Which ‘money character’ are you?

It’s ironic that as humans we invented money to make our lives easier, but over time it’s become one of the most complex reflections of our inner psyche, of who we are as individuals and of our society.

Seriously though, when you think about it, how many people do you know who don’t have any issues with money? I’m not only talking about the basic issue of not having enough, although this one is the most common one, but also about the myriad of other things that pop up whenever money is mentioned.

I’ve done a lot of work around my own money mindset, as I realized that it was stopping me from really stepping out into the world in a way that I desired and was called to do. Am I perfect with it yet? No, of course not. It’s a process that happens over time, with coaching, and with being an entrepreneur and having to deal with money on daily basis. Am I much better at it now? Heck yeah!

The good news is that it’s easier than you think to change any limiting money beliefs, and free yourself from the shackles J

Just for fun, I wanted to show you some archetypal ‘money characters’, to see if you can identify yourself, or anyone you know, in any of these:

The Cringers – you see their facial expression change, the moment the subject of money comes up. It might be subtle (or not), but they cringe, as if to say “not this again”. Somewhere deep inside they hold the notion that money is the root of all evil, and they’re not going to contribute to the spread of it!
The Avoiders – they never talk about money themselves, and if it is mentioned by someone else, they immediately change the subject, or pretend they never even heard what was said. They’d much rather live in a world without money, and try very hard to pretend it is already so, to their own detriment.
The Spenders – their eyes light up when they think of money. They love money, but it never seems to stick around! They love the glitter that money can buy, ‘saving for a rainy day’…not so much.
The Hoarders – they love money, and they never want to part with any of it…no matter what. They’re like squirrels gathering nuts for the winter…except then spring and summer come…and they’re still gathering nuts. The time to enjoy the fruits of their labour never comes.
The Givers– they’d give the proverbial shirts off their backs, and when it comes to money, they tend to lend money to people who are not very likely to pay them back. Why? Because somewhere along the way they’d been told that they don’t matter so much, and that others are more important. They don’t consciously believe it, but it shows up everywhere in their lives.

The funny thing is that we’re not really talking about money here, are we? We’re talking about something much deeper and fundamental: we’re talking about how we show up in the world, how much we’re able to contribute to the world, how well equipped we are to use our full potential, how fulfilling and satisfying our lives end up being. True?

I believe so. I believe that the work we do to fine-tune our money mindset is far reaching. It is the gateway to fulfilling our spiritual path, which really is the same thing as fulfilling our human potential, our purpose.

Women especially tend to have a much more complex relationship with money, and with our own self-worth. It especially starts to show up in a big way as soon as we start our own business.

I’d love to hear your thoughts here on my blog.

With Love and Bliss,

Julia

P.S. Are you ready to find out more about your ‘money characters’? Even better, your Sacred Money Archetypes? I invite you to apply for one of the 30 minute private conversations with me, normally valued at $197, but my gift to you today! (3 available as of right now). Click on the link below and answer a few simple questions to apply. We’ll let you know if you got one of these coveted spots.

A life inspired: in memory of my Dad.

dad and I 300

As I’m grieving, I’m also remembering so much about my Dad, our time spent together, our laughs, and our tender moments. Here’s one of my favourite pictures of us. He truly was a great guy, and he could make me laugh like no one else ever could. I miss all of this, and I always will. I think people we love always stay in our hearts, even if they’re physically no longer with us.

He wore a lot of different hats in his lifetime: a university professor, a scientist, an author, an activist, an adventurer, a world traveller…I could go on. The point is that he lived his life to the fullest, and I’m so proud of him for everything he’s done.

He’s always been my hero, and I learned so much from him. I wanted to share some of this with you, because it all adds up to a recipe for ‘living a life inspired’, which most of us desire and strive for.

Have the courage to go beyond your comfort zone: You know that saying ‘Life begins right outside your comfort zone’, right? That was definitely my Dad’s mantra, and it became mine, as well. I remember when years ago I got a contract job for the Cayman Islands Government, and was wondering if I should accept it. It meant I’d have to relocate all by myself to a different country I hardly knew anything about, and where I didn’t know a soul. I asked my Dad what he thought, and I’ll never forget his answer: “Well, I can’t tell you if this is the right job for you Julia, but if you don’t take it…you will never find out.” Such seemingly simple and obvious words, but they made all the difference to me. I took the job, because of what he said. It wasn’t an easy move, but also turned out to be one of the biggest adventures of my life! I ended up living in the Cayman Islands and working as a Business Systems Analyst for over four years, and loved it. A couple of months ago I had a chance to tell my Dad how much his words had meant to me. I’m so glad I did. Thank you Dad!

Drop the excuses…and go for it: my Dad has always been a role model for me of how pretty much anything is possible if you want it badly enough. He’s always been an eternal optimist, pretty much to the last day of his life. Nothing was ever a deterrent, least of all lack of cash on hand. My Dad was a master at using credit to his full advantage, and he always paid it back. That’s how he financed our unforgettable tour of Europe for my eighteenth birthday years ago. That trip became the inspiration for my travels later in life. Who knows what my life would have looked like, had it not been for that adventure. Life is so short, and then it’s gone. Live it to the fullest every day!

Take an active role in your community: my Dad was always involved, be it in the student community at the university he taught at, or the Polish community in Montreal. He was a great proponent of democracy, equal rights, integrity, and a fair deal. He was a pacifist, and had an incredible talent for dissipating conflict. He was a humanitarian in every sense of the word, and I am so proud of him for that. He taught me that everyone has a voice, and has a right to use it; that it’s not only our right, but our human obligation to stand up and tell our truth, even if our voice may not be the most popular one. Our world today really needs people who are willing to speak up, who have the courage to do so.

Let your brilliance shine through your work: my Dad never stopped working, even though he retired almost twenty years ago. He always had at least two or three project on the go at any one time. From the new climate change theory, or the new method of playing Bridge, to writing his auto-biographical book, his mind was always actively working. He wanted to leave a legacy, and he accomplished that brilliantly. His interests and passions were vast, and his curiosity endless. His body might have got weaker with time, but his mind remained as sharp as ever. He always impressed me and inspired me with his relentless pursuit to extend the frontiers of human knowledge. I’ve learned that we all have our unique brilliance that we need to share with the world. It’s our right and our obligation.

I wanted to share these few memories of my Dad’s life not only because it helps me grieve, but also because I’d like his life to be an inspiration for others. He would have liked that, even though he was a very unassuming man.

Those who leave us get to live on in our hearts and our memories, as we carry them forward and honour them in this way. They’re not forgotten, and their legacy is not lost. Each one of us is a living, breathing cell of this vast Universe of ours. As an old cell dies, a new one is born, and the memory gets passed on through the DNA. Nothing is ever lost.

Rest in Peace Dad. I love you.