"We attract what we think we deserve and accept what we believe we’re worthy of. Granted, sitting around and saying that you will have a million dollars does not mean that it is going to fall into your lap—you still have to work for it. However, if you subconsciously doubt yourself and fear money, you will inadvertently hold yourself back from achieving your goals. Manifestation is all about mindset.
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That being said, if you’re currently struggling with your financial mindset and where you are in life, you’ve come to the right place. With a little bit of work and the correct hacks, you can improve your relationship with money and manifest success so you can finally start living the life you want. Keep on reading to learn how.
Identify your relationship with money
Before you can improve your money mindset, you need to identify what your relationship with it is. How do you spend money, and why do you think you are the way you are with it? Think about your upbringing and how the people who raised you may have influenced the way you handle finances today. Are you scared of money and tend to shy away from it or do you view it as the end-all be-all of everything in life? Are you bad at budgeting or do you try to hold on to money because you believe it’s scarce? As hard as it may be, answering these questions will help paint a clearer picture of your underlying feelings regarding money and how those feelings have impacted your life.
Additionally, think about how money makes you feel. Money is an emotionally charged topic for everyone, but if you find it especially emotional, try writing a letter to money to get all of your feelings out. In the self-help book Don’t Keep Your Day Job by Cathy Heller, this is an exercise given to the reader to try and help them get out and release their feelings on the subject once and for all.
Figure out what success means to you
Everyone’s definition of success will vary; it’s all subjective, and there is no right or wrong answer. Take the time to really reflect and figure out what success means to you—not society, your family, peers, or friends. For some, it could be living in a waterfront mansion with the ability to charter private planes; for others, it may be having enough money saved up in an emergency fund that allows them to live comfortably within their means without stressing over paying bills.
Once you’ve nailed down what success means to you, you can then make a plan to attain it and start making a conscious effort daily to move forward and make your goals come to fruition.
Source: Social Squares
Overcome your childhood beliefs
Growing up, if you were told that the only way to make money was by getting a job with benefits and a 401(k), you may have chosen to pursue a “safe” career instead of following what you’re passionate about. Perhaps you were discouraged as a child and now doubt yourself and what you’re capable of, and that lack of belief in yourself often inadvertently leads to many roadblocks in your career. Any negative beliefs—conscious or subconscious—you may have about yourself, making money, or success will hold you back from reaching your goals.
Think about the way the adults in your life talked to you about success, making money, and any dreams you might have had when you were younger. Have you carried any of those beliefs into adulthood? If so, could they be holding you back now? Take the time to nurture and sit with your beliefs and emotions, then start working through them with exercises such as journaling, meditation, or confiding in a trusted loved one or therapist. Start actively breaking away from those beliefs by taking steps that align with your vision of success. For example, if you were told as a child that your dream of becoming an artist was unrealistic and you are now stuck in a job you don’t enjoy but need to pay your bills, set aside time throughout the week to create pieces of artwork to sell on platforms like Etsy. You’ll create another stream of income while actively overcoming your childhood beliefs. No matter what your goals are, it’s important to remember that everyone experiences moments of doubt occasionally, but you can’t let it hold you back—you must continue to move forward in pursuit of your goals in spite of it.
Look at money as a tool
What do you need to buy groceries? Money or some form of payment. What do you need to keep a roof over your head? Money. What do you need to visit friends on the other side of the country? Money. The one thing these examples have in common? Money is a tool that’s being used as a means to an end. When it comes down to it, money is simply a resource, and it is a resource that can give you the freedom to live the life you’ve always dreamed of.
Once you begin viewing money simply for what it is—a tool—you take away any potential fear or hold it may have over you, and any complex emotions you may have surrounding it will lessen. Doing this will also eliminate the idea of money being “good,” “bad,” or “evil.”
Source: Karolina Grabowska | Pexels
Change the way you word things
The way we word things is often more telling than the words we say. I was pursuing my dream of becoming a professional wrestler when I was rear-ended by a drunk driver and sustained permanent neck and shoulder injuries. Needless to say, that dream abruptly came to an end, but for a long time, I never admitted it. Whenever people would ask me when I was going to get back in the ring, I’d usually respond with something along the lines of: “I’m still waiting to get cleared by my doctor, but for now, I’m focusing on writing.” It took me a while to realize that what I was really saying was that my writing career was simply a “time filler” and I was still holding on to my wrestling dream. Once I understood that and finally let that dream go once and for all, everything in my life started falling into place.
Pay attention to the way you word things—you may gain insight into your subconscious thoughts and beliefs—and start changing your wording around. Be mindful of what you say when talking about money or success. Take the time to explore the hidden meanings behind your words, then figure out how you can alter them and change your thinking. Talking about anything related to finances and success in a positive light will help you get used to the idea of having both, make you more conscious of working toward your goals, and help make your dreams a reality.
Examples of ways you can alter your sentences:
- “Must be nice being able to afford your dream home.” → “I can’t wait until I can build my dream home one day.”
- “I’ll never be able to afford that.” → “I’m not going to put that in my spending plan right now.”
- “Can you imagine having enough money to buy that?” → “I’m saving up to buy that.”
Have a rich mindset
Have a rich mindset, and the right riches will flow to you. It’s imperative that you wake up every day and embody the person you’re on the road to becoming. Taking small steps daily in the real world will help make success more tangible for you.
If your goal is to own and run a successful business, make a small batch of business cards or use a free design app like Canva to start creating a logo. If you want to turn your passion or side hustle into a career, create social media profiles and find platforms where you can showcase your work. Start budgeting better and setting aside money regularly to build a savings that will eventually allow you to free yourself from whatever doesn’t bring you happiness. There is no limit to what you can do, and remember to never sell yourself short. If you believe and invest in yourself, the universe will believe and invest in you as well.