What’s Yours?
Last night I met with friends and listened to a conference call on the topic of “Rewriting Your Money Story,” that was led by women’s health expert Dr. Christiane Northrup and her business team. It’s a topic not always openly discussed but relevant to all of us because money issues are always about so much more than money.
We all have our own history – our story – about the role of money in our lives and it shows up in places beyond our bank account. It impacts whether we view the world as a place of abundance or scarcity. It shows up as issues of power in our relationships. It trickles into our definition of self-worth. It often creates division and judgment of those who have it and those who don’t.
Our money stories also show up in the body in predictable ways; in the pelvis area (for men and women) such as low back pain, sexual and reproductive issues. I remember hearing Caroline Myss say that “our biography becomes our biology,” and this is certainly evident in money stories. Dr. Northrup discusses her experience of this in her book Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom.
As someone who developed a “not enough” mentality growing up, I can attest to how subtle and pervasive our money story can be. It affected how I thought and restricted me in ways I never recognized until I started to explore and change it.
That’s the good news – we can rewrite our story! We can learn to experience money (regardless of the amount) in a different way. In a way that promotes feelings of gratitude and abundance, rather than fear and restriction. We can let go of feelings of shame, blame or guilt we may have around money. And without that emotional charge, we can feel free.
So how about you? What’s your money story? If you’ve never thought about it, I encourage you to grab a partner or a friend and share stories. See what you discover. And then rewrite a story that sets you free.