Imagine getting in a car and pushing the gas and brake pedal simultaneously with full force. The result would most likely be a lot of noise (tires squealing), dust and commotion but very little forward movement.  This is the image that often crosses my mind when I hear people speak about money!

A few weeks ago a client candidly told me she didn’t want to earn “too much money”. This type of comment is not unusual.  I reached into my purse and pulled out a few crisp hundred dollar bills and placed them in her hand.  She looked at me, laughed nervously and then attempted to hand the money back to me.  I insisted, however, that she continue to hold it. After an uncomfortable minute she started crying saying, “I can’t do this.”

I replied, “Just keep holding it and as you do imagine an infinite supply of money coming your way. Picture yourself as a distribution system, receiving an endless supply of money and redistributing it into the hands of those you love and those who need it. For example, you see a woman without enough money to buy food for her babies, imagine yourself pulling money out and giving it to her to buy food. Imagine you see a homeless man sitting under a bridge and suddenly get an impression to pull out your wallet and buy him a meal. Picture yourself moved to tears as you see pictures of children drinking from contaminated water and the joy you feel as you generously place money into the fund that will bring fresh water to a village.”

Once again she said, “I can’t do this and tried to hand the money back to me.

How is it that paper with some numbers and pictures of presidents on it can have so much emotion attached it? There are several factors involved; our family of origin and scripting passed on to us by our family, religion, culture as well as our unique brain-wiring, and personal experience. The issues around money are ones I have spent a lot of time thinking about.  Like Jacob, in the bible,  I had to wrestle through limiting beliefs and scripting until I could be truly free to receive my blessing and Divine inheritance. How about you? Try this exercise.  Carry around $300 in your wallet for a week.  What emotions do you feel, perhaps even at the suggestion?  Jot down them down or leave a comment below.  We’ll address this more in depth in upcoming posts.