No doubt about it, people are concerned about the uncertain economic times we find ourselves in. More specifically, their own job security, continued business success, and the value of their investment and retirement portfolios.  Everything and everyone seems to be at risk. Indeed, these are uncertain times, and for many people, there is a great deal of anxiety over this economic turmoil. Many people feel powerless and are at a loss to cope. There are however ways in which you can thrive in the midst of all this uncertainty. Here are several simple ideas I would like to suggest you consider that may help you weather the current stormy seas our world finds itself in right now.

Take a media fast.

Don’t listen to the radio, watch the television news or read the newspapers. This may sound a little over-simplified, but the truth is the media amplifies the inherent fear people have in this situation. Most of what goes on in the media is hype and overstatement. The media business is based on creating an overstated, sensationalized point of view. I am not suggesting that the media does not accurately report the facts.  I am simply suggesting that the media amplifies the insecurity of the situation, and in many ways, is a distorted and biased lens that does not support a more balanced and neutral assessment of our current circumstances.  It is far better for you to trust your own inner wisdom about your financial circumstances and not let any outside influences breed more uncertainty in your life. Do yourself a favor and go on a media fast.

Think about others, not yourself.

Uncertainty and fear drives people into an isolated point of view.  A more useful approach is to focus on the areas of your life where you can be of value to others. Find ways to help instill confidence and light into people’s lives. This shifts your energy into a more useful vibration and puts you in a place of wisdom and service. Others will sense your confidence, steadfastness and contribution and this will take the focus off your own worry. In turn, you become a source of inspiration to others and the value you bring to them increases.

Focus on current opportunities and forget the future.

There is no future out there. Everything that is happening is happening now. There is always room, in any situation, for a better idea. Think about how, in your current circumstances, you can create new opportunities to do things differently. You might find any number of things to improve in your present situation that will set you up nicely for when things turn around–which they inevitably will do. You may take this time to learn new skills, develop greater financial disciplines, align your life priorities in a direction that serves you. This puts you in a position of strength and removes the illusion of weakness and powerlessness. There is always opportunity in every circumstance. Your power to create a result resides here and now. Forget the future.

Focus on creating more rewarding relationships.

In uncertain times, it is natural to worry about the commodity of our jobs, products, and businesses. We may put a great deal of worry into how vulnerable and replaceable we may be. In uncertain times, it is more useful to strengthen your relationships with people– your employer, your customer, your family, your community.  By putting energy into the practice of strengthening all your relationships, you will add greater value to the people around you. In turn, the value of what you have to offer the world is increased.

Focus on what is available to you now, not what’s missing.

Uncertainty has a way of putting your focus on lack and limitation.  When things adversely change around us, we tend to fixate on what is no longer available to us. A more useful strategy is to put your focus on what resources are available now. What skills, talents and inspired ideas can you use right now. Resourcefulness is a great discipline in times of uncertainty, and the results prove more powerful when things turn positive again.  You have, whether you know it or not, all the resources within you to prosper no matter the outer circumstances. This idea is very empowering and puts you in a higher state of mind to be inspired to think of better, bigger ideas about creating value. Work with every resource at your disposal and your confidence and faith will grow.

You can’t control anything, don’t waste your precious energy trying.

Regardless of what is happening in the world, you can’t control people, places or things. You can, however, control your responses to the events in your own life. Everything is a choice. Choosing to respond in a manner that serves you is a useful skill. There’s nothing like adversity to sharpen this life skill. In any circumstance, everyone has to make a basic decision: complain and bitch, or engage life with more creativity and ingenuity. It is always your choice. Life will always be full of surprises, twists, turns– it’s always going to be something. Change just is. In the light of your own inspired thought, you will soon recognize the freedom of just letting things outside yourself be and trust that, underneath it, all is well.

Always be in gratitude.

This is the most important strategy you can employ in tough, uncertain times. No matter how bad it is, there is ALWAYS something in your life for which you can be grateful… start with the fact that you are still alive and able to play the game of life! A feeling of lack and limitation cannot exist within a mind that is focused on being grateful. Gratitude is an amazing tool for your best thinking to emerge and your results to transform your life.

Over the past year and half, I have had an on-going issue about Money. I have worried obsessively about earning it, saving it, investing it, and sharing it… my thoughts about Money have been stressful indeed.

After many years of doing nothing but earning Money in my business, I had seemingly lost my compass heading and began to drift aimlessly in my dilemma about Money.  In the life long process of earning Money, somewhere along the line, I got confused and blended my self worth with my net worth. Not good... The less money I created, the less I valued who I am in the world. I believed my influence to create what I desired in life was based in large part on my financial affluence.

In my year of blogging here at the WHC, I have not written a post about money. And in light of these so-called “hard times” we hear about now, the subject of money seems to be on everyone’s minds. OK, so let’s talk about money, money, and money!  What is it– really?  Why is it important?  How do we get and keep more of it?

Let’s start with a prevalent misconception concerning money – many believe that money isn’t important. How many times have you been in conversation with a person who says ”money isn’t everything” or, “I’m not doing this or that for the money”, or “I don’t care about money”?  Well that’s bullshit. Money is important!

Another misconception is the belief that the acquisition of money is a result of good luck or favorable circumstances. More bullshit.  Money is an effect and, therefore, must be preceded by a cause– most notably passionate effort and disciplined action! There is no place in the universe where you can get something for nothing.

At a functional level, Money is a grand organizing principle in the physical world facilitating the basis of both mundane and complex transactions of value between human beings– no news there. Far more important, in my view, is the notion that Money is a powerful symbol and effect of creative thought… money is the exhaust that follows worthy ideas that add great value to people.

It is important to love people, use money… and not get that in reverse.

Indeed, Money is very important and not very well understood by most people. Look around; it’s easy see the global turmoil people create over money.  For an interesting point of view on Money, you might read Wallace Wattles' "The Science of Getting Rich". Don't let the title turn you off.  I know the internet is bloated with self-help-get rich quick crap... Written nearly a century ago, Wally offers some fascinating insight into unusual principals of money and wealth creation.

Everybody wants to be rich, but so few of us really know what “real wealth” is. For most of my adult life, I had been clueless myself.  My beliefs about money, had determined the quality of my relationship with money. In my case, I knew how to create it, but struggled to keep and grow it. There’s an old saying in the investment world “money goes where it’s treated best”.

Our thoughts and beliefs about money determine the direction and quantity of its flow. Money needs to believe we are a solid investment if it is to grow in our lives. And if we don’t believe we are a solid investment, why should Money?

Not to get too deep into physics here, but everything in the universe is, at its basic form, energy. Energy is always coming in and out of form. Existence is literally floating in an ocean of energy. I like to call this “the goo”.  On the quantum level, this goo is a “thinking substance” essentially waves and particles, or formless potential.  Quantum physics further suggests what one desires to observe (a wave or particle) becomes what is observed. By now you are asking yourself “what’s this have to do with money”? Well, everything! What comes into physical form is determined by the thought energy one injects into the goo. When it comes to money, many people unconsciously put these thoughts into the goo:

• There’s never enough money.
• Rich people have all the money.
• You got to have money to make money.
• I’m not good with money.
• People with money are just plain lucky.

Our beliefs and paradigms about money are simply a reflection of the beliefs we have about ourselves. If we have programmed into our subconscious mind to believe we are not valuable, our ideas not worthy, our circumstances too impossible, money believes it too! Few of us pause to think deeply about this idea. What you think into the formless goo naturally comes into form as the circumstances of your life. How much or how little Money shows up in your life is a reflection of how much or how little you think about your value to others. You must begin to realize that the present state of your bank account, business, social life, relationships, health and well being is a physical manifestation of your previous state of mind.

Your experience of poverty or abundance is a result of your thought.

Everyone worries about money from time to time. I‘ve learned from my own personal experience worrying about the lack of money is the absolute guaranteed way to continue to experience having less of the stuff.  The higher truth is we are always surrounded by abundance. Nature knows no failure or lack of anything. If one is determined to create more money in life, one must begin to have greater awareness of the unseen forces that respond to our every thought.

I would like to suggest that if you desire more money:

• remember your life’s purpose– the reason you are here in the first place. Commit yourself to following that path by adding your gifts to the world.
• create a magnificent vision – a clear mental image of what you want your life to look like. Write it down as your “ideal scene” and read it daily, hourly if necessary.
• be in love with your worthy ideal, hold the image of it in your creative imagination.
• make a plan, set some goals and take daily action toward the realization of the clear mental image of your vision.
• never allow the evidence of your current circumstances in the physical world to overpower your belief  that what you desire is on its way to you.

If you really take the time to think this through, (as I did) you will begin to realize that everything in the physical world was at one time a formless thought–an idea. All accomplishment in life begins with a worthy ideal– a formless idea.  We would not have air travel if flight were not first an idea in the minds of the Wright Brothers. Apple would not exist if it were not a formless clear mental image in Steve Jobs mind. And so it is with you and your worthy ideal.  Visualize the Money you desire and feel yourself in possession of it now. This is not merely a mental exercise, but a powerful tool for you to use in the creative process of bringing into form a worthy idea that adds great value to people. Indeed, one must always provide greater use value than is received in cash value if you want to experience being a powerful money magnet.

Exact laws of creation govern the universe–and so it is with the creation of money.

And one more very important key to creating money– regardless of how much is currently noted on your bank statement, be grateful! Whatever that amount, it could be less or none at all… be grateful for everything in your life. It is impossible to experience poverty, lack and limitation when your thoughts are laser-focused on gratitude.

Money in and of itself never made anyone happy and fulfilled… just more comfortable. Money is to be used, circulated, released, and never hoarded. Money is a servant and you are its master.