What happens when we no longer have money problems?
Everything will be great, right?
After all, when we see people who are financially secure, it’s easy to imagine that all their problems are solved.
But that’s rarely the case.
Life is complicated. And problems – as well as opportunities – come in all shapes and sizes.
In fact, in many ways, money might be the easiest issue to deal with. That’s because money problems are tangible and measurable – making them easy to define and address.
They’re fundamentally math problems.
Yet they’re important ones to solve, as staying embroiled in money problems distracts us from solving the deeper problems present in our lives…
For example, moving past our financial worries frees us to focus on…
- Relationships. Whether a relationship is with others or oneself, it can become much more complicated than money issues. Everyone lives within their own complex subjective universe, and a relationship is a meeting of two unique worlds. Bringing an attitude of kindness, curiosity and playfulness to our interactions with others is essential to knowing and enjoying our connections. But it’s not simple; it takes energy, devotion and perseverance.
- Living with integrity. This is one of the most important ingredients of a truly successful life. But living with integrity requires continually exploring who we are, what we believe and what we value… avoiding the security of preconceived ideas… and being curious about what’s true – within ourselves, with others and in the world.
- Our contribution to the world. This may be through our work, our involvement in our communities, or our relationships with family and friends. Whatever form it takes, it is essential to creating a sense of deep satisfaction in life. But contributing takes conscious effort, self-reflection and deliberate practice over time – and is filled with all the complexities of relationships.
- Our spiritual life. This can be a rich source of meaning and fulfillment, whether it’s through involvement in our religious faith or other practices. But this is also a lifelong exploration, sometimes into unknown territory.
These are just a few areas where problems, challenges and opportunities occur that are not at all simple.
Remaining absorbed in money troubles can keep us from wrestling with these more complicated problems.
So it might be worth imagining what life would be like if you weren’t continually absorbed in trying to pay off your credit card debt or scrambling to make the next month’s rent or mortgage payment.
What if you were truly out of the woods for good when it came to money? Sense the relief and imagine the possibilities… and then take an honest look at what you’d be tackling next.
Consider…
- Would you need to be more conscious in your relationships, maybe confronting some hard choices or facing emotions or behaviors that may feel overwhelming?
- Would you need to become more conscientious in your daily life, recognizing how you avoid looking at some of your own habits and learning to self-reflect more?
- Would you feel regret about things you have or haven’t done in your life, letting the pain of those regrets guide you toward being more active and engaged in your life now?
- Would you be faced with a sense of emptiness spiritually that you’d need to explore, perhaps requiring studying or engaging with your spiritual life more intensively?
You know what they say, though, ignorance is bliss…
You might not want to know these things as clearly as you would need to if your money problems were not taking up all your time and energy. But it’s much better to know and face them than avoid them.
To solve any problem, the truth has to be our friend. By knowing what we’ll be faced with when we are no longer consumed with money problems, we’ll be able to prepare for them.
We’ll need to find the courage to look at them, face them and deal with them honestly. But we don’t have to solve them all at once. We can tackle these issues the same way we do any other significant problem. How? Bit by bit, in bite-size chunks, over time.
Take a couple of minutes to imagine what you’ll be able to focus on when you’re not overwhelmed with money problems…
Once you’ve looked at what would be next on your agenda – and you feel ready enough to accept the challenge of dealing with them when it’s time – you’ll be ready to engage more effectively with your money.
If you’ve been overwhelmed in your relationship to money, you may be delighted to feel just how much serenity you can find once you take charge of your financial life.
Especially if you’re ready for what comes next.
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