I must admit there are many aspects of مكن عد و فرز and financial matters that I simply do not comprehend. The words float into my brain, bounce around in there and float right out. Nothing seems to stick no matter how hard I concentrate.
Maybe I’m not paying close enough attention or maybe that gene wasn’t given to me this go round on planet Earth. Whatever the reason, it just doesn’t make sense.
When exactly did they teach that class… you know, the one that explains how to handle and manage your money? Where did they show us what pitfalls to avoid and which ones to accept? When did they tell us where to spend money, where not, and how to squeak out savings from that too? And while we’re on the topic of our lack of education in money… what the heck is money anyway? Whoever explained that one to us?
Have you heard that money is actually just zeros and ones in some computer somewhere? No, you hadn’t heard that? Well, then maybe you have heard that less than 15% of the money out there is backed by anything tangible… you know, like gold! So, what is it based on then? And who makes this all up anyway?
That’s where the words used to explain go into my head, swirl around, and blah, blah, blah, out they come. At the risk of sounding paranoid, it sounds a bit like bait and switch to me. I figure if it’s confusing to me, someone fairly well educated in financial matters and money concepts, then the majority of the population must be completely confused.
When asked, “What is money?” most of the population simply doesn’t know the real answer. It seems the real answer is left to the wizards in the discipline of economics (did I tell you my minor in college was economics?) and since the majority of us are not wizards of that nature,we simply see money as the way we get things we want and need.
A simple enough answer, isn’t it? Money gets us what we want and need. Of course, there are other ways to get those things, however, it does make it much more challenging or creative without it. Groucho Marx said it humorously well, “While money can’t buy happiness, it certainly lets you choose your own form of misery.”
What I’d like to suggest is that we stop making money the be all and end all in life. In fact, the biggest thing I’d like us to do is let go of all the rules, have to’s, and should’s around money. You know, those things that make your stomach go queasy and your head spin? Let go of all the ridiculous expectations we all have about money, what we are supposed to do with it and what not.
Instead, let’s all just take a big, deep breath and relax. Breathe in acceptance, love and calm. Breathe out any guilt, shame, and confusion. Money is just a convenient vehicle of exchange, one that is meant to make life easier.
No need to feel dumb, confused, or overwhelmed by it… even the smartest human is flummoxed by it. No one has it completely handled… it is why the topic is endlessly talked about and why we have so many rules around it.
Take it from me, the woman who has studied it for years, helped others understand theirs better, and guided many to a deeper sense of calm around the management of it… let go of all the rules around money and accept it for what it is… a vehicle to get what you want and need. Don’t make it too complicated and most of all, learn to open your heart and mind to the topic. No need to make sense of it all, leave that to the economic wizards.