Like it or not, you and money have a relationship. Like all relationships, this union can be positive or positively dysfunctional.
And just like with people, our relationship with money involves emotions (like guilt) and changes over time.
Do you feel good or resentful when you give?
Think about it for a moment. When you give money, do you feel good or are you resentful? If you find yourself being resentful you may want to ask yourself why you’re giving money in the first place. Old conditioning is often at the core of the way you manage funds, but the good news is that you can change your behavior and start feeling good about how and with whom you share your dollars.
Let this relationship reveal more about you
Money is an insightful tool to help us learn about ourselves and our relationship with others. Here are some tips to evaluate this life-long relationship.
- Pay attention and notice what does or doesn’t motivate you to spend money.
- Be mindful if you are withholding money as a form of control over others.
- Notice how you feel when someone isn’t reciprocal with their money. Does it make you feel unworthy or not valued in their life?
You can also start to pay attention to how people move toward or away from circumstances involving an exchange of money. For example, some individuals who don’t have much never nickel and dime and give freely. Then there are others who have more than enough and don’t share their wealth with anyone. Think about the people in your life and how you feel when you share your wealth with them.
Everyone has a different relationship with money
Giving and receiving are exchanges of energy that occur every day. How you share or don’t share can impact your relationships so it’s worth taking a little time to think about your choices, how they make you feel and to examine your views about money. It’s also worth being mindful around key purchases and what your motivations are. You have the power to change your relationship with money if it’s impacting your connection with others.
There is no golden rule, except to trust your inner knowing.
