Having spent my career in the financial world I’ve seen loads of people become financially successful, that is, they are what we would call wealthy. But, are they content, with a sense of joy? Healthy? These are the meaning of wellbeing: health, happiness and prosperity. And this is why my message is always designed to move you toward your own wellbeing. It may seem like my message leaves out prosperity, but please read this:

You can gain wealth by working hard, taking risks, continually moving up the ladder, grasping and maneuvering, trying to change yourself for the world. You can suck up the demeaning boss’s abuse, bearing the slights and lack of recognition on your way. By shear force and dogged determination you just might become one of the ‘successful’ ones. I saw this in the brokerage industry, the unfailing loyalty to the company, the acceptance of grueling projects, ungodly long, suffering hours, even sometimes the throwing of co-workers under the bus. And when you get the corner office you’ve made it. Or have you? How much grace is in your life? Peace? Light-heartedness?

On the other hand what if you followed joy? What if you conducted your life in a way that reflected love? What if you held your wellbeing as a priority, making decisions by taking into account whether they will move you toward more wellbeing, or further away?

A person moving toward their wellbeing, with a holistic approach to self-care, and a practice connecting themselves to the underlying flow of their own divine guidance, will gain prosperity, in whatever form that means to them. It is all created in the moment by moment choices we are presented with throughout our day. With a clear head and robust health, we are ready to take on new challenges. Our inner guidance assists our decisions. Our self-knowledge moves us through the fear of going in a new direction. Our maturity helps us know when and who to ask for help.

When I finally, finally faced the fact that the corporate world was making it difficult for me to reach my own wellbeing, I started exploring other options. I signed up for my first Chopra Center course. I read books. I spoke with other advisors who left the corporate world to become independent, running their own business.  So I did too, and never looked back. That was 16 years ago. What is funny, is that when you are running your own venture, whether you work 30 or 70 hours a week, it just flies by, because it is what you are filled with a passion to do. The energy it takes is abundantly available.

You don’t need to start a business yourself to reach prosperity and wellbeing. It may mean doing your own thing in your off hours. It could be writing, acting, volunteering, teaching others, picking up a part time job in a field you are attracted to. It’s endless. And any one of them could lead you to your prosperity. It all begins with caring for yourself.

One last thought; so many people come to my sight for the first time by taking the Money Map Quiz. It is worth taking, or taking again, and follow the suggestions for your level of money consciousness.

 

 

Money. What a word steeped in judgements, emotions, and labels! It is as if we throw all of our unwanted attributes onto it. And it is just a symbol, a means to trade goods and services.

I have spent over 30 years teaching others about money, how to plan for it, spend it, grow it, and invest it. But it really isn’t about money at all. It is really a path of self-discovery. So as I watch money vilified in the media and in society, it seems oddly amusing to me.

 

Spiritual principles outline how that which we resist and judge harshly is actually our own projections of our suppressed traits, the ones we don’t want to believe we have. We see those with power and money often as oppressors, evil-doers, or just plain selfish, which, in turn, puts us in the role of victim. It is a game. There isn’t validity in this victim role.  Their being rich does not reduce our possibilities.

In the broad spectrum of levels of human consciousness, the acquisition of money is spread across them all. (My Map of Money Consciousness™ illustrates a different consciousness, one associated with our relationship to money. More on that later.)

On a deep level, we know that rich people aren’t ‘bad’ just by being successful, and corporations aren’t ‘evil’, yet it has gained great popularity—again. I’ve seen this a few times in my career. When people are suffering they look outside of themselves to see who to blame. The ones in the spotlight are easy: the corporations who have executives making poor decisions for our culture and health, the arrogant elites who seem oblivious to the needs of employees and others.

Some people who climb to great success may begin their path with a high level of consciousness, but the rush of power causes them to fall back on their own inner awareness; the consciousness that opens compassion, empathy, and self-reflection. But it is a minority, albeit a noticeable, ‘in the news’ minority. Reality shows, 24 hour cable news, and titillating internet stories all combine to create a story about ‘rich’ people. Most are people just doing the best they can, like everyone else.

Money is inert. We apply our beliefs to it making it a force all in and of itself. We value stuff so much in our western society. We envy others who acquire lots of stuff. I’ve seen people who are addicted to attaining stuff. No matter how many houses, cars, or boats they buy, they continue to look for the next thing that will give them a charge, making them feel good about themselves. It isn’t about money at all.

The flip side of that are those who use their lack of money as an excuse to not try, to stay where they are, not wanting to move into that uncomfortable zone that would cause them to change, preferring to find others to blame.

YET~

It doesn’t matter how much money you have. What matters is, how much peace do you have? How much wellbeing are you experiencing? How are your relationships? Do you appreciate what is before you, right now? This is abundance.

No one is taking this away from you, unless you let them.

If you have issues with money you can begin with the Money Map Quiz, which will give you some place to start. If your quiz results are confusing to you, email me. I am here to help.

What do you spend your money on besides the cost of living, housing, bills, and food? Do you usually buy stuff:   clothing, luxury items, sports equipment, electronics, techy items, etc.? Or do you spend on experiences like weekend getaways, enriching programs, vacations, tours, charitable activities and dinners out with family or friends?

Buying ‘stuff’ will give us a temporary happiness but it is a fleeting consumption. All that we see, hear, feel, enjoy or experience is consumed much in the same way our food is consumed. We take it in and it becomes a part of us.

So, before you spend, think how it will enrich you. Whether that purchase will give you a lasting memory or fade away after the stuff wears out, is thrown out or used up?

Spending on experiences enlivens us, as an act of self-creation, building ourselves into a more aware, more complete, more exciting, and knowledgeable human being.

“Stuff” doesn’t do that!

One of my checkbooks is a money market account that I designated “fun”. I deposit money in it for home items, massages, trips, etc. FUN stuff!

 

I looked at this checkbook cover that I had marked in white paint with the fading name, Schwab Trust Fun, and I thought, “Why isn’t all of the checkbooks labeled something ‘fun’? And so it began!

 

I bought some paints and went to work.

I’d like to share this idea with you, so you can create your own special checkbook cover. It’s invaluable in creating a positive experience with saving and spending. You could write your favorite quotes, prosperity messages like debt reducing affirmations, growth of assets, expanding, building and abundance!

(And, of course, when paying those bills, fill yourself with gratitude.)

This one shown is for TRAVEL expenses.

Now create your own! Send me photos and I’ll post them on our Facebook page!!!

Here are some of things I’ve noticed over my lifetime working with money; who has lots of it, who has little, who does great things with it and who wastes it, who develops angst over it and who has trust in it.

There are as many ways to acquire it as there are people. It means something different to everyone. There are hundreds of books on how to get more of it and how to think about it, how to organize it, how to save, invest and spend it.

And there are people who love it, people who are afraid of it, people who are allergic to it, and people who think its evil.

But it is inert, only flowing in and out of our lives according to our level of trust, faith and confidence.

We can’t trick ourselves into believing we live in abundance when our stomach knots up on the topic — when we fear for our financial future.

It is an inside job to establish a sense of financial wellbeing. It means starting small, if that is where we are, and expanding on that.

I’ve developed some suggestions that I myself have used successfully.

Play, play, play:

Get out that yellow pad and play with numbers. Write down all you own and the values, and all you owe. Doodle here on amounts that you would like to see flow to you. In your doodles, schedule paying off these debts. Watch them disappear on paper.

Every time you receive money, write it down on a ledger.  Keep a journal of all the money that flows to you. Keep adding to your total.

Watch the numbers grow!

Treat this like a great game, something that is amusing, enjoyable to play with.

When you get a substantial amount of money, think first what will add to your overall wellbeing. Give money first to yourself. Save some. Add some to long-term savings and some to short-term. Then go ahead and begin to eliminate the debt, beginning with the highest interest rate first.

What you do with your money has everything to do with how prosperous you are.  In what manner do you send it out into the world as you spend? You can ask before you spend:  Does this feel expansive or constrictive? Does this add to my wellbeing and the wellbeing of others or not? Is this fun?

It certainly is fun once you get used to playing with numbers and watch them grow.

Way before I had any money, when I wrote down all the bills and balanced my checkbook, I’d feel a sense of power over it. I enjoyed seeing the numbers on the page and began getting more and more curious about money. I noticed that once I got comfortable with an income it would become easier to imagine a bit more, and then more.

Your money consciousness will grow with you.

I am not immune to rough patches. They sometimes happen. When you hit one, know that you are infinitely supported by the Universe, Source, God, use your own terminology. You will eventually be lifted up once again and the money will flow. Play with your pen and paper until your belly relaxes into it. Trust.

Getting real about prosperity, money and the definition of success

 

The consumer society that we were born into has presented us with the widely-unquestioned beliefs that if we don’t have a certain amount of money we cannot be happy. We think this doesn’t affect us but beneath the thinking mind simmers longings for more. If we don’t have the car, house, clothes, jewelry, toys, tech stuff, etc., we think we have failed.

Studies have repeatedly shown that no matter what net worth someone has, whether it is one million, 5 million, 10 million, or 100 million, when asked how much they think is the ideal amount that would enable them to feel totally secure, almost everyone picks some amount higher than they currently have.

For 30 years, I’ve worked with people with varying degrees of what I call Money Consciousness, and it really has more to do with how much one trusts life itself, faith that life will sustain them, than any number. As someone grows in their wellbeing and money consciousness, so does their faith that things will work out, coupled with a gradual shift from me and mine to serving others (which ultimately has you receiving the fulfillment you seek and all you’ve desired).

That is why I tell people to take the focus off the money.  I’ve continually maintained that seeking and experiencing wellbeing will allow everything to fall into place, and that includes financial health.

Who knows what amount of money you need to be happy. There may be no correlation. The biggest hidden truth of all is that none of us needs 90% of what we have, but we have bought into the consumerism of the modern Western lifestyle. Possessions, like money, aren’t good or bad; but, if it takes us away from our authentic selves and transports us to an artificial reality, it insures dissatisfaction.

 

The Rules for Prosperity are the same as rules for wellbeing. One does not happen without the other. Follow your heart, observe yourself and discover your purpose. Your purpose shows up in how you express your individual life. Wellbeing includes health, happiness and financial security. My wish for you is that you will find true prosperity and wellbeing in 2013.

For specifics concerning financial life:

1) Make sure you aren’t working for your money. Money is a poor master. Money doesn’t know how to lead or how to care for you. Money is only a tool and your task is to learn how to make money work for you.  The most essential part of this is attitude, then understanding, next knowledge.  Find a good coach, one who has personally been in an effective coaching community and who possesses a resources and tools to inspire and move you forward.

2)  If you are out of work, your current career is finding a vocation, a job or profession.  Every morning, get up and dressed for your ideal work. Get out of the house and move into that world. Talk to people, find people doing what you want to do and hang out with them. The more you imagine this new reality, the more doors will open up to you.

3)  If you cannot find anyone to hire you, hire yourself. Earnestly. I’ve seen many people ‘play’ with their calling in their spare time, doing it off and on, but not really believing it could bring in enough money to support them.  Yet, those who don’t give up, who keep at it day after day, month after month, year after year, consistently and earnestly, are the ones who do find fulfillment and purpose.

4) Money, as well as a career, is best used to improve lives. Being one of service and love to one’s self and others is the highest calling. The penultimate use of your money is creating more time. Time to serve, heal and help, and time to cherish your own body and emotional needs as well.

5)  If your job is making you stressed or unhappy, you need to change things. If you are working long hours and it is expending you, leaving you depleted, it just isn’t worth your loss of wellbeing. If it is physically too taxing, wearing on your body or too taxing emotionally, what you are losing doesn’t warrant the rewards. On the other hand, if your long hours are spent doing what you love and actually filling you with energy and purpose, there is no loss of wellbeing  —   instead, there is an increase in wellbeing. If you feel you cannot leave your current job, notice and focus on those parts of it that are rewarding while keeping your eyes open for doorways to other possibilities.

6) Money isn’t the only bartering system. Bartering has existed since the dawn of civilization. I’ve bartered several times in my life when I didn’t have cash. I painted murals on the walls of a karate studio in exchange for classes, I cut the neighborhood children’s hair for dinners, as a kid I babysat for movie tickets; what you need doesn’t necessarily have to be bought with money. What do you like to do that you could barter with?

7) Lastly, don’t undercut yourself. If you are selling your services or creations, do your research and see what comparable goods are going for in your area. Charge accordingly. That is a fair price.

 

Remember:

“Financial Success is a by-product of a well-lived and well-expressed life.”

 

Copyright © 2013 Kasey Claytor

During this time of economic turbulence—high unemployment, rising costs, no clear direction, no one listening to each other—we are failing to look at the obvious—this is temporary.

When we experience hard times we ‘feel’ like it will go on endlessly. It never does. Things continue to change. It is against all natural forces to become completely stagnant, frozen and remaining unchangeable into the future.

All in life is fluid, moving through the cycles of the planets, moon, and the whole universe. Our own bodies continually balance the millions of miniscule and gross actions to support our organism.

The course of commerce also flows, waxes and wanes.  It seeks a balance between buying price and selling price, supplying and manufacturing, and marketing and consumption. It flows to meet our expectations. This can get out of balance just as the Earth or our bodies get out of balance, causing a temporary excess in one direction.

But it is just seeking to return itself back to balance.

The most important component to find this balance again? You and me, through our actions, our thoughts, our attitudes, beliefs, and expectations for the future. When we are convinced it will get better, it will. But we must be convinced.

 

The “recovery” will come and most people will be taken by surprise.

 

There are so many books out now, predicting a dire future, economic collapse, global disarray and re-alignment of powers; the rise of precious metals as the only meaningful value for trade, and loss of our present standard of living.

I’ve heard and seen this sentiment several times over the years. This time, it is different due to wide-spread belief that this heralds an end of the world scenario or the end of democracy, etc.

Imagine their surprise when people slowly wake up to the reality that companies still make great products and services and sell them and people still buy them. Companies will begin to expand and hire again. And this will sweep us into the next era, bruised, but more appreciative of our wonderful system of supply and demand; a natural and organic force responsive and intimately connected to each one of us.

We will have learned several important lessons, however. We will be changed by this in profound ways. We are evolving into a new sort of human being that sees money not as an end, but solely as a tool to aid us in a fruitful and heartfelt life.

We have been shaken hard. The ones who remain flexible, introspective, and creative will absolutely thrive in the coming new economy. This new robust future will only be realized by the individuals who can sense the needs and wants of a new culture and its shift in consciousness.

The old ways are waning, and there is pain in the chaos of it all. But I am eager and excited to watch what unfolds. It is important for all of us to envision this inevitable bright future. Let’s move now from the lethargy and pessimism that is pervasive into hope, optimism, abundance and joy.

If you believe this message you are one of our new leaders and much will be expected of you!

 

 

 

A necessary ingredient to having a high money consciousness, or acumen for wealth, is the accumulation of wealth. This sounds simple, of course—to be wealthy means we have a lot of money! But there are some misperceptions in many people’s minds that are sabotaging their wealth accumulation.

The growing popularity of positive thinking and the Law of Attraction are opening vistas of new possibilities. This is wonderful. But for some people, the Law of Attraction doesn’t work. Why not?

One reason could be their spending habits; the other side of the coin. You’ve got income. You are working on increasing your income. That’s great. But what are you doing with that income? We can fall into the trap of thinking we need to act as though we are rich. We try to look rich and spend like we are rich, thinking this demonstrates confidence that we are moving into true wealth.

If we look at truly wealthy individuals though, we find that most live moderately. Most put a priority on accumulation: investments and savings, as opposed to worrying about appearing wealthy. Thomas J. Stanley (in his new book Stop Acting Rich…and Start Living Like a Real Millionaire), looks at how the wealthy live, and how so many people who have second and third homes, boats and several cars are so steeped in debt that they aren’t millionaires.

It all comes down to our view of our selves. Somewhere deep in our minds we might be uncomfortable with how much we are spending, but we act as if we are rich in an attempt to convince our selves we are successful.

There is the conflict. If you are spending more than you’re acquiring, not saving for retirement, or not building that golden nest egg, where is your wealth going?  Here is a suggestion. Take out a lined piece of paper and begin writing down every penny that comes to you, whether it is income, interest, gifts, refunds, whatever its source.  Focus on the income. Shift your attention from the outgo to the inflow. Set up automatic savings. For the spending, do a gut-check whenever you are ready to make a purchase. Is this necessary?  Do I want to be wealthy or just look wealthy? Your gut will answer for you. The discomfort you feel when spending instead of building is your obstacle to success. You are sending mixed signals to the universe that you want to be wealthy, yet you are choosing not to accumulate wealth.

Of course some of your spending is purposeful, necessary, and should feel good and be fun!

We all know it isn’t things that make us happy; it’s what is going on inside our hearts and heads.

Imagine the freedom we can experience when we watch our money grow; when we develop more resources, more creativity, more security, and less stress! This is true confidence and peace of mind—and it is what I wish for you.

Copyright © 2011 by Kasey J. Claytor