Shifting My Attitude To Earn More Money

I was interviewed by Vickie Champion on a series of questions of “Things I Wish I knew in my 20s about (money, relationships, health etc.) I’m one of several men and women who are featured on her you tube site.

Here are my thoughts on “What I wish I knew in my 20s about money.”

“When I was growing up there was a lot of fear in our house about not having enough money. I remember the milk man knocked on the door to collect his payment and my mother had told my older sister to tell him she wasn’t home. I didn’t know about this arrangement so I poked my head into the doorway and said, “She’s home. She’s in the bedroom.” I remember my sister brushed me aside and the milkman came back a few days later after my mom received money from my dad’s paycheck. I remember asking my mom about money and she showed us the bills and how much money came in and how much needed to go out. I was probably 8 or 9 years old. I never asked for money after. Not even the dues for girl scouts (a dime a week). I just told them my girl scout leader I forgot the money. Eventually I stopped going – even though I enjoyed it.

This fear of not having enough money stayed with me as an adult. I also had this misguided notion that if I DID acquire more money – such as working an extra shift as a waitress – I was somehow taking it from someone else.
That was decades ago and I’ve become a little wiser.

One thing I wish I knew in my 20s about money is The Law of Attraction - or that like attracts like. For example, fear of not having enough put me in the perfect position for creating more of what I don’t have – enough money. However, the opposite is also true. Believing that there is an abundance of money, opportunity, good health and happiness for me to enjoy, helped me attract more in my life.

Now I have a new mantra. I say, “I am happy, healthy and prosperous.” Another one is “Money comes easily to me.” Once I changed my attitude about attracting money – things got a lot easier. So if there is one thing I wish in my 20s about money is that you attract what you focus on – so you might as well focus on something great.”

I recently put this idea to work - again. My health insurance and other expenses increased so I knew I needed to earn more money. I suffered a moment of dread (I AM human after all) but quickly realized this type of panic-based thinking would only make things worse. Instead of immersing myself in a pity party, I shifted my attitude, released my fear, focused on creativity and abundance and dove into action. Before long I had a list of opportunities to explore regarding gaining new clients and increasing opportunities for my book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within.

Guess what happened? Doors started opening, I earned a spot as a guest on two top-notch radio shows, a client expanded my services for an extra $250 for the next three months, I booked my major client on a television show and I stretched two single hits into doubles in softball.

No one is immune from setbacks, but the faster we can move on to more productive and creative thinking and action, the faster we will reach our goals.

In honor of the Chinese New Year I would like to end with a quote from Confucius.

"The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence."

Do YOU Have A Dream?

Today is Martin Luther King Day. This auspicious holiday celebrates the life and achievements of the civil rights leader who is known for his campaign to end racial segregation and work toward racial equality in the U.S. King’s “I Have A Dream” to promote equality can also serve as a reminder to not shackle ourselves with doubt and limitations, but to work toward achieving our own goals and dreams.

Here is an excerpt from our book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within to help with pursuing and achieving your heart’s desire.

ERASE NEGATIVITY

•Avoid working in a career where money is your only goal. If you are stuck in a job that brings no joy and drains you of your energy, find something more nourishing to your soul. Chances are you are feeling stuck, not because you have to be, but because you have decided you have to be.

•Be mindful of the energy exchange you experience with others. Remember that you cannot change others, you can only change yourself.

•Be open to the possibilities in life. Just because things have been difficult in the past does not mean they have to continue to be that way. Your determination and strong intent will move you in the direction you set forth.

•Find things that energize you and avoid those that constrict the energy in your heart, soul and mind. Pay attention to how you feel energetically.

•You are not your bank account, your car, or even your body. When you die, none of these transient things will go with you. Learn to love yourself. Know that you are divine and have unique gifts that only you can contribute to the world.

EMBRACE THE MAGIC WITHIN

•Take time to pray or meditate. If this is uncomfortable, try five minutes of quiet reflection. No one expects you to become a monk. Start with five minutes of prayer, meditation or reflection each day and slowly increase the process over time.

•Look within and establish a pathway to your higher self. This journey may manifest differently depending on your religious or spiritual beliefs, but as long as you are open to making the connection, it can be achieved.

•The interaction between you and your higher self is often subtle, such as a quiet internal voice, flashes of insight, intuition or reoccurring images.

•Find your passion in life, develop it and share it with the world.

•The positive energy you create from your expressions of love, gratitude and kindness will reverberate throughout the universe in the same way that a small pebble thrown into the middle of a still pond can send ripples across the water.

Lessons from a Dead Packrat

Life’s lessons can come from unexpected sources. Today’s tale is one I learned from a dead packrat.

My spouse, CB, discovered we had a woodrat (or Neotoma in the rodent genus) in our side yard years ago. The confusion started with a few missing items, a container of seasoning salt that had been left by the grill, a pot holder etc. Then one day CB was poking around the wood pile and found a few cholla cactus fragments, pieces of aluminum foil, cat poop and other assorted trash.

The rat was back.

We thought about trapping the critter and relocating it to the county desert behind our development, but we just couldn’t do it. CB cleaned the yard up a bit, we used up the pile of firewood and eventually the wood dweller moved to another location.

Or so we thought.

When the weather cooled we brought another pile of wood into the yard and the packrat returned. Of course it probably wasn’t the same pack rat. I think word got around in the Neotoma community that our yard was a good place to hang out. Anyway, one day CB was fetching wood and was sad to see that the critter had died.

I’m not sure why, but CB felt bad for the rat and moved its body to a nearby rock. A day or two later he went back to the wood pile for firewood and discovered the body of another packrat. It seemed a bit too coincidental that two rats should bite the dust, so he looked and discovered the rat body by the rock was no longer there.

CB took a shovel and moved the corpse to another part of the yard. A couple days later CB returned to the wood pile again. The dead rat was back. I watch Ghost Whisperers but I figured a more practical explanation was in order. A live woodrat had taken up residence in the wood pile and wanted the dead rat where he or she left it.

Not one to give up easily, CB set to work again as a rat relocater. Rather than bury it, or throw it in the garbage, he took the carcass to a part of the yard that has bones of other animals CB has found while hiking. Now, this is not my idea of backyard beauty, but rather than complain and take on the risk of doing more yard work myself, I let rotting rats lie.

This time, CB called me over to view the critter. I suppose I should have been kinder and said a silent prayer. Instead I thought, “Yep. Dead rat sitting by some other bones I don’t want to look at. Can I leave now?”

Well, of course the next day Dead Rat was gone from the pile of bones (although the other items were undisturbed.) The live pack rat brought the carcass back to its nest - again. This had CB wondering if there was some significance to the return of the pack rat to its former home. Was the live pack rat honoring its kin, or did it simply see it as a complement to its surroundings?

I have no answer for this one. I don’t know the mind of the packrat, or my spousal packrat either.

However, I do believe that weird phenomena often has a message.

While most of us would not play tug of war with the body of a packrat, I believe we can relate to the idea of hanging onto unnecessary baggage. For example, how often have you replayed a negative message in your head about some past hurt? Have you found yourself holding a grudge against someone, even after they have passed away?
In our book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within we quote a line from Carrie ten Boom, "Resentment is like taking poison and hoping the other person will die.

Some things are worth hanging onto - a sense of gratitude, love, kindness, generosity and the determination to make the world a better place. However, if what you are carting around in your heart and mind is not serving your happiness, perhaps it’s time to let it go.