Mastering Money: Being happy with what you have vs. wanting more

[zenjen]

Hey everyone,

I feel as though my relationship with money isn't that bad, but it could be better. I drive an old car and live in a rather small apartment with a roommate, but for whatever reason it doesn't upset me in the least. I pride myself in not being envious of others who have wealth, even though I don't have much myself. Currently, I feel I can afford most of the things I want and so I really don't spend much time thinking about money. I guess you could say I live a comfortable life, by my terms.

However, I was just reading a chapter in a book about manifesting money and realized I probably have some limiting beliefs about making money, considering I don't make a whole lot. I guess my question is how do you balance being happy with what you have and wanting more money-wise? I realize now that there are a lot of potentially great things I could do if I had an abundance of money, such as helping my parents with their retirement and being able to pay for my very own house.

Is there anyone on the forum who makes good money/has a good relationship with it who could provide some advice? Tips to overcoming limited beliefs around money? Any books about making money that you highly recommend?

Thank you!

Edited December 8, 2018 by zenjen

[aurum]

1 hour ago, zenjen said:

I pride myself in not being envious of others who have wealth, even though I don't have much myself.

That's good, because if you're envious of people who have wealth you're subconsciously telling the universe "I don't have money". So keep that up.

However, I'm sure you know from your manifestation books that the first key to bringing something into your life is clarity of desire. You have to let the universe know what you want, or it can't bring it to you.

So if you don't think about money and don't really want money, it shouldn't be all that surprising that you're not rolling in cash. You tell the universe "I don't need money" and the universe says "okay".

Think about getting fit in the gym. If you really just don't care about getting fit, it will never happen. At some point there has to be a desire which actually prompts you to start hitting the treadmill.

So I think your issue is very common with most spiritual people. They keep saying "I don't need money, I don't care about money" and then they obviously end up not having any.

1 hour ago, zenjen said:

I guess my question is how do you balance being happy with what you have and wanting more money-wise?

The key is the second part of manifestation, which is feeling the emotions that your desire is already here. Practice everyday feeling the gratitude for the money that you don't yet see in your experience. Visualize having it and feeling amazing.

1 hour ago, zenjen said:

I realize now that there are a lot of potentially great things I could do if I had an abundance of money, such as helping my parents with their retirement and being able to pay for my very own house.

Yes you nailed it. Having money is not just about you, it's also about everyone around you who is going to benefit when you move into abundance. Keep that intention. When you want for the whole and not just for yourself, desires come faster.

1 hour ago, zenjen said:

Any books about making money that you highly recommend?

You'll probably like Money: A Love Story  by Kate Northrup.

[zenjen]

2 minutes ago, aurum said:

So if you don't think about money and don't really want money, it shouldn't be all that surprising that you're not rolling in cash. You tell the universe "I don't need money" and the universe says "okay".

@aurum This is a great insight!

I feel like I should get clearer on my intention to make more money now and start looking up about how much I'll need in order to get the things that I desire, that way I have some sort of goal instead of just thinking "I want more money". I notice the more clear I am about my vision, the more likely it is to happen.

 

6 minutes ago, aurum said:

You'll probably like Money: A Love Story  by Kate Northrup.

I'll look this up now, thank you

[Manjushri]

“It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor. ”

- Seneca

Figure out how to stop being a wage slave. More important than having lots of cash. + what aurum said

 

[zenjen]

@Manjushri I'm not sure exactly what wage slavery means. I know Leo has an episode about it though, so I'll give it a watch.

[XYZ]

Many have said that being unhappy and discontent with your finances is the main motivation to make more money. Along these lines being happy with what you have is actually a limiting mindset, it's complacency within your comfort zone. But finances, like relationships, you don't have complete control over, even if taking 100% responsibility for them is virtuous, you can't always get what you want. Everything in moderation, including moderation. It would be great if you would be just as happy if you won the lottery or were broke and homeless. But so too, it is in everyone's best interests is we constantly push out limits, get uncomfortable and unhappy about staying in the same place, to hunger for more giving and receiving of abundance.

[zenjen]

10 hours ago, XYZ said:

But so too, it is in everyone's best interests is we constantly push out limits, get uncomfortable and unhappy about staying in the same place, to hunger for more giving and receiving of abundance.

@XYZ This is good advice. I've probably been too complacent for too long in this area of my life. I think it's finally time for me to get a little uncomfortable with where I'm at currently and start pushing for more.

Edited December 9, 2018 by zenjen

[Chase Ellfeldt]

My strategy is "Take care of what you have now and if you do a good job then you will be given more"

So if you have an extra $100 and you manage that money correctly then y you will be rewarded with more. 

Then the system repeats. (Read the book - The Richest Man in Babylon) Very easy, actionable advice.