This slideshow requires JavaScript.

This post is my contribution for Trent’s Weekly Smile.

Hi everyone,

Welcome to Money Mondays. For today, we have a real treat!

Below is an interview with Amy Hruby, Professional Life & Business Coach and Founder of Let’s Do This, LLC.  What’s really cool about her business name is that Amy struggled for years with a voice that says “You can’t do it.”  Talk about an affirmation for success!

Amy went from being without a job to owning a thriving six-figure coaching practice.  In the interview, she offers so many gems to check out in our own lives.

The one that really stands out for me today is when she talked about buying into family patterns.  She came from a blue collar family, and her father lost his job and never really recovered from that. There was an unspoken family story of survival, that she needed to live paycheck-to-paycheck and there’s never enough money.

Amy shared how she spent a lot of time looking at these stories and asking herself, “What do I believe?” and “Who am I?”  Amy didn’t want to carry on her parents’ beliefs – she wanted to live in an authentic way for her.  When she did this inner exploration, she found a new direction to live in possibility and experience Spirit as her source to create what she wants.

❤

This got me thinking about my own upbringing and how I may still be living the expectations of my family.  I grew up with a mom who was mentally ill – she had been a concert pianist. Before she got sick, I was living in California with my mom, dad and brother and had a pretty good life.  When my mom and Dad got divorced, we moved in with my Nan across the country.

I was 5 years old, and my whole life changed. I still remember my mom lying on the couch and not being able to work for any consistent period of time.  My Nan went back to work at 65 to help support us.  I remember feeling like a burden to her.  I felt so alone and unworthy of my needs being met.  There wasn’t much money or possibility, or at least that was my family’s story.

I decided never to be like my mom, that it wasn’t ok to rest or not work.  I became uber productive, a straight A student, and did my best to be “in control” of everything.  And, I developed an eating disorder. Funny that in rebelling against what I saw about my mom, I was buying into the story – just the flip side of it.

I didn’t realize until right now that I felt like a burden to my Nan and how much that played into the thoughts and actions I adopted for much of my adult life.

I’m going to sit with this.  It’s a big observation for me. This week, I intend to observe how this old belief “I am a burden” influences my current thoughts and actions in my daily life, and to do Self-forgiveness as it comes forward.

I can start with forgive myself for buying into the old story that I’m a burden, and that it’s not ok to rest or go with the flow in life.  Here we go:

I forgive myself for buying into the belief that I was a burden to my Nan and that I’m still a burden to the people I care about.

I forgive myself for judging myself as needing to be in control and super productive to make money.

Whew!  That is incredibly freeing!  (I can breathe more openly and deeply.)

And, I accept myself as I am. I accept my mom, my Nan, my dad, and the way I grew up. Acceptance is such a key foundation for forgiveness.

❤

Weekly Money Exercise: Self-Discovery

I invite you to join me and observe how your beliefs about money affect you in your daily life.  Last week, you explored limiting stories you received as a child.  This week:

1. Choose one or two beliefs that are meaningful for you.
2. Slow down with yourself this week and observe how this belief impacts your day-to-day life. Describe specific situations, what you did and thought, and what you felt.
3. Accept yourself and all involved. Do Self-forgiveness, if you’re ready. For tips on how to do this, click here or email me.

You may consider starting a Money Journal to record your journey.  It’s an excellent way to anchor your learning and awareness, and it also can provide you with a nurturing space simply to be with yourself.

And watch more of Amy’s story and keys to her success!  It’s pretty fascinating.  She illustrates a powerful approach to money and how she used Self-forgiveness to let go of limiting beliefs … and say yes to opportunities even when it’s uncomfortable.

Click here to listen to the podcast!:

Have a wonderful week! Much loving to all.

Love, Debbie

I’m offering a new online group on Self-Forgiveness and Money.

In the group, we’ll be addressing these old stories about money.  If you’d like to create more of what you want and are struggling with money, this group could be useful for you!  It’s an opportunity to handle limiting beliefs about money for the last time.

To learn more about the Self-Forgiveness and Money Group, email me at info@forgivingconnects.com or click this graphic: