Money and Empowerment - Powerful Woman

"Relax! Your money is not your life! It just feels that way sometimes." Sark Women are starting to explore money in their lives now more than ever. Money is beginning to flow into more women's life as we become visible, we become independent. Women have had a long history of scarcity and shifting this is profound. Women today own most new small businesses. Money can be such a mystery. We need to be able to study its energy, accept abundance and also learn about the gifts of not having money. The dance of money can be all encompassing, energizing, or draining, a curse or a lesson.

Often, women are dependent financially, and afraid to upset any money balance they may have achieved. I believe women deserve to be financially compensated for childcare and household management, if they chose to be "stay at home moms". I grew up with a mother who grew up with money and a father who was a holocaust survivor. This created interesting money issues for me. I know how to be generous or frugal, and have a lot to learn about the "middle". Historically, women are frequently in a fog about money...the detailed issues of investing, savings, tax planning and estate management are "for someone else to do." The more responsibility women take for their financial lives, the more money will be available to them. As my business has expanded so have my challenges of financial planning, investing and spending. When I was in grade school we got the message that girls weren't good at math...so I wasn't.

Women are just as smart about money as any man, and just as deserving to have a lot of it. Our talents and energies deserve financial reward! Over the past two generations women are staring to believe they deserve it.

I was taught that it was selfish to want too much and wrong to ask for your needs to be met. So, I grew up minimizing my needs and feeling guilty for my wants. According to the Law of Attraction the world hears and responds accordingly. I suggest to women, educate yourself about money. Read books about money and investments, join an investment club, keep a money journal to learn about your patterns, habits, successes and weaknesses.

Make friends with money!

Stop speaking negatively or fearfully about money, and most importantly be grateful for whatever you have. Focus on your feelings about money and give yourself positive affirmations to practice daily. " I am wealthy on the inside and channel money to others: give money away with no strings attached, give money anonymously (the energy increases without your ego involved). Accept money, accept gifts and stop saying "oh I don't need anything" Allow others to give you a gift and respond by graciously saying "thank you". Don't feel like you have to give something back. Create new "income streams" that flow without your direct involvement. Money can be fun, mysterious and invigorating! You can create money! Sit with your feelings about money. What are your financial dreams? How does money scare you? How can money help you? What can you learn about money? We weren't taught enough money lessons, especially not about creating money in healthy, innovative ways.

It is OK to be financially successful! I have realized that my basic needs are simple, my wants are complex and my vision for the world is huge and costly. How to join a "money group"?

* Find women who are interested and open to exploring money in their lives.
* When, where and length of time
* Make a time commitment
* Keep a money journal

You are a Powerful Woman

How does that feel? Do you embrace it or push it away? We are endowed with power by our very birth and then shy away from the knowledge and acceptance of it. What are we afraid of? I think it is important that as women we study power and what it means to us. The dictionary defines power as: "having the ability to do, act or produce, great ability to do, act or affect strongly; vigor; force; strength. Power means to me:

* Standing strongly in my own center and living from my heart.
* Honesty, wisdom and strength

How can we increase "healthy power" as women? Information is powerful!

Consider:

* Spiritual power
* Intellectual power
* Physical power
* Financial power
* Emotional power
* Healing power
* Love power

When I think of powerful female role models, I think of Eleanor Roosevelt, Oprah, Princess Diana, Maya Angelou, My mother and grandmother, Michelle Obama, Barbara Bush, Rabbi Gaylia Rooks, Rosa Parks, Mother Terresa, (there are so many powerful women!) Who are your role models? In what ways are you like them? (different) What do you admire most about them? Women think of powerful or "power over"? Do you think of power as domination and having control over others? As women we need to redefine power. It is time for us to create power, be visible power and accept power.

Living with money and living without money.

The Law of Attraction I have lived both with and without money. The lessons I learned were invaluable.

Here are some things I learned about living with money.

* Money doesn't solve all problems. It makes some things easier and some things more difficult.
* When you have money, others may need or want some and then you need to decide.
* Money can act as an insulator and separate you from others.
* People can get jealous and judgmental about your money and how you choose to spend it.
* Living with money, can cause fears of living without money.
* Hoarding, cheapness, extravagance, poor planning call all sabotage
* Money guilt can occur
* You might have money and your friends might not. How would that work out?
* Sharing money can be more complicated than it seems
* Money is really fun and can provide outstanding environment. What happens in those environments is up to you!

Living with money responsibly

"How to Practice Guilt Free Self Care in Times of Stress"; to download Janie's report visit http://janiebehr.wordpress.com.