are trying to create,” advises Casserly. “Persistently replace any shame, blame and guilt with dreams and desires.”
Earn with Our Spirit in Mind
As Rosemary Williams, founder of Women’s Perspective (WomensPerspec- tive.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 cur-
rent 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 enthu- siasm is entheos, or “God within,” in Greek. “Try to figure 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 Robin- son. Some view a gut instinct as the sub- conscious 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 three ways to help advance our financial health, and staying alert the rest of the day to listen for the answer, which can come when we least expect it. “I often find that when a woman asks these ques- tions, 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, financial independence is as much about spend- ing less as making more. “It’s not about going out and getting a financial advi- sor or turning over your savings to the stock market. It’s about living within your means, saving money and getting out of debt,” she observes. “Every financial 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 conversa- tion, 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 first 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 bud- get.” 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.
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http://FtL.NaturalAwakeningsMag.com
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