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Has the Pandemic Hijacked Your Money Mindset?:How to reclaim prosperity thinking

February 18, 2021 by Jen Leave a Comment

Photo by joel protasio on Unsplash

If your money mindset has taken a toll during the past few months of the pandemic, you’re not alone.

Having to restructure your life around a potentially deadly virus that the entire world is contending with was not on any of our to-do lists for 2020….and we are still not through it.

There are so many ways our lives have shifted that I can’t list them all and you’re living it.

Here are a few specific things that impact our thinking around prosperity during the pandemic. Many of them we’ve adapted to, but they are possibly still influencing our stress level, perceptions, and emotional capacity. (Feel free to skip over this part if you just want the tools.)

  1. Your patterns and habits were interrupted by a threat that seems to be constantly evolving and they haven’t “gone back to normal.” As a result, your primal brain and nervous system are still on some level of hyper-alertness. The “threat” is still present and the details are uncertain. This creates mental, emotional, and physical stress, all while we don’t have the usual coping mechanisms (socializing, gyms, vacations, etc.) to deal with the stress.
  2. At the same time all of this is happening, you are experiencing other kinds of potential threats. Depending on your race, gender, sexual orientation, geography, etc., you may have felt that your rights, safety, health, livelihood are under threat from all kinds of angles based on what has come to the surface and the political climate. The political polarity being expressed bleeds into decisions about masks, vaccines, etc.
  3. Isolation is a big deal for us social creatures. Parts of our brain believe we need to be in a “tribe” to survive. And we simply miss a lot including group gatherings, seeing others without masks on, freedom to travel, etc. Our worlds are smaller, especially the number of people we see without masks on.
  4. If you have children, this has doubtlessly been stressful. Having your children at home during the day in virtual school or sending them to school with a mask on and the limited social interactions are big changes for everyone. And the long term impact is uncertain. This article breaks down the impact on children in the SF Bay Area.
  5. Your work has likely shifted. If you have your own business, you may be struggling or you had to make some kind of pivot. Even if you have one of the businesses that is thriving, growth is also stressful. If you have a job, it has likely changed in significant ways. And if you’re unemployed, that’s a huge stressor in an uncertain market. Our sense of purpose, financial security(and money mindset), social life, and daily routines are all impacted by our work.
  6. COVID may have impacted your health and/or the health of loved ones or community members. You may have experienced loss due to COVID and without the usual options for visitation and rituals.
  7. You have been making countless decisions with unknown factors and changing information, often that impact others, and sometimes at what seems like high stakes. Whether it be as simple as what time of day to go the store, if you should visit your parents, or whether or not to get the vaccine, everything feels like pressure.
  8. Economic shifts have included entire industries shutting down. Certain businesses are growing exponentially. Digital currency is evolving(whether you’re in or out). The lack of consistent support from government (in the U.S. at least) and going through complex bureaucracy for to access what’s available, also add to our stress levels.

Scarcity is not just about money or even money mindset. It is a result of feeling disconnected.

A healthy money mindset, or prosperity mindset comes from feeling connected and safe, not just the amount of money in your bank account.

Prosperity thinking is not about excess, it’s about enough. Scarcity thinking comes from a perception of lack.

“When you make a difference with what you have, it expands. What you appreciate appreciates. You can’t get to prosperity through the portal of more…only enough.”  ~ Lynne Twist, Soul of Money

The entire system of economics depends on “scarcity” at its core.

An economics textbook defines scarcity this way: “Economics is a science concerned with choosing among alternatives involving scarce resources.” In The Making of Economic Society, economist Robert Heilbroner emphasizes this point: “If there were no scarcity…economics… would cease to exist as a social preoccupation.”

The fact that economics doesn’t exist without scarcity is a big deal. It’s an aspect of the basis of our economic system. It’s our job to reprogram our thinking and to evolve our relationship with money & prosperity.

We are in a culture that programs us to believe that constant growth, excess, super-sizing, and having more are the best things ever. As a result, our culture is unsustainable, exploitative, and has a more and more extremely imbalanced income ratio.

The wisest part of me knows this entire experience is a reset. It’s  an opportunity to heal, transform, connect, and innovate. So, onward we go.

In order to access more creativity, resilience, and to transform into the next version of yourself, it’s important that you take exquisite care of yourself and your mindset. Getting out of scarcity and cultivating a healthy money mindset or a prosperity mindset is key in reducing stress. Here are some powerful tools to do just that.

5 ways to reclaim a prosperity mindset:

1- First thing’s first.  Take care of your nervous system. You can only grow or expand to the extent that your nervous system has capacity. It has been taxed for a long time and the layers of stress are underneath and on top of everything else. Check out this article about why you feel like crap months into the pandemic. And do any of the simple, free, and priceless exercises from this YouTube playlist I created for Stress Reduction including short and simple vagus nerve exercises.

You can only grow or expand to the extent that your nervous system has capacity.

2- Nurture an “enough” mindset. Get clear on what you have and what you need. Our “needs” are not just what we think of as basic, they could be emotional in nature.

Do you have enough right now? If yes, receive that and let it be enough. Express gratitude when you feel it.

If you need something, ask any of these questions that get you into possibility: If I had this, where would I look for it? Where would I find it? Who could help? Who would know where to find help? Is there another way to get what I need that I haven’t thought of yet?

(And if you are the kind of person who just said to yourself, “I don’t need anything” ask yourself again and listen to your inner child. See what she needs and find a way to give it to her.)

3- Notice when you see/hear scarcity thinking from others (including the media) and decide it doesn’t have to be your program. If you feel scarcity, consider affirmations such as “Whatever I need comes to me” and “I am more receptive every day.” (Both of these are from Tosha Silver’s book, “It’s Not Your Money.” Find more book resources here.)

4- Reduce “productivity shame.”

“Productivity Shame: the act of regularly setting unrealistic expectations for what you can accomplish, and then beating yourself when you fall short.”— Jocelyn K. Glei

This looks like less pressure and more self compassion. Have compassion for all that you are experiencing. And put less pressure on yourself. This may mean giving yourself more time to finish a project. It may mean asking for, receiving, and giving yourself more support. (Before you hire a coach read this.) Soften your relationship with “productivity” and do what you can for today.

If you want to take it one step further, write a list of your accomplishments (even small ones) at the end of the day. A lot of my clients find this simple tool especially powerful.

5- Connect with friends, acquaintances, and loved ones more often than usual. Reach out to others and connect.

This could be initiating private chats with people you know in a group Zoom meeting…just as you would say hello to them if you were in person. You could set up a weekly accountability/support call with a colleague.

Or it could simply be doing a video chat with family members when you would usually just talk. Just take it one step further than you have in the past. It pays off for you and others.

Nurture your nervous system, your money mindset, and your connections and you will have more capacity to create from what you have instead of feeling like you don’t have enough.

This is a powerful foundation which allows you to feel less stressed about having “enough” and focus more on doing what you need to do to take care of yourself and those around you. It allows you to be open to possibility and that it takes to thrive, rather than just survive.

Filed Under: Activistm, Articles, Business, Events, Inspiration, Prosperity and Money Tagged With: abundance, business during pandemic, money mindest, prosperity thinking

Got money issues or is it really something else?

October 28, 2020 by Jen Leave a Comment

Money issues run deep. They are so multifaceted and multilayered.
The thing is, money issues are not always about money.
self-esteem money coach business coach prosperity
Money issues and financial stress are rampant, and part of that is because money is still the most taboo subject in our culture.
Have you ever noticed that people will talk about sex much quicker than money?
Those of us who have had a challenging relationship with money are not alone.  Basic financial literacy is rarely taught in schools.

Here are some financial stats on how rampant money issues are:

  • According to studies by the American Psychological Association, money issues have topped the charts as the most common stressor among Americans. 72% of Americans say they have felt money-related stress.*
  • Did you know that with the average interest rate for credit cards of 17%, it only takes around 4 years for the amount to double?
  • 44% of Americans do not have enough cash for a $400 emergency.**
  • 33% of American adults have zero retirement savings.**
  • The average American lacks the basic financial knowledge he or she needs to change behaviors and make qualified financial decisions.***
  • Around 50% of businesses make it to the 5-year mark and only 33% are in business for 10 years.****

When you’re making money as an entrepreneur, it’s a different kind of game than if you have a job. There’s no limit to what you can make, and yet it’s all up to you.
Even if you’re making a decent living and you’ve had business training, money mindset may be the missing link for you to go to the next level in your business.
It’s normal to grow for a while and then hit a plateau or ceiling. Things stop flowing as much.
Emotional and mental blocks start showing up and even patterns that you didn’t know you had.
If you want to get to the next level, you must own your worth at a whole new level.
wealth money prosperity hard work
You have to grow your relationship and confidence with money.
It’s not about what you do. It’s about the energy you do it with. Where are you coming from?
If you come from fear or scarcity, then you get more of that.
If you come from prosperity and confidence, then you create more of that.

Money issues are about self-worth.

The truth is, you have to do the work if you really want to get somewhere.
The importance of self-worth has inspired me to create a new version of my money boot camp program. I’ve included some practices, new worksheets, and content that support you to own and live your value. And I’ve added priceless resources.

Are you ready to feel confident in your capacity to own your value and make more money?

If so, check out this powerful program to see if it is right for you: “Money Mastery Intensive Program.”

You’ll get double the content from previous versions of my money program, but the price is the same!
If you are ready to transform your relationship with money, check it out.
If you want to get started on transforming your money issues now, get the Money Makeover Tool Kit or if you already have it, check out this list of amazing books to inspire you toward more prosperity.
Sources:
*“Money Stress Weighs on Americans’ Health,” America Psychological Association.
**”4 Stats That Reveal How Badly America Is Failing At Financial Literacy,” Forbes, Apr 1018.
***Financial Educators Council National Literacy Test Results
****”What Percentage Of Small Businesses Fail — And How Can You Avoid Being One Of Them?,” Forbes, Oct 2018.

Filed Under: Articles, Events, Prosperity and Money Tagged With: business owner, business training, creative business, entrepreneur, financial literacy, holistic business, money issues, money mindset, money training

Doing a TEDx Talk: The Truth About My Experience

October 7, 2020 by Jen Leave a Comment

Doing a TEDx talk took way more than I could have imagined. When I first applied, I had no idea what I was in for.

I didn’t know there would be so much to learn about what to do and what not to do during a TED talk.  And so much to learn about myself, my message, and the creative process.

tedx talk ted talk Photo by Erica Mueller Photography.

It was just over a year ago that I stood up on a big red dot on a stage in front of 500 people and gave a TEDx talk in Asheville, North Carolina. It was the first year Asheville could have an audience of 500 instead of just 100.

I had worked tirelessly for months applying, interviewing, preparing, writing, and researching. The process also included lots of rewriting, editing, freaking out, getting and giving support, practicing, resisting, and planning more details than I ever expected. I even had a custom shirt made for my stage time.

But, it didn’t go as planned. Usually, I would get a burst of exhilaration and energy from connecting with an audience. Instead, as soon as I looked out from the stage, I felt like a deer in headlights and could barely breathe.

All I saw was black in front of me due to the stage lights shining on me and the completely dark lights in the audience.

This was the closest I’ve ever come to a panic attack in public. I did my best to hide it because of the 500 people, a live stream running, and 3 other cameras filming me for TED.

Even though I didn’t normally have a fear of public speaking, the pressure of it being a TED talk and having to remember 17 minutes of my talk was a lot. Then, looking into the darkness with no connection to the audience and months of stress pushed me further than my capacity could handle.

I don’t know how I made it through that talk because my brain didn’t seem to be getting enough oxygen. One miracle was that I had someone off stage queuing my lines to me. I didn’t know that was an option until I asked not long before the talk. (I doubt this is always the case.)

But because I had never practiced with support, waiting for my lines contributed to my stress level. At times I couldn’t hear her because the audience was laughing. I also knew she was skipping some content that I felt attached to. But I kept talking somehow.

After I finished giving my talk, I thought it had been a disgrace. The critical voices in my head were screaming nasty judgments at me. From my panicked perspective, there had been long, eternal, gaping pauses.

I had forgotten a bunch of ideas that I had planned to say, and I couldn’t catch my breath more than once. To imagine that it was coherent at all felt delusional.

Luckily, my speaker coach assured me it wasn’t as bad as I thought. But those who know me could see it. In the theater lobby afterward, a stranger even said, “You did a good job of pulling it together there.” She saw my stress too.

tedx talk jen aly creative process business doing a ted talk

Later when I watched the video, there were a few times, especially one that was edited out, where you could see I was having a hard time catching my breath.

And yet miraculously, somehow the ideas and points I wanted to make came through. The only explanation for it coming together is grace….and the support of a great team of colleagues and friends.

The video you see on TED.com was edited from a 3 camera shoot. Luckily I had a say in the edits (not always the case apparently).

Later in the year, I found out that my talk was among the 10% of TEDx talks chosen to be on TED.com(instead of just TED’s YouTube channel). My mind was blown. The process felt more worth it because more people would see it and I felt a level of satisfaction.

The talk, “Harness Creativity as your Greatest Business Asset” is all about being in the creative process and trusting it no matter what you are creating. Even though it’s simple, it’s not always easy to see it through whether it’s a painting, a project, or a business venture.

Getting through the creative process of applying for, preparing, and completing a TEDx talk was one of the most intense creative processes of my life.

In the talk, I share that harnessing the creative process is an asset in creating a business. It is focused on growth instead of a more traditional or linear idea of building a business. 

As more of a holistic and creative-minded person, I had tried to ignore aspects of business in the earlier years before filing bankruptcy. Later, I re-framed and embraced business concepts that I had previously resisted to create new businesses that thrive.

components of business tedx talk creative processPhoto by Erica Mueller Photography.

Creating my TEDx talk was a major creative process for me. It had a life of its own and morphed more times than I can remember. My living room was TEDx talk central for the last two months of the process with a rigged-up practice space with piles of papers and Post-Its.

When you speak out against the grain, old emotional gunk rises to the surface. When you stretch and grow, old stuff you didn’t even know you had in you comes up. Needless to say, I cleared a lot of emotional energy through the process.

And I became stronger through it all. I was able to more fully embody the lessons I was teaching in my TED talk and to trust my voice because no one could really edit my talk except me. I eventually sought less external validation because I survived through a public speaking nightmare.

Even though it wasn’t perfect, I’ve received feedback that the talk has had a positive impact. It has helped people honor their creativity, heal from challenges they experienced in the education system, and inspired them to face their fear of not getting it “right.”

As one of my mentors used to say, “Done is better than perfect.”

What are you afraid of not getting right?

What are you wanting to do but you’re waiting until the conditions are perfect?

How can you show up in your messiness?

TED.com TEDx Talk Jen Aly

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Filed Under: Business, Events, Inspiration Tagged With: doing a ted talk, doing a tedx talk, how to do a ted talk, ted talk, tedx asheville, tedx talk, tedx talks, tips for doing a ted talk

Your 2020 Vision: The Year Your Rock Your Business- New Year Workshop for Creatives

December 10, 2019 by Jen Leave a Comment

2020 is here!
Step into the next decade
with a clear vision
and plan to make it happen.

Don’t be that person who has vague ideas of what you want to do in your business or sets “resolutions” that have no scaffolding underneath them.

It’s easy to be “too busy” to plan when you are running a business. There’s working “in” your business (the day-to-day stuff) and then there’s working “on” your business. When you forego working on it, stepping back and getting the larger picture, planning, and strategizing, you are limiting your potential and sabotaging yourself.

Get clear on what you are creating and how you’re going to do it as you enter into 2020.

In this workshop you will:

  • Clarify your vision like you never have
  • Ignite your next level motivation & confidence
  • Learn new mindset strategies to break old patterns
  • Connect with like-hearted business owners
  • Create achievable goals & action plans

This one-day interactive workshop is an opportunity to MAKE IT HAPPEN! Give it to yourself, your business and your customers to make this your BEST BUSINESS YEAR YET.

You deserve to take time out to vision and create your life and business your way.

Sunday, January 19, 1-6pm, Virtual Interactive Retreat
Register 1/12 Virtual
Sunday, January 26, 10am-5pm, Center for Craft, Asheville, NC
Register 1/26 Asheville

Jen Aly is a business and money coach for creatives. She supports creatives to express themselves more fully, make more money doing what they love, and to make more impact in the world.

Watch her TEDx Talk to hear here story and be inspired with a whole new perspective on business.

Filed Under: Events Tagged With: asheville, asheville events, business coach, business plan 2020, business strategy, business workshop, center for craft, january 2020 events, new year business workshop, new year workshop, virtual business workshop, virtual retreat, visioning workshop

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