As we work to help our clients, mostly actors, begin their
journey towards financial stability and freedom, one of the
first areas that must be addressed is their mindset with
regards to money. Many of us believe, consciously or
subconsciously, that if we aren’t starving, struggling artists,
we can’t really call ourselves actors.
At Abundance Bound we teach that it is very difficult, if not
impossible, to flourish creatively if you are coming from a
place of financial stress and insecurity. Aren’t you tired of
going into auditions desperate to get the job, not so much for
the creative side, but for the paycheck? That energy
undoubtedly affects your performance, sometimes actually
keeping you from booking roles.
The first step to creating significant positive changes in your
finances is honestly examining and shifting some of your
deep seated, negative attitudes towards money. Your
financial conditioning is something that you must begin to
self-manage, be aware of, and correct the rest of your life.
This isn't something that you can check the box and say -
"I'm done, I've arrived." Your psychology will always be
effecting your decision making process along your wealth
building journey. Your conditioning is so much a part of you,
at the cellular level, that you are able to rationalize your
current financial position. . . even though you may know it's
not where you want to be.
We have been conditioned about our money beliefs since we
were young. During the early years of our lives, our financial
conditioning was influenced to a great degree by those who
provided care for us and were influential in our upbringing.
Relative to money and finances, what ideas did our
grandparents have about money? How did that cause them to
behave in relationship to their money - were they big savers,
did they think they couldn't afford things, were they putting it
away for a rainy day . . . or did they believe that money is
the root of all evil? For most they lived through the Great
Depression, which created an entire generation with a
scarcity mindset rather than a prosperity mindset. And,
unless your parents decided to think and behave differently
toward money, you were probably conditioned with the same
scarcity mindset that's passed down through the ages from
one generation to the next.
Another way the generational scarcity mindset impacted our
conditioning is that we were never taught to have
conversations about money - out loud. It was as if there was
some unspoken law that the topic of money was taboo!
Given the fact that we're not taught to live out loud about
money, it stands to reason that we would not be equipped
with the proper mindset or tools to learn, acquire, manage
and grow our financial profile.
Did any of those who conditioned you teach you the very
basics of personal finance? Did they teach you how to
balance your checkbook . . . the proper use of credit and
credit cards . . . the basic use of cash management . . . how
to budget and pay your bills . . . much less even think about
teaching you how to invest or put money away so that it
compounds for you? If you can answer yes to even one of
these questions, you're in the minority.
This month we encourage you to take the time to actually
write down some of the beliefs you have about money.
Honestly examine the list and ask yourself which beliefs
continue to sabotage you. Now, make a second list of what
you would like your thinking about money to be. Start
carrying those lists with you. Stop yourself when you find
your mind on a thought from the first list and make a
conscious decision to shift that thought to one of your new,
empowering beliefs.
Will you be the one who makes the commitment to take
control of your financial education, taking the time to learn
and develop the tools you need to get to the financial place
you want to be? Will you be the one who accepts the
responsibility for changing your negative attitudes about
money and who stops the pattern of a generational scarcity
mindset?
The only way you can do this is to start right now, right here!
In so doing, you create the opportunity to raise your financial
consciousness and, in turn, have the ability to influence those
around you.
The financial technology being shared with you in the
Abundance Bound newsletters and seminars, was created by
Loral Langemeier, founder of Live Out Loud, Inc. She has
been heralded as “the best-kept secret in the financial
industry,” and her pioneering efforts as a financial coach and
strategist have won her the attention and praise of many of
today’s business, financial, and personal development
leaders. For more information on Loral’s products, services
and events, visit our website or call our office at 1-800-768-
0281.
