What's Your Money Conversation? - Christine Kane

Jennifer was a student in my Uplevel Your Life Mastery Program. One whole week of this program is devoted to Wealth Mindsets. And during our group coaching call, I asked Jennifer about her Money Conversation.

“Money Conversation?” she asked.

I told Jennifer that your Money Conversation is what you tell yourself about money at any given moment on any given day. Usually, it’s happening in a lot more given moments than we ever imagined possible.

I asked Jennifer to take the coming week to actively and consciously notice her inner Money Conversation.

The next week, she showed up on the call with one statement:

“Wow! Am I f#%ed up!”

Everyone laughed.

She went on to share that her thoughts about money were constant.

“Constant!” she shouted. “At my office, at the grocery store, pulling up to the gas station, meeting my girlfriend for dinner. It’s scary! I always tell people “˜I’m not that into money’ but I obviously we can now all see that THAT’S not true!”

I congratulated her.

After all, awareness is everything. And being aware of your “Money Conversation” is the best place to start. Most people don’t even realize how many thoughts they have about money and wealth (or lack thereof) day in and day out.

When you drive four exits away from your house to get gas because it’s 8 cents per gallon cheaper. When you mumble “Bite me” to the guy who passes you in the BMW – but you don’t notice when the woman in the Ford Focus speeds by. When you longingly walk by the tulips at the grocery store but don’t spend the extra $10 on yourself because you “can’t afford it.” When you hold your breath as you’re logging in to on-line banking.

Like Jennifer said: It’s constant. Surprisingly constant.

So, what good does it do to pay attention to your Money Conversation?

For starters, when you begin to tap in to that conversation and add a level of consciousness or awareness to your Money Conversation – something magical happens: You stop being a victim of your thoughts. You move away from the place where thoughts just happen – and into a place of creating new possibilities.

Now, it doesn’t mean you rush out and buy the tulips and get your own BMW. (After all, that’s just reacting to your thoughts!)

But you can catch it and slowly turn it around. I suggest people begin simply. Once you hear your Money Conversation, stop. Take a breath. Ask yourself: “Do I want to create the reality that this belief or this thought is bound to create?”

If the answer is No, then ask yourself very kindly: “What would be a better conversation to have here?”

And then, slowly, start to turn your Money Conversation around. It will feel awkward and like a lot of work at first. But this is a process. And it’s the start of a whole new way of being with the money that is an inevitable part of your life.

10 COMMENTS ADD A COMMENT
  • Jessica

    The question you end with (“What would be a better conversation to have here?”) is one I’ve been asking myself a lot lately–not specifically about money, but about anything that little voice has to say. It’s been really amazing what a difference it makes to, instead of going with the thought, to just take a step back and ask myself how I might make the conversation a tiny bit more supportive.

    You’ve just inspired me to take a closer look specifically at my money conversations–thank you!

  • Martina

    Here is an update to my money drawings:
    in the very same week as I draw the million dollar bill a guy who is putting together an educational video asked me wether he can use one of my jazz drawings( http://martinawald.wordpress.com/2010/02/27/flotistin/ )in the intro of the video – of course he wants to pay me. Wow. big thing. This is my first illustration job with payment.
    In the meantime I continued drawing money (euro bills, not posted yet)and than a woman showed her interest to buy some of my daily drawings. Drawings which I never intendet to sell because I made them to promote my drawing teaching skills only.
    Than: Yesterday I answered a question in a blog ( http://www.journeyjuju.com/2010/02/dream-trip-giveaway.html ) where would you go to travel if money would be no obstacles. Enthusiastically I outlined my dream journey and this morning I overheard a conversation next to me in my favorite coffeeshop where people talked about their plans for an upcomimg journey to My dream destinations. 🙂

  • Andrea

    Ask yourself: “Do I want to create the reality that this belief or this thought is bound to create?”

    Thank you for this question (above). I am going to print it out big and put it in my office, bedroom, car, and bathroom. It applies to more than money thoughts.

    This essay also relates in a big way to the recent e-newsletter Christine sent about Clutter. I realize when I look at clutter I see the money I spent (or someone else spent) on things and not whether it is useful or delights me.
    Thanks for this post.

  • Suzanne

    Too much of my time lately is spent wondering whether my money is going to last until the next deposit into my account. But one thing I do make sure to do each time I write a check is be grateful I have the money needed for that bill or item. To remind myself that I am exchanging money for a service or basic need, instead of just sending it off to some money pit in some corporation, I write in just above the “Pay To” space on the check the word “Gladly”. So I am gladly exchanging my money for heat or food or some other thing that keeps me housed, clothed or fed. For some things that I am extremely grateful for I write “Gratefully.” I don’t know if anyone ever reads this – except once in the grocery store when the young clerk asked if I had written “Gladly” on my check and then looked at it as if she wasn’t sure she should accept the check because I had added to it – but I do know the energy of my gratitude flows with my money. And I firmly believe that makes money flow back to me.

  • Charlotte Rains Dixon

    I think mine might be, I’m running out, I’m running out, I’m running out….but I say think because I’m not sure. It is one of those thoughts that is buried deep. And I know that simply acknowledging has so much power, so I’m going to start paying attention and find out for sure.

  • Christine Kane

    Great drawing Martina!

    Kim – Wallpaper of our brains — what a great image.

    go elaine!

  • Elaine

    Wow! I’m going to start listening to my money conversations. I know they’re in my head a lot at the moment. I’ll start turning this around today with a better feeling thought… Thank you! This REALLY helps.

  • Kim DuBois

    Great article, thank you! We are so unaware of the constant chatter that goes on in our minds, I like to call it the “Wallpaper of our Brains”. (In fact that’s the title of my blog!) We get so used to those negative thoughts and beliefs, and if we never take the time to pay attention to them, we may never really be aware of them. And as you pointed out, the results can be quite surprising once we do pay attention.

    Love your blog, and thanks for this much needed reminder!

    Kim

  • Martina

    recently I got very aware of my moment to moment money thoughts. With every cash out now I send friendly thoughts.
    I remembered that I start to love things when I draw them, the connection than is so intense. So I got the idea to draw money.
    I started with the 1,000,000 bill that came with the Uplevel Your Life Programm.
    here is the link of this post:
    http://martinawald.wordpress.com/2010/02/21/eine-million-dollar-schein/
    Drawing this was great fun. I think if I want something in my life it is a good start to know how it looks like. (smells like, feels like…)