Mindfulness and Money

 Have you ever thought that being mindful will benefit your relationship with money?

Mindfulness helps support us in so many ways in our lives. It helps keep us present, conscious and in the moment.

 Have you been in moments where your mind is racing and it’s hard to stop it and you start to go down the rabbit hole of complete self-sabotage because of your money situation? It’s so common. You are not alone.

 Do you make impulsive decisions with money and wonder what even happened? Do you remember what even happened and how the decision was made? Most of the time you will not.

 90% of the decisions we make are already made for us. They are stored in the emotional part of our brain and we don’t even think about it. Our neuro pathways in our brain take over and the next thing we know we have indulged in a behaviour that we have been trying to change.

 Our emotional brain is also what regulates fight, flight, freeze or fawn in our nervous system. 90% of the decisions are being weighed with the response that is happening in your body. Your body is automatically responding without us even being aware of it.

 If you have suffered any sort of trauma with money or even without money this is also weighing on how you are making decisions. This might be a hard message to receive but it might also support you in wondering why you are making the decisions you are and help you in making decisions going forward.

 Mindfulness is key to helping to connect with your decisions and being in the moment instead of our emotional brain and nervous system making the decision for you. Supporting yourself through working through things with a therapist, counsellor, somatic experiencing practitioner etc. is also very helpful and will help support you through this journey.

 One of my favourite books that I recommend on this subject is The Body Keeps Score by Bessel van der Kolk. Our body holds so much. Taking care and understanding this is so helpful in your recovery overall.

 When we practice mindfulness, we are able to step back and remain present. It does take practice and time. Unfortunately doing one meditation and wanting to change everything is not realistic. It is a daily practice. It is one moment at a time.

How can you practice mindfulness? Here are some examples:

• Meditation
• Yoga
• Deep breathing
• Practice gratitude
• Check in with your body, how is it doing today? How are you doing today?
• Set time limits with phone use
• Connect with your senses, what are 3 things you can see right now? What do you smell? What can you touch?

What are ways that you can be mindful with your money?

• Take 3 deep breathes before going into a store
• Spend intentionally - make a list of what you need in a store and stick to the list
• Meditate before doing your spending plan for the month
• Track your spending
• Connect to your emotions when you feel an impulse to buy something, what is really going on? Why are you feeling this way?
• Have a 24-hour rule if you are feeling an urge to buy something, don’t purchase it and navigate the emotions for 24 hours to see if it is something you really need
• Pause and see if the purchase you want to make is a need or a want, if it is a want then why?
• Gratitude journal with money, what abundance are you experiencing?

 These are a few ways to start to really connect with your body and mind when you are making decisions with your money. When we are present and have our eyes wide open with our money it starts to pay us back, literally.

 I truly believe our relationships with money and the energy that we put into it will connect and our abundance mindset with money will start to bloom. When we are going through life with our eyes closed with money, we start to feel shame, anger, resentments and negativity surrounding our money. This energy flows through us and we are stuck in a vicious cycle.

 Money needs us to be specific and present to help us make clear decisions.

What are you going to do today to be mindful with your money?

Certified Money Coach©

Financial Recovery℠ Counsellor

Certified Professional Recovery Coach

She Recovers® Coach

www.lindaparmar.com

Have you listened to my podcast yet?

 I recorded an episode specifically on staying present with your money! Listen to the episode RIGHT HERE! Please subscribe and review if you love it 💓

I also have a facebook group that is for women just like you on your journey with money. It's a beautiful place to connect and be inspired with your money. Join the group right HERE! I would LOVE to see you there.