What your money blueprint is and how to change it, Published on The Cusp, August 2016
Being good with money isn’t just about saying no to bright shiny things that you want and need, now, now, now. Being good with money is a state of mind – a feeling of being cool with the ~it’s complicated~ status between you and your bank account.
Money comes and goes. You earn it, you spend it – they designed it that way. There are times when you’re comfortable money-wise, and times when you’re not. According to T. Harv. Ecker, author of Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, how you react to the fluid circumstances of wealth is all determined by your money blueprint.
Your money blueprint is essentially how you have been programmed to respond to money and wealth throughout your life, beginning in your childhood. Every time you heard your parents spout comments like “money is the root of all evil” or “money doesn’t grow on trees” and then subsequently seeing them make it rain at the shopping centre on a Saturday, you were being imprinted with beliefs around money.
These beliefs form your blueprint – they impact your approach to cash and your attitude towards wealth, and permeate through to your spending habits and general financial attitude today. The trickiest part is you likely aren’t aware of your beliefs or habits, because your money blueprint is deep-rooted and subconscious.
No matter your money blueprint though, changing your money mindset and spending behaviour is only a few thoughts away. Here are some ways you can re-program your thinking around money.
Wealth is about so much more than money
If your desire to be wealthy stems from a negative or insecure thought, then it won’t make you happy. This one seems obvious enough but how often do we really listen to it? With Instagram feeds full of #goals and Yeezy always launching new kicks, it’s difficult to not get caught up in thinking that material objects will make you happy.
Money is an abstract concept. Economies change, currencies differ, and inflation happens. Rather than let the stress of financial goals take control, learn to find fulfillment elsewhere. This will take the pressure and anxiety away from your finances. Spend time on your hobbies or with family and friends. Energy and time spent on personal endeavours will give greater rewards than an afternoon of mindless spending and next-day buyer’s regrets.
You can actively think in ways that support your success and financial goals
Whatever your attitude toward money, you can make yourself more financially confident by adjusting your outlook and thoughts towards spending and saving (kind of like how we all made ourselves enjoy the taste of kale and green juices). Thoughts lead to feelings, which lead to actions, which then leads to you being able to look at your bank account without covering your eyes first, afraid at what you might see and then slamming your laptop shut.
Support your positive attitude towards finances by changing your approach towards financial flow: money enters bank account; money leaves bank account. It’s the circle of life. We have to pay for things in order to live. Understanding that wealth is fluid will encourage savvier spending choices and remove unnecessary negative thinking and stress.
Nothing has meaning except for what you attach it to
Just like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so too is the meaning and value of money. OK sure, there’s the basic price tag of living that I just mentioned, but beyond that, wealth and success are entirely subjective.
How you view your finances and monetary goals can be completely curated according to your personal brief. Don’t care about the latest fashions but want to spend money on nine-month trip around the world? Only you have the power to ignore financial trends that you don’t consider important and choose where your money goes. And that’s a pretty powerful thought.
Worth every cent.
Change comes when you actually make a change
Toxic relationships are the worst. It isn’t cool to surround yourself with unsupportive nay-sayers who only bring you down, so why have that relationship with your hard-earned cash? Phase out the toxic and start implementing money habits that promote your success and positively shape your money blueprint.
Start with a small positive change. Are you spending too much on Menulog and complaining about how broke you are? Or do you feel sad about the size of your bank account and then drop $300 on a new pair of sunnies three days later? Adjust your thinking and make healthy financial choices. Ride out the negative emotions when they appear and try to keep your self-destructive spending habits in check. Whatever change you make, keep at it until it becomes a habit. Habits become values, and eventually you will relish seeing your bank account with eyes wide open.
If this still doesn’t work, find yourself a money role model to learn from and inspire change in your habits. Financial planning groups such as Lumix Wealth conduct workshops and mentoring for women looking to manage their financial blueprint and make healthy decision for their wealth that are positively reflected in their personal life. If you’re are looking for a total champ to look up to, read about James Altucher, a self-help guru who went from needing $100 million to be happy to owning only 15 things.
Try to be mindfully aware of your money blueprint and see how your relationship to your savings and spendings are influenced by those around you – if you can do that, then you’re bound to keep the money-relationship drama at bay.