January 09, 2017
No matter how mindful a person you consider yourself to be, we have all had moments of sheer panic when it comes to dealings with money. Perhaps you lost a job, made a bad investment, or are riding the sometimes-volatile wave of the stock market. In any of these scenarios, it is difficult to remain calm internally, especially if the outcome will affect those closest to you.
For that reason, it is easy to separate the topics of mindfulness and money. But what if the same principles apply? How could reexamining your perspective change your thought process, and perhaps even your financial future?
Many experts agree that applying mindfulness principles – thereby cultivating awareness - in financial situations can actually effect significant change, ease stress and promote creativity.
You can begin to integrate this concept into your own life by asking yourself the following questions (adapted from mindful.org).
Remember, as with anything in your Mindful practice, it is important to explore honestly, and without judgment.
We all have our own financial experiences that uniquely shape us, including influence from family, friends and the culture in which you grew up. Maybe as a child, you didn’t feel that you had enough money so now, as an adult, you hold on to it out of fear. On the contrary, you may have grown up with a substantial amount of money and now feel that your appetite is insatiable. Whatever the case, examine how these memories may be affecting you and try to deconstruct any preconceived notions that you have in regards to the topic.
Talking about money can be a major societal faux pas but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be having the conversation with yourself. What do you know about your own financial situation that may be affecting you? Perhaps you are over-extended and hiding debt, trying to appear to be something you are not. On the other hand, many people hide their wealth out of embarrassment or fear of being judged. Break down societal norms and get to the root of what you are actually feeling, not what outsiders think or feel.
Take some time to identify your core values. How are they represented in the allocation of your finances? In other words, where are you putting your money and is that an accurate representation of who you are? What other types of currency are of importance to you? Perhaps you will discover that money is not the only source of security in your life.
Keep these core values in mind as you proceed with your financial future. It is from this place that you can be completely in touch with yourself - who you are and what you strive to be. From there, you will be able to make completely informed financial decisions to better yourself and everyone else around you.
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I hope these tips help you as much as they have helped me. I will continue to keep you posted on my health journey. Follow me for updates @christiemandia.
