It’s Time to Conquer Your Money B.S

Being in the African bush - in the heart of South Africa and what makes this beautiful country so unique - I feel the energy of my birthland, my soul home, and thoughts, memories and feelings flood my senses.

In my previous chapter of my wealthy life, I was living in Paris… BUT South Africa is the place where I feel most at home, most connected and also the most raw.  Driving around the city I am confronted by the contrast of the haves and have-nots. Street hawkers trying to sell their wares to drivers in gleaming new BMW’s, Ranger Rovers and Mercs. Glass clad skyscrapers reflecting the image of acres of slums and squatter camps. Magnificent homes hiding behind high walls as commuters line up outside in long queues to catch minibus taxis back to the townships.

I notice some of my old crappy money beliefs and my newer way more empowering beliefs about the nature of money, financial independence, equality, wealth and abundance rising up to say hallo and have a merry dance. 

Old stories of guilt and fear mingling with hope, joy, gratitude and excitement.

It occurred to me that I see people struggling financially in France, the US, in South America, the UK, India – there is poverty and struggle in many places. 

Why is this the situation and how might we change it by shifting our own perspective to one of true abundance?

The Beliefs of Our Tribe: The country and family into which we are born deeply imprint our earliest relationship to money. For most people, these beliefs follow them to their graves – unquestioned, unchallenged and unchanged trapping them into the paradigm of what they believe is true – even when it isn’t.

In India, there is a caste system, with the Brahmins at the pinnacle and the ‘untouchables’ relegated to the slums. South Africa’s caste system was based on the colour of a person's skin, and even within that there were and still are many complex layers within the broad dividing lines. Layers based on tribe, language, education and gender. Numerous barriers still exist to a person's advancement based on these dividing lines, many are external, but a significant proportion are internal barriers, based on beliefs.

Going up north to one of the poorest regions of the country – Limpopo – to visit a charity I support, I met women who are incredibly grateful to be in a position, thanks to a micro business they have created, to have shelter, feed their family, educate their children and survive another day on less than US$70 a month.

I also met women who, despite all odds and old poverty paradigms, have burst through those barriers creating thriving businesses providing financial independence for themselves and expanding the wealth consciousness of not only their immediate circle but their entire community by the changes they have made in themselves.

What are the cultural beliefs about money in your family and tribe? 

Do they serve you?

Here are some of the money beliefs I come across around the world:

• Poor people are noble and rich people are deceitful, immoral, mean, and manipulative.
• Poverty is totally your fault.
• You can trust people with your money.
• You can’t trust anyone with your money.
• Poor people are lazy. Rich people are hard working.
• Poor people are hard working. Rich people inherited it, stole it or made it by exploiting others.
• Don’t try to keep up with the Dlamini’s.
• You’d better keep up with the Dlamini’s because you simply aren’t clever, pretty, thin, rich, or funny enough. Now, buy this product and all your problems and you will finally be one of the In-Group!
• Money is sexy.
• Money is evil.
• Investing is complicated.
• Investing is simple.
• Money is energy.
• Money is made up by evil manipulators.
• Money doesn’t grow on trees.
• I love money.
• Money is a burden.
• You have money because you think abundant thoughts.
• The amount of money you have measures your worth.
• No amount of money can measure your worth.
• Investing supports nasty big companies
• You can’t trust the bank
• You should only put your money in the bank
• Investing is dangerous
• Not investing and making your money work for you is dangerous
• All debt is bad
• Some debt is good

Obviously, I could go on for days with these contradictory beliefs. This is where it starts get interesting.

Your current financial situation – good or bad – is a direct reflection of your relationship with money and the underlying beliefs you hold about it.

With the rising popularity of the self-help world, NLP and other behavioral sciences there is popular talk of ‘creating your own reality’ and ‘attracting abundance.’ There is some truth to this. The thing is, what most people create is the ‘reality’ of the dominant culture they are exposed to. One of our greatest needs is to belong, to fit in, and so we align our beliefs to the dominant tribe we want to be a part of.

And your true abundance is in the unique expression of YOU and you generously giving all of your skills and creativity to every situation you are in. Money is the result of putting all of yourself, your creativity, skills and gifts out to the right audience and that audience giving you money in return. Simple.

Some of that money, well respected and nurtured, can then be allowed to stay in your life, reflecting a healthy relationship and understanding of its power to create whatever you believe it can create. It can be saved and invested, it can be put to work in business, it can be used to change lives and contribute… so your creative efforts can continue to create value for you long-term.

Money isn’t something you deserve or don’t deserve. Money is something you generate, create and expand. You might inherit it, marry into it or win it but I’ve found luck is a pretty poor wealth strategy.

You can think and believe whatever you want about money. Your relationship to money is as unique as your fingerprint. It’s your relationship to either abuse and fight or to value, expand and understand.

Your relationship with money reflects your beliefs about money and wealth. Financial struggle or financial freedom is the result of this relationship.

If you are not where you want to be in relation to your wealth, it’s time to conquer your Money Belief System!

Huge conquering love, 

Ann