Money is a tool we use to express our intentions and commitments. It is a physical representation of the energy of intention and commitment. Here's what I mean...

We put our energy (in the form of our time and talents) into a "job." The people we are "working for" give us energy (in the form of money) in exchange. The employer does this because it serves the company's higher intentions and commitments. We do the "job" because it serves our higher intentions and commitments. The money exchanged is just a way of saying, "yes, please" to what we want.

Money is one way we "cast our vote" and say, "yes, please." When we spend money on food we are communicating our intention (to eat) and our commitment (to provide our bodies with the fuel it requires)...that's it.

So why I am telling you this? I have noticed that when I keep that awareness in mind, I am more conscious about what I am "voting for." This allows me to feel more gratitude in the exchange and more peace of mind.

Let me give you an example. A couple of years ago my dog, Taylor, had a series of mini seizures. She was having a brief tremor every 15-45 seconds.

My intention: to interrupt the cycle immediately.

My commitment: to do whatever I could to help my dog.

Where did all of my energy (in the form of my time and money) go? Straight to the vet.

I dropped what I was doing and called Rob. I couldn't get Taylor to the car without him. She was seizing frequently enough that she couldn't walk more than a few steps without the jolt knocking her down.

We got her to the clinic and the vet quickly stopped the cycle. Yay!! Rob and I were "voting for" Taylor. We were saying "yes, please" to her well being. Would it have been more fun to spend our time and money elsewhere? Of course, but we are abundantly grateful we have a vet to take our animals to. We want their clinic to stay in business. We could feel stressed and irritated about the cost. Or, we can feel grateful for the opportunity to get Taylor the help she needed.

Which thought and feeling do you think contributes to our health and well being?

Here are a few things I enjoy doing to stay focused on financial well being for less stress and more peace of mind

-Open 2 savings accounts. Name one your "giving account" and the other your "wealth account." Every time you receive money, place 10% into each of these accounts. This way you are saying, "yes, please" to your own financial health and well being. And you are stating an intention and commitment to having more opportunities to give to the people and organizations you are aligned with. It feels SO good to support others. Allow yourself to experience that joy on a regular basis.

-Consider having a weekly money meeting. Choose a regular place and time and stick to it. Remember, we also express our intention and commitment in the way we spend our time. Committing to a consistent money meeting will give you an opportunity to be very open, honest and authentic about your fears, doubts, resentments and money stress. And it will give you a space to celebrate and express gratitude for your money joy (through journaling or dialoguing with your partner). This is a time to do practical tasks, like balance the checkbook, discuss the budget, pay the bills, etc. You wont need to stress about all the tasks all week because you will have already set aside time. Put it on your calendar and keep it there. If you are in a partnership you will want to invite him or her to this meeting. Co-create a safe space to openly discuss your beliefs about money. It may be helpful to establish some communication guidelines.

You may discover that you have some resentments, fears or concerns about the way your partner is spending money. Talk lovingly with each other about your intentions and commitments behind the spending. Try to understand what your partner is really voting for. You may find that spending you thought was frivolous is actually honoring a bigger intention and commitment for them. Get curious and listen with an open heart.

-When you choose to pay the electric bill remember you are simply saying, "yes, please" to having electricity in your home. If that is in alignment with your intention and commitment, great! Would it be nice if the bill was a little "cheaper?" Sure, but it's not. So you can either use less electricity or continuing "voting" the way you have been. We don't have to feel like victims in a "crazy money driven world." We can choose to feel empowered and be honest about the choices we are making.

Happy Voting 🙂