much on the monthly bill as possible and, pay it off in full when at all possible. If you can use cash or want something that you’d have to charge to get (not an emergency) DON’T do it, save for it instead. What a concept right?
4. CREATE YOUR FINANCIAL LIFE TO WORK WITHIN MODERATION
This isn’t to say that you don’t set an intention to continue to do better and grow your money - I’m saying that if you expect the value of your home to continue to go up astronomically like a bullet, think again. Expect it to go up (they always do – just like they will go down) but at a moderate growth. It’s kind of like weight loss – if you are a size 14 on Tuesday and want to fit into a size 10 by Saturday, it ain’t happennin’!
5. OPEN UP AND SHARE
Most people having financial challenges hold tightly to what they have – even to the point of hoarding. If you want to position yourself for having more you must open your hands and your heart by giving to others and sharing yourself.
6. DON'T SHOULD ON YOURSELF & GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK
You are where you are now. Respect that and know that it’s never too late to start a purposeful prosperity path. If you are reading this article you are, at the very least, ready to begin to live more responsibly when it comes to your finances. No blame, no shame – just begin.
7. CHOOSE WHAT YOU WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER
Will people remember you for what you bought for yourself or will they remember how willing you were to be there for others and serve? If you make “how may I be of service” the main question you ask at all times, trust me, you will get so much more than you give and the rewards are amazing. That’s the footprint to really consider leaving.
Reva Kussmaul
CVO – MoneyVisions
http://www.moneyvisions.net
True wealth is not just about money, it IS about a lifestyle. It’s about who you create yourself to be, how you act and what your true beliefs and core values are.
Here are 7 steps to create and maintain True wealth:
1. MAKE A COMMITMENT TO FINANCIAL CLARITY
Stop lying to yourself and others about what you owe, earn and can afford. When you’re in terminal vagueness, you are as far away from financial clarity and, therefore, True wealth as you can come.
2. STOP SETTLING FOR LESS OR JUST ENOUGH
If you’re in a job and haven’t received a raise and your workload has been increased – go to the boss and ask for a raise and, if it’s not forthcoming in the near future, ask when that might be a possibility. If you’re self-employed, stop under earning. As Suze Orman puts it: “stop putting yourself on sale.”
3. AVOID THE TRAPPINGS OF DEBT
Most of the time when we can pay cash for things, we choose not to. If you must use a credit card for an emergency or you use a credit card for mileage points – respect it. Pay as much on the monthly bill as possible and, pay it off in full when at all possible. If you can use cash or want something that you’d have to charge to get (not an emergency) DON’T do it, save for it instead. What a concept right?
4. CREATE YOUR FINANCIAL LIFE TO WORK WITHIN MODERATION
This isn’t to say that you don’t set an intention to continue to do better and grow your money - I’m saying that if you expect the value of your home to continue to go up astronomically like a bullet, think again. Expect it to go up (they always do – just like they will go down) but at a moderate growth. It’s kind of like weight loss – if you are a size 14 on Tuesday and want to fit into a size 10 by Saturday, it ain’t happennin’!
5. OPEN UP AND SHARE
Most people having financial challenges hold tightly to what they have – even to the point of hoarding. If you want to position yourself for having more you must open your hands and your heart by giving to others and sharing yourself.
6. DON'T SHOULD ON YOURSELF & GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK
You are where you are now. Respect that and know that it’s never too late to start a purposeful prosperity path. If you are reading this article you are, at the very least, ready to begin to live more responsibly when it comes to your finances. No blame, no shame – just begin.
7. CHOOSE WHAT YOU WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER
Will people remember you for what you bought for yourself or will they remember how willing you were to be there for others and serve? If you make “how may I be of service” the main question you ask at all times, trust me, you will get so much more than you give and the rewards are amazing. That’s the footprint to really consider leaving.
Reva Kussmaul
CVO – MoneyVisions
http://www.moneyvisions.net
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