True Wealth and How to Give Generously without Impacting Our Financial Bottom Line

We are now in the season of giving. We may have hit the Black Friday sales or scouted the Cyber Monday deals. We put our list together for those we hold near and dear to exchange a gift for those we hold within our heart. 

Some of us love the process of shopping and some of us find it a chore. For some it may trigger real stress both from the thought of the financial strain and the worry about how a gift may be received. We all have our own relationship with this giving season, and we can each find our way to honor those we care for in our own way. 

There is a lot of talk and news about the economy that builds on financial worries we may feel. We each have our own money story, the relationship with finances that we grew up with in our family. We may have bought into our parent’s money stress. Now is our opportunity to create a new story around our wealth and the varied ways we can give to others to honor our heart connection. 

Facets of Wealth are partly what we have in the bank and the amount of available credit on our cards. What else fuels our attitude of gratitude about our wealth? 

1.     Health is number 1 on our wealth list because our health makes the biggest impact especially when we lose our health. Losing our health can stop us in our tracks. 

2.     Happiness has to do with the amount of peace of mind we have. What is your happiness factor from 1-10? 

3.     Intangible Wealth includes our actual money, stocks, bonds, bank account totals. This value may fluctuate. Having financial reserves translates into having more energy reserves physically. 

4.     Tangible Wealth is the most determinate in that it typically holds its value over time and includes silver, gold, jewelry, valuable art, tools and real-estate as some of the things in our possession with value.  

5.     Knowledge: all our talents, skills and abilities that we can use to support ourself and share with the world. Make an “inventory” list of your talents and skills that are uniquely yours. 

6.     Non-resistance to Change and Stress. How we deal with change and stress is key because our resistance to change is a big one that can “rob” us of our energy, our health, and our peace of mind. It’s our resistance to change that contributes to our poverty mindset. Having Stress Mastery tools and practices brings the wealth of non-resistance in the form of internal energy resources and access to our creativity. 

7.     Managing our debt load is essential to our wealth. Debts that are reasonable like our mortgage or what we can pay off on a monthly basis to care for our needs. 

8.     Measure our Self-worth in all arenas where we engage with others in terms or our time and our skills, gifts and talents. Measure each arena from 1-10 how you show up with the key people in your life is part of your wealth. 

·      With your family 

·      With the people you work with 

·      With your friends 

·      With your community groups (church, yoga, club groups) 

Now that we have explored some key facets of wealth, we can measure our true wealth beyond what is in our wallet. If we look at all the ways we can give to those we care for in our life or those we feel committed to in our lifestyle. Here are some ways we can give that won’t stress our wallet. These are some ideas of how we can give to others through Acts of Kindness. 

The following Acts of Kindness can be done in any sequence: 

·      Random Acts of Kindness: pay attention to the unexpected opportunity to give to another spontaneously. Welcome the opportunity to give an act of kindness and accept the boost of energy. 

·      Focus on your creativity: what can you give that is an expression of your artistic genius? Do something for someone that only you can do, or in a way that only you can do it. Accept the joy of being within your natural self. 

·      Offer care that is substantial, tangible and physical. Get your hands dirty or do something physical. Offer your skills, talents or resources that others are not able to do as an act of kindness. Keep it simple. 

·      Assist another in their learning process. Sharing what you know with others increases your measure of self-worth. 

·      Give to the environment to make a difference, picking up litter, planting a tree to restore beauty and harmony. 

·      Support your community with volunteer work will gain from your time and energy investment. 

·      Take decisive action and participate with an issue where justice is at stake. Dare to do something that requires courage and you will gain depth in your character. 

To re-wire your money story you can shift your attitude about true wealth when you align with how many facets of wealth you are able to hold within yourself.

To shift your approach to your money story you can practice being in flow with your energy resources coming in and flowing out through the abundance of “tithing” your time and talents, skills and abilities to share with others in your world. 

Trusting to be in flow with your energy and your money is essential so we can be both receptive to the influx of wealth no matter where it comes from or what it looks like beyond the currency of cash as well as generous in our giving remembering that a heart gift is about the connection and not about the price tag. This is how we can start to forge a new relationship to wealth.