An A-Z for your life – Money

Money

Money is something many of us get very excited about.  Generally people who do have money say it is not the most important thing in life and those who do not have money think it is.

Many of the things that make us happy cannot be bought but a comfortable lifestyle can make it easier to maintain relationships.  Only you can know what role money plays in your life and why it has this position.  How much of this is about you and how much is due to how you were brought up?  What was fine for you back then may not be appropriate anymore and you need to be able to see this and act on it accordingly.  If money becomes your only goal in life then, not surprisingly, other things will suffer and deteriorate.  How we relate to money affects our generosity, ability to receive, possessions, status and the choices we make.

Personally there have been times when I have earned a decent salary and wasted it chasing after ever changing fashionable clothes.  At other times I have had little money but enjoyed free pursuits such as a walk in the park or by the river.  I could be positive about this as I was never really at the risk of being homeless or starving and that must be a very stressful place to be.

In difficult times such as war, no amount of money can guarantee fair food distribution or home security.  Then money just becomes bits of paper whilst influence becomes the more valued currency.  So money is of no value in itself but only for what it can purchase.  Food, shelter and relationships are valuable in their own right: life sustaining.

What is your relationship to the money in (or not in) your life?  Is it the thing you spend all your time thinking about or does it come much lower down in your priorities?  There is no right or wrong answer here. It depends on where you are starting from, your expectations and responsibilities. Any thoughts?