Financial Freedom is an Inside Job
Over the past couple of months, I have been slowly transitioning from
exclusively writing about personal finance to branching out about personal beliefs
and values.
Let me tell you why.
I started my blog with the intent of sharing some financial tips &
strategies that helped me. But after some time I learned that money
management isn’t just about money — it’s a symptom of a disconnect between
our beliefs, values and behaviour.
Financial well-being is not superficial; it is a mile wide and a mile deep.
Just focusing on one area like debt will not get the job done. Improving your
financial well-being is more of an inner work than an outer one. Like most
aspects of our lives, the battle is won or lost within, and what we see on the
outside is just a reflection of what is going on within. I believe that freedom is something that happens inside of you when you tell yourself the truth (about money, love, etc.), and then align your life with that truth.
Why?
Because financial freedom is an inside job. You need to fix the inside first, then the
outside will line up. Writing as someone that spent years doing this
inner-work and questioning every assumption I had around money, I can tell you
that it takes radical humility, commitment to change and intense courage and
discipline to succeed. It’s a journey that begins with a burning desire to
want to be free. And here are some soul-searching guidelines I've learned to
help me along the way:
1. Forgive yourself for your past money mistakes. Let’s be honest, everyone
has made silly mistakes with money. From buying cars we couldn’t afford,
spending everything we earn, to burying heads in the sand about retirement
plans. It’s time to draw a line in the sand. Forgive yourself past slip-ups
and decide to make a change. Starting now.
2. It’s time to stop shaming yourself for wanting to make money in your career
or your passion-based business. You might think it’s noble to work for free or
low cost and help the less fortunate, but there is nothing noble about not
being able to pay your rent.
3. Stop discounting money as something you don’t need. Recognise that you DO
need money to live. Money is essential in helping support your purpose and
passions. Making money is not a sin and wanting money is not a sin. Money
gives you the gift of taking care of yourself and those around you, which
allows you to live a life that lets you help the world in a bigger way.
4. Money itself isn’t the problem. Money itself isn’t bad or good. Money
itself doesn’t have power or not have power. It is our interpretation of
money, our interaction with it, where the real mischief is and where we find
the real opportunity for self-discovery and personal transformation.
5. Even if we find ourselves comfortable in the land of scarcity where we
have managed to have enough material wealth and are living like everyone else,
we have to trust the longing of our hearts to live in a flow of Grace where
the image of life is that of a banquet that is open to all.
6. Your current financial life may need more improvement but you can still be
happy and grateful with what you already have! The more you spend on
gratitude today, the more you will have to be grateful for in the future.
Being grateful empowers us to resist the lure of short-term financial
gratification. It makes us willing to hold out for future earnings and
challenges us to recognise what we already have.
7. Craft your life in a way that feels good for you, in a way that brings you
real joy and pleasure.
Live life your own way. Don’t buy things just for the sake of buying them. Buy
things because you want to buy them because they will simplify, not complicate
your life.
8. Consider the long term. We’re in the midst of a multi-faceted revolution.
Artificial intelligence, climate change, etc means what were sound investments
in your parents’ time may no longer be so. In addition, it’s not worth having
a lot of money if the world is in a state that you can’t live a good life, so
invest ethically.
9. Your loyalty to other people’s pain, suffering and lack of abundance won’t
make the world a better place. If you really want to help “your people”, help
them by rising above yourself and your circumstances. Shine your light on them
so that they can see their way out of the darkness. Help them by shining, not
by hiding.
10. The implications for your financial life are clear. Patience and
control over one’s emotions are necessary ingredients for building wealth.
Gratitude can be used as a tool to avoid impulsive financial choices and make
better long-term decisions.
Remember, what you put in today is what you will reap tomorrow. The quality of
the things we do today and every day will eventually determine the quality of
the life we create for ourselves and the generation to come.
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