The power of thoughts...

I think I'm finally "getting" it.  I've been trying to learn how to use my thoughts to effect good changes in my life.  I've read, watched, and listened to commentary on how this works.

You can harness the power of thought and use it as a tool to tap into the power of the universe. 

Does this all sound a little hokey pokey to you?  It did when I first heard about it.  "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne was my first introduction (a good one if you like the mystic and mysterious).  Then came the book "As a Man Thinketh" by James Allen (good for those who are more practical).  And finally "The Jackrabbit Factor" by Leslie Householder (good for everyone, a must read).  I was truthfully skeptical and uninterested at first.  But as things kept coming along it all started to ring true.  And now that I'm a serious student (meaning I am working at applying the principles in my life) I am getting really excited!!

I feel I am finally understanding this stuff.  And the funny thing is ... I was doing it all along!  I just didn't know it.  I thought something AMAZING would happen.  I mean the power of the UNIVERSE, at work for me should feel different, right?  Here's what I've learned.  Join me.

Our continuous thoughts about ourselves and the world around us make up who we are and what our life is like.  Those thoughts turn into beliefs and that is where the power lies.  Power for good or ill.  Let's get started.

First, think of something you want.  What I want for example is: a clean and orderly house, a body that is in good physical shape, to be out of debt and financially secure.  Think about something and the more vivid you can see and feel it the better.  Be specific.  Focus on how it would feel to have things the way you want. Close your eyes and dream.

Second, write it down.  Write what you want and focus on the positive.  Ok, now get a pen and paper and start writing.  Did you do it?  If you did continue on, if not, go get a paper and pencil and get started. What do you have to lose?  Imagine yourself going and getting a paper and pen...now that you thought it, go and do it.

Third,  reword your wants to make it sound like you have it all ready, focusing on the positive.  For example: I want to help others would become I am helping others.  I want to be debt free would be I am flourishing financially, or something similar.  you don't want to focus on the "debt" because it's associated with negative and would end up bringing more debt.  Your actual written wants should be more specific and detailed. The more details the better.

Fourth, post it where you can see it and refer to it often.  That's it.

This will start to change your beliefs about who you are.

What kind of person we believe we are = what we get in life. 

Whether we like it or not, our circumstances are a direct reflection of who we think we are.  By doing this little exercise you will be changing your beliefs about yourself.  I have had a REALLY hard time keeping my house clean and orderly.  Suze Orman, in her book "Women and Money" clearly stated that a women of wealth is a clean and orderly woman.  Her statement "your car is not a trash can" really hit home.  I was embarrassed.  I knew I needed to do something about it and had been trying.  I was looking for a program to follow.  A cleaning guideline.  A tool to help me clean.  Looking for something to buy to help motivate me.  Are you getting this.  I was looking for some kind of external motivator.  I would try new things and some things did help but none of it was the solution and if it did "work" it didn't last.  I'd find myself right back at the start again (mountains of dirty dishes, no clean clothes, house destroyed). I was getting very, VERY frustrated.  It was my beliefs that needed to change.  Subconscious or not I believed that I just wasn't good at cleaning the house.  I believed I wasn't the sort of person that could organize.  I did these steps and unknowingly changed my beliefs. And it didn't cost a thing!  Once I had internalized what I wanted I began to CHANGE.  This is where the power came: it came from within!

It's really a gospel principle: Faith.  More on this Universe power later, maybe much later. All this deep thinking is giving me a brain ache.  I'm going outside to play with the kids.  Let me know what you think and how your own experiments with this are going.

 By the way, this wasn't an overnight change.  And all the reading, buying new cleaning "tools," and looking into programs and "how-to" guides did help. But it wasn't the solution.

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On Forming New Habits

I've read "Women and Money" by Suze Orman up to chapter 5.  Chapter 5 is the first part of her five month plan to get you on top of your financial matters.  So what comes before she finally has us dig in and start shaping up our finances?   The groundwork: us!  Here's my summary of Suze Orman's book up to this point.

Chapters 1 and 2- A summary on women and the "dysfunctional relationship" we have with our money.  Yes, I thought that being happily married made me immune to dysfunctional relationships but I guess not. I am guilty!

Chapters 3 and 4- These chapters deal with the emotional traps we can find ourselves in.  She also shares her own compelling story and stresses the "need" for women to face financial matters now, so they can get them in order before they have to deal with them on account of situations later.

Chapter 5- This is where I would like to focus.  It's about BECOMING a women of wealth.  She stresses 8 qualities that we need to develop if we are to be wealthy individuals.  I must define wealth here.  Wealth in the sense of having a high quality of life.  Having "x" amount of money, as we all know, will not solve our problems and bring joy and happiness.  We need to have "arrived" already and then it will help us to do more.
This chapter is all about becoming the women we were meant to become.  To do this requires us to change.  I know, change can be hard.  Here are a few resources that I've read that have really helped me to develop new habits and believe that I can become an amazing person.

"Flaxen Threads" by Carlos E. Asay.  An awesome speech on habits and how to form new ones.
http://speeches.byu.edu/reader/reader.php?id=6811

"As a Man Thinketh" by James Allen. A classic book on thoughts.  Short book packed with great info.

"The Jackrabbit Factor" Leslie Householder.  An allegory on making money.
You can download a free e-book at: Jackrabbitfactor.com

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Why a finance blog

Hello everyone.....

Well, I'm turning over a new financial leaf this year. Knowledge is power and I'm completely in the dark on my money matters. This is partially because It's all so overwhelming, and partially because we (my husband and I) live paycheck to paycheck and I'm unsure of how much we do/don't have at any given time, making it "scary" to know the truth of the matter. So...I've been avoiding it all. Yes, it's terrible but true. I haven't been facing my finances because they are scary and I don't like them.

This year I am on a financial journey to make that change. My goal is not only to learn how to manage my money but also to learn how to SAVE it and THRIVE yes THRIVE with money matters. Right now it looks impossible but who am I to know, right. I just told you I know so little about finances I don't even know how much money I have in the bank right now. I'm completely in the dark and we have 10 days left until payday. Yet, I have consistently been telling myself it's impossible to get ahead and barely possible to keep up... and I've believed it!! Well, not any more. It is impossible if I keep the same bad money habits and keep avoiding the subject, but if I follow good advice of great people and start learning and DOING then I believe it is possible.

My first step was to buy a book. Yes, I love books. It is called "Women and Money" by Suze Orman. It's been very inspiriational and is going to be a great road map to follow as I learn how to do what I'm not doing and do it well. She puts it all into a 5 month plan. 1 step a month. I can do that. If it takes a little longer to get a step down that's ok too. As long as I do it.

Here's where you come in. I'm inviting you along for the ride. Take this journey with me and we can help support one another.

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