Happy Earth Day! Clues from Nature about Guilt and Money
I know it is springtime in the northern hemisphere, but imagine for a moment that it is Autumn. The earth and its animals are preparing for the winter. Squirrels are gathering food and padding their nests for the cold months ahead. Did you know that squirrels can save up to 3,000 nuts for one winter? They also stash them in different places (think diversification).
Can you imagine a squirrel saying “Oh, no, I just couldn't take THAT many nuts just for myself” Or, “If I take all that I need, will the other squirrels judge me?” Or, “Taking 3,000 nuts means I am taking away from other squirrels.” Are they ever punished for taking enough, or more than enough? Do they fear a limited supply? I think all of the answers to these questions are NO. Squirrels, though they don’t have rationale, do have instinct, which serves them well.
This thought experiment can help you to think about your own financial well being. If you KNEW that there was an unlimited supply, would you fear lack or take less than you need because you didn’t want to be judged or to take from others? Not likely. This, my friends, is the beauty of nature. We ARE nature, and cannot be separate from it, even though our big brains might forget or think otherwise. Just like those squirrels, there is more than enough for every person who wants it, who believes it, and who models their thoughts, words, and actions around infinite abundance.
I am here to tell you, in case no one ever has, that you can have guilt free goals and that it’s OK to want more wealth. Wanting more, having more and giving more is one of the best ways any human can be. You can’t get poor enough to help the poorest people. You can’t get sick enough to help the sickest people. However, healthy and wealthy people CAN help the sick and the poor.
To me, healthy financial ambition includes allowing yourself to dream big and to shoot for the moon. To really GO FOR IT, you probably need to shed some of those limiting human agreements and think back to our friends, the squirrels, as they model survival and trust. You have to peel back the layers of rules, social mores and programming that doesn’t serve you. This could take some time, some conversations with people who can support you (like a coach), but it is possible. There are lots of tools to do this and it costs nothing to get started.
I believe in balancing generosity and financial growth, meaning, for every dollar I earn, a percentage of this goes to where I get my spiritual food, and to people and causes I care about. See Our Pledge page for more about how Big Dream Coaching practices this concept. Once you have more wealth, you can ensure mutual aid. You can give back to the system that helped you get where you are.
There is no use in playing small or in pretending that you are a slave to the system. You don’t have to accept what is, when you can get busy creating what can be. Wealth without guilt is your birthright. You are not here to beg and suffer. You are here to express yourself completely and to solve problems for as many people as you can. Solving problems for others is how great amounts of money have been made. Think: seat belts and zippers - who lives a day without those?
Generously giving a portion of your money is a great way to maintain balance and to feel a part of the greater whole. It is a good idea to start that practice now. You can start small, by giving 5-10% of your income, or whatever you can, in ways that make your soul sing. You can save 10% for your retirement, 10% for your education, 10% for play, 10% for long term, large expenditures. Even if you can only start with $1, start now. Put 10 cents in each account and enjoy watching it grow. In order to know what to do with larger amounts of money, you need to start to practice diversifying your money beyond just paying bills. You need to create places for that money to go. This is practicing good money management skills. Just like the squirrels, it is OK to generate as much money as you want, and to store it away for things and experiences you know you want and need. Take a cue from mother nature. You are a part of the bigger picture and you have every reason to believe that there is more than enough for you, too.
“Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.””
