| My teleclass this month is titled:Money has Changed: Adapt Now!Now, in some ways that's a deceptive title, for money hasn't actually changed.How could it?Money is, after all, just a symbol, a construct, a tool.Money isn't capable of changing. Sure, money might feel different from the way it did even six months ago.But what has really changed is how it works in our world now.Before we talk about how that change affects you today, let's talk about a bit more about the inherent nature of money. Money isn't causative, it's reflective.Think about that for a moment.Money doesn't actually make something change; it reflects or reports the change.That's actually the beauty of the stuff.It tells us what's going on.We look at the Income Statement and the Balance Sheet of a company to tell how it's doing.Is it profitable?Do they owe more than they can pay back?How healthy are they? It's really important to get this distinction, because as long as you somehow think money is at fault for something, you'll be wasting your efforts trying to change the nature of money.In reality, what you can change is the reflection that your money creates. So what exactly has changed?On a big scale, the stock marketing is down, housing prices are lower, mortgages are harder to get, jobs are disappearing.All these changes are reflected in money.Retailers are doing poorly because people are being more conservative in their spending, which may be reflecting a general fear and concern.Interest rates at banks are low and credit cards are high, which reflects that the economy can't continue to "work the float".Working the float is what banks used to do when they would not credit your account for a deposit you made for a week or 10 days.They would "work the float", meaning they would make interest on your money during the hold period.In a way we have all been "working the float" but for much longer than a week!Many of us have used credit cards to buy today things we didn't have the money to pay for.Sounded like a good idea at the time, but as the amounts amassed and the interest rose, somehow all those little purchases became the debt that would never end.And that, too is reflective.Yet money didn't make that happen either.We did, and we did it with how we used the money. We all need to start looking into our Money Mirrors and seeing what our money is actually reflecting.What do you see in yours?Perhaps there is credit card debt, or an adjustable rate mortgage that is jumping.Perhaps your employer is downsizing.Yipes!Pretty scary stuff! In just a moment, you'll want to start thinking about how to create a Money Mirror that reflects what you truly want.But first we need to detour over to the place of how you might feel about where you are.It's important to stop here, because those feelings keep you from making good choices.So let's look at them.Maybe you are angry-really angry!Maybe you are sad, or disheartened, or feeling guilty, like somehow you should have known better.These are all important feelings to notice, to give voice to, and then to set aside so you can think clearly. You got where you are by making the same choices that most people made.You went with the ideas that were floated by the institutions that lend the money.They said things would always work out and that it would somehow all be different later on.You were optimistic and trusting.Maybe you just pretended that it would all be okay.All of that, and more, contributed to your money thinking. If you're not sure which reflections are true for you, take a look at your money.It will tell you in its ever reflective way.Money itself has become the symbol of success.Wealth is the measurement we look at.Unfortunately, the external representations of wealth may be covering a precarious house of cards.In that vein, your house may be gorgeous and impressive and your financial statements riddled with holes and danger. As we all face the economic changes, we need to be more conscious of what kind of wealth is our true goal.What do you want your Money Mirror to reflect?Personally, I want mine to reflect the same things I want my relationships to reflect.I want my money to be reflective of stability, security, comfort, and ease.In addition, some other money oriented words that work for me are practical, smart, and strategic. Of course, there is one important issue with the idea of having your Money Mirror reflect your true values and wealth.And that issue is that you'll need to spend time looking in that mirror.You'll have to create a consistent habit of noticing what your money is reflecting, and pay attention to your actions around money.Maybe that's the worst thing that the past economy allowed us to do: ignore our money.You could just ignore it for months on end.It would still be amassing and reflecting, and if you didn't look, you wouldn't have to see it. Those days are gone.You'll actually need to be consistently looking and seeing what you do with your money.No more ignoring.You simply can't anymore.And you will have to make some choices about how to change the reflection.Some of those choices may be tough.I did a sample session not long ago with someone who had $80,000 in credit card debt.She was paying the minimum payments of $2,500 a month, and the debt was continuing to mount.With that system, she will never get out from under that debt.It's not possible.At the 30% a year that the debt interest has leapt to, she's paying about $500 a month toward the principle.That means it would take her over 13 years to pay this down.Her Money Mirror has a reflection she needs to change.Ignoring it will keep her stuck where she is, or possibly drifting into an even worse position.She will need to make her own choices.It's likely that whatever she chooses will have some struggle and conflict to go with it.What would you do?What are you doing?What are the choices?There are choice, there always are.She can negotiate different rates, she can investigate bankruptcy.She can even make the choice to keep doing what she's doing. Hopefully, your Money Mirror doesn't reflect as drastic a problem.You can, no matter what the circumstances, start changing the reflection today.Right now. This does not mean you have to become an accountant, or buy a green eye shade.It just means you have to pay attention to your Money Mirror. You will want to learn how to understand what your Money Mirror is reflecting.You will want to ask more questions, and get more answers before you make money choices.You will want to be smart and strategic.You'll want to make sure that your money reflects your goals, your desires, your values. Let's look at an example for a moment.Suppose one of your goals is security. What does security really mean to you?What are the elements of security?Is it a big house?What if you can't pay for that house?What if it's a stretch every month?Is that secure?What if the mortgage is going to double or triple in a year?Is that secure?What would secure really look like?Answer that question for yourself, and then start creating the actions that will produce that kind of security. It's about looking deeper into the mirror and discovering your true reflection.What do you want your Money Mirror reflection to look like?Get clear and start now.If you'd like some extra support around this topic, join in on this month's teleclass.Together we can all make money reflective of the world we want.
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