Earn with Our Spirit in Mind

As Rosemary Williams, founder of Women’s Perspective (WomensPerspective.org), puts it: “Spirituality and money come together easily when we realize that we cannot live a satisfactory life when we don’t engage our own spirits or when we operate against our soul’s purpose.” No one would argue that we all

tend to do our best work when we choose jobs we are passionate about, and that when we invest in things contrary to our beliefs, they are never as satisfying. “Part of what the chaos of the current economy is bringing up for people is the question, ‘What am I here to do and what calling do I have?’” says Robinson, noting that the root of the word enthusiasm is entheos, or “God within,” in Greek. “Try to fi gure out what it is that enthuses you,” she counsels, “and then ask, ‘How can I make a living at this?’ at least part of the time.”

Trust Gut Wisdom

Whether deciding in which stock to invest or whether to trust a potential business partner, the power of intuition cannot be understated, advises Robinson. Some view a gut instinct as the subconscious synthesis of past knowledge that rises to the surface when our brain needs it. Others see it as a manifestation of a Higher Power. Either way, it’s worth listening to, as a critical adjunct. A good way to start each day is with a 10-minute prayer/meditation, asking that inner voice to provide

For the fi rst time, half of all U.S. workers are women, and that changes everything. Not just for women, but also for spouses, families, bosses, coworkers and society. This is a permanent change in our culture that’s affecting nearly every aspect of our lives—how we work and play and care for one another.

~ The Shriver Report

three ways to help advance our fi nancial health, and staying alert the rest of the day to listen for the answer, which can come when we least expect it. “I often fi nd that when a woman asks these questions, it primes the pump, and when she is walking the dog or doing the laundry, she may hear an inner voice speaking,” Robinson says. “Pay attention.”

Spend According to Personal Values

To Washington-based writer Vicki

Robin, author of The New York Times best seller, Your Money or Your Life,

fi nancial independence is as much about spending less as making more. “It’s not about going out and getting a fi nancial advisor or turning over your

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savings to the stock market. It’s about living within your means, saving money and getting out of debt,” she observes. “Every fi nancial decision you make is a chance to say ‘What are my values, really, and how does this serve them?’”

Robin recommends viewing money as “life energy” and assigning value as such to each purchase we make. Is that high-end haircut and coloring really worth the stress or time away from family for what it costs? What is worth that much to us? Once we start aligning our spending with that inner conversation, we will inevitably spend less, which results in less debt, more savings and ultimately, more freedom, she says. Smith agrees. With the money she made working with animals, she invested fi rst in real estate, and then in stocks. When she acknowledged her four-bedroom, three-bath home didn’t jive with her Earth-conscious values, she downsized. She still drives a 12-year-old car, frequents Craigslist and sticks with a frugal but gratifying “values-based budget.” The payoff for her, her husband and her young daughter has been huge. “We spend very little on housing

or transportation, but we buy organic food. We travel when we want to, we homeschool our daughter and we spend as much time as we want together,” she smiles. “Probably the biggest thing this has all bought us is time.”

Lisa Marshall is a freelance writer who lives in Lyons, Colorado. Contact her at LisaMarshall08@gmail.com. Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56