We’re all familiar with the physical currency of money. This is a measurable and tangible form of money, for example, how much we have in your bank accounts, how much cash we have in our wallet (note: credit cards don’t count!).
We sometimes transform this physical currency into material goods, which may convey a status. For example, the clothes we wear, the car we drive, and the house or neighborhood we live in may be used as a status symbol or a visual expression of our achievement. Some adopt a dangerous belief of using this visual expression of achievement as their self esteem.
However, money is more than just a physical currency. I believe there are three dimensions of money that are equally if not more important than the physical form. These are:
- Mental
- Emotional
- Spiritual
Our relationship with money is our approach to money on each of these three dimensions. The physical expression is an outcome of how we approach money from the mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions. By looking at our own history with each dimension, we can better understanding our relationship with money, and where needed – improve our relationship with money.
Mental Dimension of Money Relationships
We are probably most familiar with the mental dimension of our money relationship. We engage our minds to transform our knowledge and experiences into a means of generating income – for many of us – this is called “work” or “a job.”
We traditionally pay a lot of attention to this dimension, and have many tools and resources to help us improve along the mental dimension of our money relationship. We have classes, workshops, seminars, tapes, books, and gurus who help us be more organized, manage time more effectively, and “work smarter.”
TO DO: What new knowledge or new skills can you acquire to improve your ability to generate an income? Which new teachers, mentors, or coaches can you learn from?
Emotional Dimension of Money Relationships
How we feel about money is indoctrinated into our belief systems at an early age. Unfortunately, most of our money beliefs aren’t too positive. Can you fill in the blanks for the following statements?
“Money is the root of all ____.”
highlight answer here: evil
“Money doesn’t grow on _____.”
highlight answer here: trees
The above statements suggest that money corrupts and money is scarce. Many of us subconsciously carry these beliefs into adulthood. Is it any wonder why some earn less than their peers or command a lower fee than what they think they may deserve? Our emotions and beliefs about money direct our receptiveness to money and wealth.
“But wait,” You say, “I’m very receptive to money! Who wouldn’t be?”
Our negative beliefs about money, born of negative emotions or childhood experiences, create a cycle of scarcity and sabotage. We tend to set a comfort level around the amount of money we feel comfortable “owning” or “earning” at a given moment. If we believed that money is a corrupting, and our comfort zone becomes challenged when we have an opportunity to earn more, the situation creates a conflict with that belief system. When this conflict occurs, we may either move out of our comfort zone (“growth”) or reestablish the existing comfort zone (“self sabotage”). Self-sabotaging behavior provides a safe harbor from challenging an existing belief that having “too much” money makes one “evil”.
TO DO: Examine your childhood memories around money. What messages have you been taught when you were a child? Are those messages helping or harming your emotional dimension to the money relationship?
Spiritual Dimension of Money Relationship
The spiritual dimension of our money relationships is probably the most abstract to many of us. If we associated “money” with “materialism” then it’s no surprise why some would see “money” as antithetical to “spirituality.” However, if you believe, as I do, that money is just a physical manifestation of energy, then our wealth is an indicator of how we use our energies – on mental, emotional, and spiritual levels.
Suze Orman is a financial advisor and television personality who has spoken to audiences all over the world about money. Suze Orman frequently talks about the act of giving as sending out signals of abundance. In one of her books, for example, Suze recommends giving on a monthly basis.
Wayne Dyer likes to use an example of the literal nature of the universe to describe abundance. The universe is like a mirror – whatever you ask of it, it will ask also of you. So if you keep saying, “Gimme, gimme, gimme!”, the universe will ask the same of you, and you shouldn’t be surprised why you seem to always be a day late or a dollar short. On the other hand, if you ask, “how may I serve?” the universe will ask how it might serve you, and you would create an environment of abundance.
TO DO: Do your attitudes and behaviors reinforce an environment of abundance or of lack (scarcity)? How can you create an environment of abundance that can attract money into your life?
Just as your relationships are multidimensional, your relationship with money is also multidimensional. Take time and look at your emotional, mental, and spiritual approaches to your total money relationship. The next time you feel like you’re having an “out of money experience,” ask yourself:
What knowledge or skills can you learn?
What money belief systems are helping or harming you?
What type of environment – one of abundance or lack – are you creating through your attitudes and behaviors?
Originally published: Oct 10, 2006 @ 9:46
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