Last week I wrote about abundance vs. scarcity mindsets in leadership. Today I’m diving more into how we most often think of abundance and scarcity….money.
Money is a powerful and very taboo topic that gets our brains all kinds of twisted.
Here’s a peak into my money story.
I grew up in rural Tennessee. We had a nice house that my father built but we never ever had money. No savings, no healthcare, no security. We were always one car repair away from ruin.
I was 16 before I saw a dentist, but I had a little sports car at 17. We often didn’t have lunch money but we always had a fridge full of beer. There were definitely some mixed up priorities.
I hustled my way through high school and college with 1 goal: get a good job that would pay me a decent salary, benefits, and 401k. I had zero thoughts about passion, wealth, or joy.
I just wanted safety.
So I became an accountant. It was perfect. I had all the things I needed. I parlayed my accounting skills into business leadership and my salary rose over the next couple decades. I was checking all the boxes.
But my money story was much more complicated.
I was scared all the time. I was terrified it would all just go away. Certainly this six figure life was a fluke. Certainly I would lose it all.
So I feared spending. I played small and safe. I watched my budget and scorned anything that seemed lavish. As a result I honestly wasn’t having much fun. I was missing out on many experiences and making my life unnecessarily hard.
I also had a huge setback when my ex-husband made a lot of money disappear. That’s another story;-)
But in just the past few years I’ve started to see money differently.
I now see it as renewable. Infinite even.
I started with this belief: My ability to make money is infinite.
I can’t imagine not being able to earn money. I have multiple skill sets, talents, and capabilities.
Before this I imagined that every dollar I had was finite. That once spent, was gone forever. But that’s crazy…because money came in every month. It was really a foolish and limiting belief to think otherwise.
Such a simple turnaround that changed everything.
When I updated my operating system with this new thought I started letting go of money. Two things happened.
I allowed myself to enjoy things like manicures, full priced clothes, and travel.
But more importantly, I stopped freaking out over medical bills, broken cars, and house repairs. I just breathe, and repeat…..money is renewable. More is coming.
I know it seems a little woo. But I now I know that “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” ~Shakespeare
Track records go a long way too. If I ask myself what reality has been for the past 25 years, I can see that I am in control of my money destiny. And when I take accountability I have no fear.
So, I still procrastinate large purchases. Vacations are still my nemesis. I often need some outside reassurance that we won’t end up homeless if I purchase a flight.
But overall, it’s much better. And if we are indeed heading into a recession, I’m glad that I am working on my beliefs about money.
I am creating my money story. This level of accountability has allowed me to build my own business…the ultimate test of an abundance mindset.
I arrived at this healthier place through coaching. I still work with a coach on these things. And my life gets a little better with every session.
If you are interested in building a new money story let’s talk.
Schedule a consultation today. Email elizabeth@bauerhousecoaching.com
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