I actually borrowed this image from the website http://weirdfortunecookies.com/. My fortune was on the list, believe it or not!The owner of this website wrote, "The question, of course, is whether you should have to pay for your meal after getting this." That made me chuckle.
What is your relationship to money? Does flow like a river or spout out of the ground like an endless fountain into your hands or do you feel you've become a slave to money; that you have to work like a dog just to make it out there?
I'm not sure I'm in the first category, but I've definitely been in the second. I used to feel like I was a machine working away just to make a few lousy dollars and there wasn't any joy in the process.
It's one thing not to have money, but worrying about it is not the answer. Worrying never solved any problems in the world. It's a disease. If you worry about money, you probably worry about other things like your children, the state of the world, the economy, the weather, your health, etc.
People with an endless supply of cash also worry. They worry about who might steal it, what the stock market might do. They worry that someone might try and take it away from them. Some people protect their stash as if they were protecting a child.
It's time to get yourself out of this endless cycle of worrying. Worrying for the sake of worrying is more damaging than the problems themselves. Stop it right now!
I don't worry too much anymore. I thank many hours of meditation and yoga for that. I thoroughly enjoy my life and it's not because I can fly off in my leer jet to a tropical island at the drop of a hat or that my body is dripping in jewels (although visualizing this seems sort of exciting, to say the least).
I realize that the best things in life are FREE! That's right FREE!!!
This morning I slept in a little and my husband made me breakfast. I looked out the window from my bed onto the backyard. The sun was coming up and the clouds turned pink. Birds and squirrels were hopping around in the yard. Pine trees stood in the distance. The sun was pouring in my room. I was so happy to see the sun and it was FREE!
At any given moment you have an opportunity to decide how you want to view your life. I choose to live mine positively and with gratitude for all that is around me. I also feel good when I share what I have with others, even if I feel I don't have much. This is how I live. I wake up and go to sleep feeling POSITIVE about my life and I realize that the things in it that make me happy are not things I have to spend money for...."money can't buy me love."
This has really changed things for me. I feel extremely RICH. By choosing to live with an optimistic view on life, I am finding that more and more opportunities are coming into my life that were never there before.
So next time you are feeling depressed, negative or down on your luck...look around you, look outside, look at your children or your husband, look at your garden or your pets, look at the sun or the snow or a bird or a cloud passing overhead.
Look at the food in front of you or the friend you are with. Look at your hands, your legs, your face...feel the grass, the sun, the water.
Do you realize that all you need you already possess; that everything that is important is right here in front of you?
This is a beautiful post. You are so right that we can take for granted so many things we are blessed with. And being grateful for the things we have is such a mind switcher. I have a nice sofa I'm sitting on right now. Years ago it was a tatty falling apart one with lumpy bumpy bits. Just simple things we can all appreciate.
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful and timely post (again!) Katherine. I like the distinction of it doesn't matter how much money you have, worrying about it (or anything else) too much is destructive. We have our own Financial Crisis going on at the moment, but you are right, worrying doesn't make more money about in the bank, and we have a happy healthy child, beautiful beaches to walk on and watch the sunrise over, a loving family close by.. and these are our true riches.
ReplyDeletei totally agree. I have never worried about money and yet somehow we have always had more than enough to get us by. I give freely and find that it always comes back to me too.
ReplyDeleteJacqui-Yes, I forgot to mention to look at what you are sitting on..even a nice sofa can make all the difference. There are so many things that we have in life that we take for granted. I do this too, but lately I'm looking around the house and at my life and thinking..things are pretty good!
ReplyDeleteQuixotic-so glad that there are such wonderful things in your life even with the Financial Crisis that's going on. Beaches, sunsets, beautiful children..it sounds divine!
Alex-What a blessed life you live and how wonderful it is that you share it with others!!
We are so incredibly rich in this country. We have homes and cars and our cars even have homes. This is more than most people in the entire world have. We have food to eat and can even be picky about what, when and where we eat.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a good post. Yes, I have everything I need and more than I deserve and I am so very thankful.
So true Marla..the fact that we can actually blog in our free time is a luxury. This in incomprehensible to people who are living day by day, hand to mouth. Gratitude for what we have is a big step to realizing that there's really nothing more we need.
ReplyDeleteWhen one goes far enough in the never ending material complusion or far enough in their pain, the only thing left is surrender, and then the treasures of the present moment open up to you.
ReplyDeleteAine
Me again Katherine - I have a pressie for you on my blog, so please stop by!
ReplyDeleteAine-This is so true and a good way to think about it. For many people, the suffering of materialism or pain is so great that they feel there is nothing left, but they do have this moment. I agree with you..this moment is where everything can change..
ReplyDeleteQuixotic-Why thank you...I'll stop by right now and check it out...Peace to you, Kathy
Very beautiful post dear. I too accept it totally. I do a funny thing.....every Friday, I dedicate atleast 8 hours for me and myself.No or little phone or internet.... Pamper me with a long bath, self care, long prayer, one or two good movies, whatever I do on that day should be very elaborate for me:) ... I do it as a therapy and it helps me realize my blessings .Instead of worrying for what I want , I enjoy what I have....well said we have more things to thank God.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful thoughts...we only wish it is equally easy to follow...it is so very easy to forget
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