Struggling with Prosperity?

I teach the law of attraction in my workshops. The law of attraction is that like attracts like; you attract what you think and feel about. The one change that most people desire is more prosperity. Typically they want to have more money, be financially independent, to stop struggling with finances.

Many of us have been practicing the steps to attract more prosperity into our lives. We try to think less about the lack of money and more about what we already have and is coming our way. We practicing feeling more positive about money. We practice receiving and having gratitude for everything that comes our way.

I've found that three key areas trip people up when dreaming of prosperity.

1. We are unable to receive the riches that come our way, openly without negative emotions.
2. We do not truly believe that we can have wealth and financial independence (whatever that means to you).
3. We are spending more time thinking and feeling about the lack of money than about the abundance that is everywhere.

Here are a few tips to help you over these humps.

Receiving

Receiving is very easy for some of us and almost impossible for others. It all depends on your personality, your upbringing, your values...in other words, your limiting beliefs. Some of us have "rules" around receiving. We can receive some things but not others. We can receive in some situations, but not others. We can receive from some people, but not others. It is very helpful for you to analyze and explore what is keeping you from receiving.

I have found it helpful to keep a small notebook and simply make a note when I realize I am not receiving. Some times it is after the fact, sometimes before or during. Just write the situation down and what you were thinking or feeling when you accepted or rejected something offered. After a few days or weeks of this, look at your notes and see if there is a pattern. Can you identify an underlying belief that is hindering you from receiving? A common one is: I don't deserve it. Another is: I will be seen as needy or weak or inferior if I take this. Another might be: I am self-reliant; I don't need anyone to give me anything. Or possibly it's something totally different. What is it for you?

After you have identified what the underlying limiting belief is, you can start to counteract it by doing affirmations, journaling about it, doing art around it, doing a dream board showing you receiving, EFT or other techniques. Then practice receiving. Ask those who typically might give you something, to call you on it when you are not receiving openly, gladly and gratefully.

Beliefs About Money

A lot of us simply don't believe we can be rich. I see this in my workshops. When I ask what are your dreams, and ask them to be bold and think big. Someone will say "I want to make $1000 a month" or I want to have $20,000 in the bank to start a business. If one is dreaming, why not $100,000 a month and millions in the bank? Some of us have trouble even imagining it. We simply can't draw that picture in our heads. We get embarrassed, feel crummy, feel angry or sad, call it a silly exercise or greedy to want more. As long as you can't believe it, it will not come your way. We all have a money set point. It is the amount at which we feel totally comfortable. And we all have beliefs that frame the way we perceive and receive money.

Look at your current life finances. What is in the bank? What is your income? Look at this over time. Is your current situation the best you've ever had? The worst? About typical? Try to get an accurate picture of what your money set point is by looking at the most money you've ever made and had. How does this make you feel?

Challenge yourself to expand your setpoint by 25% this year. If you've never made more than $40,000 a year, challenge yourself to believe that you can make $50,000 this year. I'm not asking you to work harder or take a second job. I'm asking you to open up your thinking and feeling to accept and feel positive about a higher number. Play with it until you feel more comfortable. Play the "what if" game. What if you had $100,000 in the bank, how would you feel? Play with the numbers until you find an amount that makes you happy with no unease, embarrassment, and negative chatter in your mind. Then work on expanding it gradually, incrementally, a little at a time. Very few of us are able to jump from $1000 a month mentally to $1,000,000 a month.

Feeling Positive

And lastly, even though we've been practicing being more positive and feeling more positive, it may remain difficult to think and feel positive about money. Especially if you lack it and need it to live! Doing the step above about your money beliefs will help this. But ultimately you need to have more positive thoughts and feelings about money than negative. This comes about through focus, spending your time on exercises to make the change and on practice.

You can change your thought patterns with affirmations specifically focused on money and prosperity. You can change your thoughts and feelings by using EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). Journaling about money may help. Using trigger techniques such as: (1) having a large bill in your wallet at all times will reinforce in your mind that you DO have money or (2) leaving a few dollar bills around your house reinforces that money is everywhere. Even fake money works if it looks almost real. When you notice that you are feeling cranky and thinking lack-full thoughts about money, it works best to not fight or resist it. Simply acknowledge it and move to something else. Maybe think about the fun trip you are going to take in the summer or your favorite park or music. Whatever can get your body humming again. Keep practicing and the positive thoughts about money, abundance and prosperity will come more often.

Let me know if any of these ideas helped you. Are there any that you will try? Please leave a comment.


All content copyrighted, 2006, Life Unfolds and Mary Anne Fields. All rights reserved.