Play & Book Excerpts
Smart Woman's Guide
The Money Belief Formula: Mindset + Behavior = Financial Success
(Herfinance Club)
© Susan Diamond
Introduction
Do you feel like a Queen with all the money and resources available to you? Or are there days where stress has taken over, leaving everything in uncertainty?
Money is the root of all our woes; it can be a source of stress and fear. Or if used correctly, then money will free us to live more abundantly in this world!
The beliefs about money that we hold affect our relationships, how we feel about ourselves, and how we participate in life.
Our money mindset determines our personal beliefs, which are critical in creating wealth and financial success. It’s the way we think about making money, saving money, spending money, and giving in our life.
Money is deeply personal, and it’s how we feel about our financial situation that will dictate whether bad habits are created or good ones sustained. When we’re feeling insecure with money in our lives, then the debt may become an easy way out because of its safety net; however, when one has plenty but still worries constantly over expenses like groceries every month – no matter if we’ve paid off all debts – these thoughts can lead them down destructive paths fast!
After years of thinking about money, it’s time to give up the old stories and embrace a new perspective. So what have you been telling yourself?
You’ve got your template for how things should be: either there’s not enough, or else all the good stuff is already yours! It doesn’t matter if circumstances change because those perspectives are just that – templates – but they’re way too limiting in their way as well – restricting our ability to experience life fully without being chained by these fixed frames.
People often have a scarcity mindset regarding money, believing that they’re not good with finances, which many fear.
Here are some examples of a scarcity mindset:
Now let’s look at some examples of an abundant mindset:
A positive money mindset will lead you down better financial paths. In contrast, negative beliefs about money can hold you back from abundance.
Money is a symbol for value, power, security – whatever we consider valuable in our life – and it can also stand for feelings of abundance or lack thereof! We’re after here the internal beliefs that have led us down these paths before – behaviors that don’t serve us and the cycle of feeling not good enough because we’re repeatedly sabotaging ourselves.
Our money mindset is the result of our prior life and childhood experiences (aka money story.) – Whether we grew up in an environment where there was never any shortage or if all the cashmere sweaters were gone by age six.
It’s about those verbal and nonverbal messages we picked up on as a child – our parents arguing about money or that time your father told you, “Money doesn’t grow on trees.” It’s about how comfortable we feel having money dates with our partner to discuss big life decisions. It’s about cultivating our value as business or professional women when negotiating our salary or cost of service. It’s about silencing our inner critic and counteracting, “I got this.”
What’s going on now can influence how well-off things seem later down this road for ourselves – both financially and emotionally.
The crucial thing to grasp is to understand one’s mindset in the context of abundance vs. scarcity.
To build wealth, the first thing we must do is to take a pause and become aware of how our current money habits, perhaps, are standing between us and success, as well as the willingness to explore those limiting beliefs and shift them if we want to surpass our current financial situation.
Yes, there will always be unknowns in life; ups and downs are part of our existence. However, it is also true that no one can predict what will happen in even the very next hours or the next day, which makes it hard to predict what next week or next year will bring to us.
However, even though we can’t control what is going on around us, we control the decisions we make today. It is precisely these choices that will determine where we land on the money game board in 5 years or even TEN!
To observe wealth-building behaviors take root, we’ve got to be willing and ready to change our money mindset to win at the money game and do things like earn more, save more, and invest more!
Money is just a tool and does not have any inherent value of its own. Money’s worth depends on what we assign it to be. It has neither a mind of its own nor intrinsic value. Money is not emotional; WE ARE. Money cannot make decisions for us, but it can help us fulfill our dreams if applied correctly.
What comes first? The belief or the behavior?
The beliefs that we apply to our finances are directly influenced by our thoughts, which then impact the emotions that lead to money behaviors and habits and how they dictate what we do with the money we have.
It’s all about changing what we believe and changing how we behave with money. The good news is that when it comes to behavior and mindset, there are no rules or laws – they can easily be changed because nothing is set in stone.
After understanding our money mindset, we can assess how our behavior is currently affecting it.
So, suppose we want to be more successful with money. In that case, we need first to understand that this does not mean changing what we do with our finances or even understanding more about it – although those things are important too. Instead, it means changing our behaviors and beliefs related to money and wealth to support the positive financial outcome that we want to achieve in our life.
If we can change how we think about money, what it can do for us, and how to use it more wisely, then wealth becomes a reality.
As I mentioned to you earlier, my goal through this book is to give practical advice on how best for someone like yourself (someone who may be struggling financially) to identify possible toxic financial beliefs so we can start working together changing these negative thought patterns into something more positive-minded geared toward making your current financial situation more enjoyable instead!
Think of this book as the beginning of a new road in life that is filled with the wealth, joy, and success you have always dreamed of.
We will do our first step by bringing the light of consciousness to our thoughts about money and wealth, reflecting on them with an intention for change. A key component in this process is self-love; we must learn to love ourselves enough so that we don’t rely only upon external validation when deciding on our finances or career path (this may put us on a precarious path).
Because, yes, purifying our money and wealth beliefs is an act of self-love that will improve our life significantly – if we have what it takes to succeed.
So, take my hand, and let’s start this journey to a better life and a better you.
“The end goal: financial freedom!”
Do you feel like a Queen with all the money and resources available to you? Or are there days where stress has taken over, leaving everything in uncertainty?
Money is the root of all our woes; it can be a source of stress and fear. Or if used correctly, then money will free us to live more abundantly in this world!
The beliefs about money that we hold affect our relationships, how we feel about ourselves, and how we participate in life.
Our money mindset determines our personal beliefs, which are critical in creating wealth and financial success. It’s the way we think about making money, saving money, spending money, and giving in our life.
Money is deeply personal, and it’s how we feel about our financial situation that will dictate whether bad habits are created or good ones sustained. When we’re feeling insecure with money in our lives, then the debt may become an easy way out because of its safety net; however, when one has plenty but still worries constantly over expenses like groceries every month – no matter if we’ve paid off all debts – these thoughts can lead them down destructive paths fast!
After years of thinking about money, it’s time to give up the old stories and embrace a new perspective. So what have you been telling yourself?
You’ve got your template for how things should be: either there’s not enough, or else all the good stuff is already yours! It doesn’t matter if circumstances change because those perspectives are just that – templates – but they’re way too limiting in their way as well – restricting our ability to experience life fully without being chained by these fixed frames.
People often have a scarcity mindset regarding money, believing that they’re not good with finances, which many fear.
Here are some examples of a scarcity mindset:
- You have to work hard for money.
- I’m not smart enough to invest.
- Wealthy people are selfish and greedy.
- I don’t deserve good things in life.
- Money is the root of all evil.
Now let’s look at some examples of an abundant mindset:
- I can invest my money, and it will grow over time.
- I will be financially secure if I work hard and save.
- I control my money; it doesn’t control me – I use it wisely.
- I deserve good things in life; I’m worthy of abundance!
- Money is a tool that can be used to serve others for the greater good.
A positive money mindset will lead you down better financial paths. In contrast, negative beliefs about money can hold you back from abundance.
Money is a symbol for value, power, security – whatever we consider valuable in our life – and it can also stand for feelings of abundance or lack thereof! We’re after here the internal beliefs that have led us down these paths before – behaviors that don’t serve us and the cycle of feeling not good enough because we’re repeatedly sabotaging ourselves.
Our money mindset is the result of our prior life and childhood experiences (aka money story.) – Whether we grew up in an environment where there was never any shortage or if all the cashmere sweaters were gone by age six.
It’s about those verbal and nonverbal messages we picked up on as a child – our parents arguing about money or that time your father told you, “Money doesn’t grow on trees.” It’s about how comfortable we feel having money dates with our partner to discuss big life decisions. It’s about cultivating our value as business or professional women when negotiating our salary or cost of service. It’s about silencing our inner critic and counteracting, “I got this.”
What’s going on now can influence how well-off things seem later down this road for ourselves – both financially and emotionally.
The crucial thing to grasp is to understand one’s mindset in the context of abundance vs. scarcity.
To build wealth, the first thing we must do is to take a pause and become aware of how our current money habits, perhaps, are standing between us and success, as well as the willingness to explore those limiting beliefs and shift them if we want to surpass our current financial situation.
Yes, there will always be unknowns in life; ups and downs are part of our existence. However, it is also true that no one can predict what will happen in even the very next hours or the next day, which makes it hard to predict what next week or next year will bring to us.
However, even though we can’t control what is going on around us, we control the decisions we make today. It is precisely these choices that will determine where we land on the money game board in 5 years or even TEN!
To observe wealth-building behaviors take root, we’ve got to be willing and ready to change our money mindset to win at the money game and do things like earn more, save more, and invest more!
Money is just a tool and does not have any inherent value of its own. Money’s worth depends on what we assign it to be. It has neither a mind of its own nor intrinsic value. Money is not emotional; WE ARE. Money cannot make decisions for us, but it can help us fulfill our dreams if applied correctly.
What comes first? The belief or the behavior?
The beliefs that we apply to our finances are directly influenced by our thoughts, which then impact the emotions that lead to money behaviors and habits and how they dictate what we do with the money we have.
It’s all about changing what we believe and changing how we behave with money. The good news is that when it comes to behavior and mindset, there are no rules or laws – they can easily be changed because nothing is set in stone.
After understanding our money mindset, we can assess how our behavior is currently affecting it.
So, suppose we want to be more successful with money. In that case, we need first to understand that this does not mean changing what we do with our finances or even understanding more about it – although those things are important too. Instead, it means changing our behaviors and beliefs related to money and wealth to support the positive financial outcome that we want to achieve in our life.
If we can change how we think about money, what it can do for us, and how to use it more wisely, then wealth becomes a reality.
As I mentioned to you earlier, my goal through this book is to give practical advice on how best for someone like yourself (someone who may be struggling financially) to identify possible toxic financial beliefs so we can start working together changing these negative thought patterns into something more positive-minded geared toward making your current financial situation more enjoyable instead!
Think of this book as the beginning of a new road in life that is filled with the wealth, joy, and success you have always dreamed of.
We will do our first step by bringing the light of consciousness to our thoughts about money and wealth, reflecting on them with an intention for change. A key component in this process is self-love; we must learn to love ourselves enough so that we don’t rely only upon external validation when deciding on our finances or career path (this may put us on a precarious path).
Because, yes, purifying our money and wealth beliefs is an act of self-love that will improve our life significantly – if we have what it takes to succeed.
So, take my hand, and let’s start this journey to a better life and a better you.
“The end goal: financial freedom!”
Susan Diamond
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Susan Diamond is a Certified Financial Social Worker (a.k.a. Money Mindset Mentor, speaker, author and CEO of Herfinance Club).
She helps purposeful women who are focused on the future and want to take back control of their finances. Susan's mission is to socialize the idea that it’s okay for women to talk about money. The Herfinance Club objective is to inspire ONE MILLION women to start a money conversation with their spouse, friends or coworkers, breaking down the barriers to talking about money and finances and assisting them in getting from where they are to where they want to be. Susan was a guest on Sanctuary's Coffee & Conversation Show:
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