The topic of money affects our emotions, beliefs, and behaviors. Whether we have enough, need more, or are indifferent can impact our overall financial status. The most important thing to know about this topic is to be self-aware of your own feelings and actions and how they impact your wealth.
How do you feel about money in general? Does your brain repeat common beliefs like “Money doesn’t buy happiness.” Does money scare you or excite you? Do you feel like you don’t deserve to have money? Do you feel entitled to having money? Is your ego focused on how much money you make?
There is no right or wrong answer to any of these questions. What your inner thoughts are about money can subconsciously influence your ability to earn more or keep what you have.
What are your current behaviors towards money? Are you a spender or a saver? Your behavior may be driven by your beliefs and emotions. If you’re not happy with your behavior toward money, there’s an opportunity for you to change the relationship you have with money.
Henrik Edberg, author of The Positivity Blog, has a number of useful suggestions for how to stay positive, 3 of which your favorite Orange County bookkeepers would like to share here:
- Find the optimistic viewpoint in a negative situation.
Henrik asks himself questions such as, “What is one thing that is positive or good about this situation?” There is always some way to come up with a good answer to this question, even if the answer is: I’m going to be so happy when this day is over.
- Cultivate and live in a positive environment.
This is one of my primary rules in life. Your environment always wins. If you hang out with unpleasant and sullen people, you will become unpleasant and sullen. If you work for a Machiavellian company, you will eventually operate in a Machiavellian manner. Try surrounding yourself with positive people so that a more constructive environment will influence you.
- Go slowly.
Most anger is impatience in disguise. The faster you act, the more likely you are to lose your temper or do something rash. It takes patience and willpower to remain positive, calm and coherent in the face of difficult challenges.
Once you can bring your beliefs and behaviors into your awareness, ask yourself if they are serving you or hindering you. You may want to find some sort of happy medium that fits your needs. Everyone has different circumstances, but if you can change your beliefs and your behavior towards money, then you will see a change in your ability to meet your financial goals.
The ultimate goal is to be content with the relationship you have with money. Everyone is different, and that is OK. You have to be you! But, if you’re not happy with the relationship you have with money, there is opportunity for you to do some work in that area. Please feel free to reach out to your favorite Orange County Bookkeepers for any help or advice.
