Hi everybody!
Welcome to Money Mondays. This is a weekly post to explore how Self-forgiveness can assist you in releasing old stories about money and stepping into greater financial freedom. I’m offering an online group starting May 4 on “Self-Forgiveness and Money”, so this is a great forum to play with techniques that we’ll use in the group—and contact me if you’re curious about doing the group (there are 3 spots left!)
As part of the group, we’ll be choosing a financial project to complete over the 3 months. I don’t know about you, for me sometimes making change can feel unsettling! So for this Money Mondays, let’s talk about doing the little things to take care of YOU. Each time you do something to take care of yourself, it gives you a solid foundation for making change.
Here are a few questions for you:
What is one thing you can do right now to improve your health and wellness, e.g., sleep 8 hours, eat a solid breakfast, exercise 3x/week, etc.?
If you did this action on a consistent basis, what would you be experiencing in your daily life? (Bonus: How might this help you with your project?)
Is there one step you’re willing to commit to at this time? If so, write it down and track it this week.
I encourage you to sit with yourself in the next day or two and journal your responses to the questions above. And if you’re ready, take one action regularly this week to nurture your health and wellness—let your love guide you. Share what you do and your results with me if you want to!
Self-care practices are a powerful way to support you in creating what you want. Eating well and consistently, exercising, taking time to be still….these are all things that give you energy. Plus, they send a message to yourself that YOU matter. That you are valuable enough to put first. This is a direct application of self-love and can transfer to how you care for yourself financially.
I do a lot to talk care of my own health and well-being. Over time, I’ve built up an inner awareness of self-love with the simple acts of self-care that I do.
This wasn’t always the case. For many years, I had deep challenges with nurturing myself. I had an eating disorder for years, stopping only in my 30s. Even now, I watch myself engage in behavior that doesn’t support me physically, not to mention financially or emotionally!
A good example of this is with the timing of when I eat. OK, so this seems simple, right? Does anyone else put off eating? If so, why?
For me, I sometimes still think that eating is the only way that I can soothe myself when I feel scared.
I do this because I have an old belief that food = love. (Just like money = love.) This belief pops in when I am making a big change, such as leaving my job like I am now, and feel unsafe or tell myself that I can make a “wrong” decision. So I put off eating dinner until 9:30 or 10pm at night.
What happens when I do this is that I get low blood sugar and I don’t think as clearly as when I eat earlier.
Even with these the down sides, this behavior served me for many years, because it was the only way I knew to love myself. I didn’t know the power of Self-forgiveness to see that I am worthy of love. That I am safe in my own caring for myself.
Last night, for one of the first times, I ate dinner early, before I had a meeting. I was a little messy with it all, as I hurriedly finished right as my contact was calling.
And I did it!
How I got there, best I know, is the combination of taking action (so that I am placing my focus on what’s true for me) and forgiving myself. As I took steps to create more of what I want in my life, I forgave myself for judgments I placed against myself—for buying into the beliefs that love is outside of me, and that I can ever do anything “wrong”.
A part of me is still catching up with that experience of self-love, so that I know that no matter what happens, I love myself. This knowing is now helping me feel safe enough to eat dinner at a “normal” hour, i.e., healthy for me.
And it’s a one step at a time process. For a long time, I used to put off eating breakfast, with the same results. I consciously set a commitment to myself to heal this and expanded day-by-day over many months. Now, I eat before I get too hungry and am rock solid in my breakfast practice. 🙂
The key thing in all of this is to slow down enough that I give myself love. This simple act of self-care is doing that, it’s saying I LOVE MYSELF. And, a lot of “I love myselfs” over time add up inside to a direct knowing that I am valuable.
This morning, I made myself a delicious greens drink. With a big smile on my face!
This experience of self-love is a big resource for me personally to step into greater financial freedom, because it gives me energy and awareness of my inherent value and a creativity that comes with it.
I leave you with that for this week, and with a gorgeous quote from one of my spiritual mentors, Mother Teresa:
“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” ~Mother Teresa
Have a wonderful week!
Love, Debbie
**This is my contribution for Frank’s photo challenge Sacred and Trent’s Weekly Smile – thank you both!**
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If you have a project that you want to work on, or if you’d like help to practice simple Self-care tips, I invite you to reach out to me. We can talk about what you want and how to take consistent action over time to succeed!
Email me at info@forgivingconnects.com or click on the graphic below:
forgivingconnects.com 
Dear Debbie, wish you a very joyful and fulfilling time with your online group. The most profound shifts often come when we are willing to change how we do the most trivial or minute aspects of how we do things. I agree with you on cultivating conscious choices in our daily living.
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So true, Pragalbha!! It’s the small changes done consistently that make such a big difference, right?
The group is going to be wonderful. It starts this coming Saturday, and each participant signed up so far has an INCREDIBLE project to work on. One person from Nigeria may be attending—we are still in conversation about it.
Thank you for commenting—you add such wisdom to my blog. I love it and am sending you blessings!
Debbie
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This is a great post of self love and financial planning so we can set ourselves free. I love it, Debbie!
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Thanks, Miriam! You got the essence in a nutshell. Many people don’t put together self-love and finances, and boy the combo can make a difference in our lives. There’s a book called, Money: The Great Mirror of Consciousness, and it reminds me how what we do with money, we often do in other areas like health and vitality. So much available with the power of Self-forgiveness.
Bless you, Miriam. Much loving to you.
Debbie
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Yes, Debbie. finance is not an easy subject to talk about. Many people have no choices for many reasons.
Blessings and love, Miriam
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I like how you’ve used questions as prompts to reflect on and suggest taking ample time to really give them some thought. Sometimes we can be so rushed with things that we perhaps don’t give enough gravitas to such important areas of our live that we need to address, and self-care is vital, especially as it’s often the last thing we think of when we’re busy doing other things. I’m sorry you also struggled with self-care and eating disorders; my own experience of the latter has taught me a lot, and the thoughts and routines we can get into as a result can be incredibly hard to move away from. I see it as a constant work-in-progress, as is self-care in general. You’re right, it’s one step at a time. And for what it’s worth, I think you’re doing brilliantly, Debbie ♥
Caz xx
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Caz, thank you! You have such a caring way of writing, do you know that? ❤
And, I love what you said about being a work in progress. It's so compassionate. I was talking with a group today about Self-forgiveness and how each step is gift to learn and open to love.
Blessings to you. I emailed you to set up a time to talk. Let's set it up whenever you're ready!
Debbie
ps – YOU are doing brilliantly, Caz.
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