I waited tables in my 20’s. It was a great way to put myself through college and make some cash. But just like alcohol and “gateway drugs” can lead to harder stuff, working in restaurants led to an expensive adventure called “owning a restaurant.”

We did what a lot of people do to get money to start a business – we scrimped, saved, begged, borrowed, and applied for a business loan (and got it – thanks to a little help from SBA, The Small Business Association). We signed as personal guarantors to the loan, which was required, or so it was explained.

We had our starting capital! However, the process of opening the restaurant took more time and money than anticipated. After we were open, the costs seemed never-ending… refrigeration would break down, silverware and glassware would need replacing, a holiday, heat wave, or the Mariners in the playoffs (miracles do happen) would leave us scrambling for funds.

And when a business needs what it needs to operate, you do what you have to do.

Before I knew it, “doing what I had to do” meant creating credit card balances and other personal debt. There was no time to argue about it – the show (or the next meal) must go on, and there were no other readily available options. It was a financially stressful time.

Our business did grow, stabilize, and provide us with income, but cash flow was always tight. After 4-1/2 years, when my adventures as a restaurateur ended and the business was sold, the remaining balance of the SBA loan was paid off. However, it took a couple years to pay off the personal debt and recover from some credit dings acquired in the process.

If I had to do it all again, I would do it differently. I know better now. For instance, I know about incorporating to protect personal assets. (And I’d look for ways to streamline costs in the first place. No storefront leases, no employees, no perishable goods, and no capital improvements… and no restaurants!)

But if I DID need business financing again, this is what I’d do:

I’d create BUSINESS credit rather than using my own personal credit. And I’d learn everything I could from Maria Simone of the Prosperity Funding Network about ALL the ways to raise capital for a business.

We all know that banks have gotten much more conservative about lending money, but money is still very much available for qualifying business. How can you qualify your business? Watch this free video series to find out.

In these videos, Marie shows how to build, leverage, and use business credit to fund your business start-up or expansion… even if you have less than perfect personal credit. There are specific steps and a predictable formula that anyone can follow to succeed.

First, you’ll want to incorporate if you haven’t already done so (such as an LLC or an S or C corporation). Next, you’ll want to build a strong “Paydex” score of 80 or above. (That’s like a credit score, but it is for your business, and Maria gives specific steps in her video of how to do this.) And of course, you need to show how you’ll use the money effectively and wisely to grow your business.

It IS possible to build business credit without a personal guarantee – and get the money you need to be more profitable fast. Prosperity Funding’s system has been able to help people with bad credit, even those who have gone through bankruptcy to build profitable businesses.

I am delighted to have discovered Maria Simone and have an expert I can refer to when questions about business funding come up. She is a brilliant business woman, and more than that, she’s a “conscious entrepreneur” who is out to make a real difference. I recommend Maria and I look forward to hearing “success stories” from clients and readers who want to build their business credit quickly, or find other ways to attract money or investors to grow their business.

There’s a no-cost, in-depth webinar tomorrow (May 9, 2012.) Don’t fret if you missed it… you’ll be notified of future webinars when you enter your email on the video page. In any case, you can watch the introductory videos right away (no opt-in required) and discover exactly how to get money for your business.

(Oh, and don’t miss the first video… just scroll down the page and click on it.)

The fine print: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links and a referral fee could be earned if a purchase is made. I only recommend people, businesses or products I believe in, and trust that you will find the resources I share valuable.

It’s Friday the 13th, and I couldn’t resist giving you a list of “what not to do”! Hopefully the reverse psychology will work and you’ll improve your financial luck.

Here are the “Top 13 Ways to Create Bad Financial Luck:”

Don't let a black cat walk under the ladder you're standing on!

1.  Blame other people for your financial situation. Better yet, expect other people or the government to solve it for you.

2.  Complain and feel hopeless if “the economy” is slow. Don’t try to start a business or create your own economy.

3.  Hang out with negative people. If possible, become one.

4.  Don’t volunteer or otherwise try to contribute or connect with people if you are unemployed or slow in your own business.

5.  If you can’t afford something, buy it on credit.

6.  Invest only in the stock market and other investments that you have no control over and provide no guaranteed returns.

7.  Neglect purchasing proper insurance.

8.  Never invest in your own growth and education. (Who has time, with so many TV channels?)

9.  If you are offered genuine help, turn it down. After all, your pride and reputation are at stake!

10.  Worry about how bad your situation is. Don’t visualize, meditate, use affirmations, or any of that woo-woo stuff to try to influence your emotions or expectations.

11.  Don’t read my post about how to increase your GOOD luck. http://totalwealthcoaching.com/wp/increase-your-luck/

12.  If you’re feeling financially stressed, do NOT sign up for the free Financial Serenity eBook I’ll be giving away this month. Don’t even think about it.

13.  And whatever you do, do not – I repeat – DO NOT get a mentor, hire a coach, or participate in a mastermind group!!

Have fun and stay safe this Friday the 13^th, and don’t watch too many scary movies!

Is it my imagination, or are things seem to be getting worse – and better – every day?

As a life and business coach, I pay attention to trends. And I can’t help but notice, there seems there is more violence than ever. More poverty.  More missing toddlers. More people displaying their ignorance and bad manners in public forums.

There’s more unemployment, more invasions of our privacy, more people suffering from more diseases, and more corporate and political greed than ever before.

In this trend of “worsening,” things are going to hell in a hand basket and no one can stop it. If we don’t destroy each other with nuclear weapons, get shot by gangs or wiped out by the next pandemic flu, then Monsanto will surely manage to starve us when their mutated seeds can’t survive the sudden climate changes brought about by global warming.

Meanwhile, there is another trend as well. It’s the trend of endless improvements, evolutionary progress, and “better.” 

We have more ways to heal than ever before. More ways to connect. Examples of compassion can be observed by anyone with ears to hear and eyes to see. The rate of change continues to increase, and with that, the abilities of technology and the collective wisdom that is both generated by and available to the masses. In their book, Abundance: The Future is Better than You Think, authors Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler argue the case for optimism.

Our collective consciousness continues to evolve. Alternative energy, alternative medicine, and alternative ways of thinking abound. Equal rights continue to progress in many arenas. Independent art and music are alive and well, thriving on YouTube and many other platforms, creating an alternative to major label music. And thought leaders such as Lynne Twist and Elyse Hope Killoran offer us alternative perspectives on wealth and prosperity.

And while many businesses have gone under during this recession, others have leveraged themselves, through the internet and other equalizing technologies, to new levels of success. If you listen to Gary Vaynerchuk, who built his family’s New Jersey liquor store into a 45-million-dollar-a-year juggernaut with Wine Library TV (prior to becoming an in-demand keynote speaker and social media consultant with a 10-book publishing deal), he’ll remind you that there’s never been a more equal playing field to build a business than now.

Gary will remind you that never in the world have we had such an ability to be the creators of content – not simply consumers of content generated by media giants. He’ll assert that anyone who is willing to hustle and willing to care can build a profitable business or brand. He’ll even suggest that he could build his business faster today, because of how many more people are listening to and utilizing social media than five years ago. And he’ll encourage everyone within earshot to go for it and turn their passions into a profit stream.

So… are things getting better or worse? In some ways, I think the answer may be “both.” And even moreso, the answer depends on you, the observer.

The challenges of modern life are significant and there is no doubt that our time, attention and talents will be required to bring about solutions to the problems we face. But as Woody Allen’s recent movie, Midnight in Paris suggests, there is never any opportunity quite like the present.

The reality we experience, and the relative blessings and challenges presented by it, are a subjective experience. How do we label something “good” or “bad,” “better” or “worse”? Though our perception, interpretations and beliefs. As I argued in The Cure for the Recession, we have more power than we realize to transform our experience of the world.

Perhaps a better question is… are things getting better or worse for you? Are you learning? Growing? Loving? Are you enjoying your life and making the most of it, or tolerating your own suffering in the midst of it?

If you need any support on your path, I’m here to help. Get the help you need to make your one and only life better.

What do you think? Are things getting better or worse? Leave a comment and let me know your point of view.

Kate Phillips is a Seattle-area coach who works with clients internationally as well as locally. Working primarily with conscious, creative people (often entrepreneurs and other self-employed), she helps people remove the blocks to prosperity (whether internal or external) and discover the rich life they deserve. For a no-cost 25-minute consultation to see if we might be a good “fit”, contact us at 206-601-0321 or email: Info (at) TotalWealthCoaching.com

“Debt is like any other trap, easy enough to get into, but hard enough to get out of.”
-Henry Wheeler Shaw

Sometimes good people land in bad financial situations due to poor financial habits, or circumstances such as job loss, divorce, illness, death in the family, and so forth. They find themselves with seemingly unmanageable debt, sometimes accumulated over years, at other times, practically overnight, the result of a personal crisis or business loss:

A businessman who couldn’t get the funding he needed to complete an urgent business project when his business partner was hospitalized took out $200k in credit card draws on his excellent credit – right before his business partner died, the economy crashed, and sales went south.

Following a financially devastating battle with cancer which caused one woman and her husband to get a second mortgage, she discovered he had run up all of their credit cards. He had lost his job 6 months earlier, but unable to admit that to her, he kept up the charade of “leaving for work.” Meanwhile, he simply paid for expenses on credit. When he failed to make the minimum payments and creditors started calling, the gig was up. Her name was also on the credit cards, and she did not want to declare bankruptcy, so she got a second job.

Though the reasons and stories are many, these are not isolated cases. Debt has become an American epidemic. As of May 2011, US consumer debt totaled a whopping $2.43 trillion, according to creditcards.com.  177 million card credit card holders (over 70% of the population) report an average household credit card debt (per household with credit card debt) or $15,799. Bankruptcy filings are up a whopping 250% in the four short years from 2006 to 2010, with personal bankruptcies alone totaling over 1.5 million.

But what’s the solution? Debt settlement? A consolidation loan? Credit counseling? Chaper 7 or 13 bankruptcy? Or should you just keeping making minimum payments – if you can – and hope that things get better? I can’t determine what the right choice is for your situation, but I can show you the popular options, and help you take a look at the pros and cons:

Bankruptcy legally reduces or even erases debt, and it stops creditor harassment better than any other method. However, it will also severely affect your credit rating for many years to come. Bankruptcies will stay on your credit for 7-10 years, affecting your ability to buy a home, rent an apartment, purchase insurance, cars, or cell phones without high rates and fees, and – in some cases – even get a job.

Those with higher incomes (or homes in foreclosure they wish to keep) will be forced to file a chapter 13 bankruptcy, which takes 3-5 years, requires partial or full payment of debts, and forces the borrower to live on a strict bankruptcy-court-determined budget. Only about 35% of debtors complete their chapter 13 bankruptcies. The remainder default, and stand to lose homes and other assets to creditors.

Credit counseling programs offer some consumer education, but also negatively affect credit ratings (similar to a chapter 13 bankruptcy), but typically without the benefit of lowering balances. Interest rates and payments may only decline slightly, if at all, and most clients do not complete their programs. What seem like “small monthly payments” add up to thousands over time, and the fact that the agencies are generally paid by the creditors creates a conflict of interest when it comes time to negotiate for the borrower.

Because of the minimal benefit and how much it can impact your credit, you might consider negotiating with your creditors yourself if you only need a “little” help on your debt. Many creditors offer better deals to consumers than a credit counselor can negotiate, though you typically must be behind on your payments to be offered reductions in rate or payments.

Debt settlement is a way of negotiating your debts, especially, your balances so that debts can be settled for less than the original amount owed.

Some debt settlement companies have earned a bad name for taking borrowers’ cash, whether or not they could help them. Some have acted fraudulently, collecting money then disappearing. Other times, borrowers were inappropriate candidates for the program and did not have sufficient income for paying off negotiated debts, so they paid the debt settlement company, but could not pay their debts. (As in a chapter 13 bankruptcy, the debtor must have income over and above their basic necessities with which they can settle their debts).

However, the best debt settlement companies have approached an 80% success rate, with borrowers paying significantly less and getting out of debt faster than other methods. Credit ratings do suffer in the short term, but recover much faster than with bankruptcies.

When I see someone trapped in “revolving debt” (borrowing from one card to pay another), or falling further behind on their debt, I may suggest they investigate debt settlement. Even with – or especially with – high credit scores and faultless payment histories, people can still be trapped on a debt treadmill, with every spare dollar going to their creditors.

That’s no way to live.

I’m going to go out on a limb in this post and endorse a new Fiscal Fitness™ program that I believe will be a great fit for some people. It’s a “new, improved” version of debt settlement, and it combines some of the benefits of other methods, as well. While it is not for everyone, Fiscal Fitness™ can help clients:

• Get out of debt faster by reducing what they owe on consumer debt and even past-due utilities.
• Find workable solutions with their creditors.
• Get training and support to follow a budget and pay off debts.
• Establish healthy financial habits to create lasting wealth.
• Get quality one-on-one advice from a financial professional.
• Protect their income and assets with appropriate insurance.
• And, most importantly, get a fresh financial start… without a bankruptcy!

Who is Fiscal Fitness™ for? The program is ideal for someone who

• has $10,000 or more in unsecured debt (it won’t help with student loans, car loans, mortgages, or tax liens),
• cannot make reasonable progress on the debt as it now stands,
• is willing to compromise their credit history in the short term to become debt-free,
• wants to improve their financial habits and build wealth,
• has some income (above the bare necessities) to put towards debt, even if they are behind and cannot make minimum payments,
• and is motivated to avoid bankruptcy.

Are you or someone you know fighting a losing battle with debt? Perhaps Fiscal Fitness™ can help! Please refer to the website at FiscalFitnessJourney.com, or call 877-865-7111. You’ll be able to speak to a financial counselor who can help you determine if the program is right for you. (I’d like to hear your experience if you do!)

In conclusion: I can’t tell you what the “best” option is for you, but I can help you explore the pros and the cons of various scenarios. Too often, you find yourself consulting with someone who has an agenda – i.e., a bankruptcy lawyer who only profits if you choose bankruptcy. The only real way to make a choice is to research and consider all options in light of your particular situation, weighing not only the pros and the cons, but also, what “feels” right to you.

Ultimately, these are personal choices, not simply mathematical ones. For instance, you might be able to save money by doing some form of debt settlement, but if you have the money to pay the entire debt, you may simply feel that is the right thing to do. When your conscience and your calculator disagree, always follow your conscience.  - KP

Kate Phillips helps people go from frustrated, fearful, and freaked out about money (feel free to add your own “F word” as it applies to money) to an experience of peace and prosperity. Learn more about Total Wealth Coaching, or find out more about our services. 

And don’t forget to opt-in (upper right) for our e-book and other valuable information that will help you live a life of peace and prosperity!

True confessions: I have my “tight” months. I have consumer debt (again.) Once a real estate investor with four properties, I had to sell one on a “short sale” and even lost a house to foreclosure in the recent market crash. So much for my pedestal.

Once “riding high,” with a healthy net worth and a sense of financial indestructibility (not unlike a teenager who doesn’t believe their luck will ever change), my luck did indeed change – dramatically. Perhaps God and the angels were saying, “We hear you want to help people who are financially stressed experience the reality of abundance… Are you SURE? Because we have a training program for that… but it might not be what you think!”

Sure enough, ten years after my divorce, when I thought I had this “money thing” all figured out, everything that could happen, did.

My boyfriend changed his mind about moving in with me… right after I bought a house I couldn’t afford by myself. The market crashed shortly after I launched my coaching business, which meant my assets (mostly in real estate) vanished. My daughter badly fractured her foot the same summer my father almost died. Then came my own health challenges (no doubt brought on by taking care of everyone else): viruses, pneumonia, colitis, infections, and anemia. Some days, I didn’t even have the energy to get out of bed. (As a self-employed breadwinner, this was not a recipe for prosperity….)

But somehow, in the middle of it all, a profound peace came upon me. I had found my center in the eye of the storm, and I knew that I would be – that I was – “okay.” I stopped responding to outside indicators as if they could dictate my worth and happiness, and I discovered an inner abundance that I had not even realized was there.

I went back to the basics: prayer, meditation, long walks, and gratitude journaling. I focused on what I wanted, and took steps towards it, however small. I made self-care a top priority, and I learned to receive as well as give.

About the same time, a friend was going through her own personal holocaust in a California prison. In a nightmarish chain of events, her baby had passed away, and after telling the paramedics she had given him small doses of antihistamines to relieve his congestion, she was charged with first-degree murder and held in custody on one million dollars bail.

Although the first-degree murder charges didn’t stick, her life was a living hell for two years. Still mourning the loss of her son, she proceeded to lose her freedom, her home, her reputation, her belongings (liquidated for legal costs), custody of her daughter, and eventually, her marriage.

During this time, we talked as regularly as possible by phone. She was always glad to connect to somebody “on the outside,” but I felt at a total loss of words. I was a newly certified “life coach,” but it didn’t seem like all the coaching in the world could help.

And yet, one day, I found myself challenging her to look around and find something (maybe just one little thing?) to be grateful for. Yes, her challenges were greater than I could even imagine, but still… I hoped – almost ashamed at myself for suggesting it, fearing I might be wrong – there must be a hint of sunshine somewhere. (Right?)

In the following weeks and months, letters from prison started arriving with gratitude lists. She was grateful when she could afford a little Lipton tea to enjoy in her cell. She was grateful when the light bulbs that were never turned off dimmed a bit at night. She was grateful for envelopes, stamps, and tiny “golf pencils” to write with. She was grateful for her one small blanket. And when a nighttime fire alarm brought her to the yard, and she saw stars for the first time in many months, she called me with tears of gratitude and amazement for the beauty of the night sky.

I recently came across one of her old letters, and it reminded me of the necessity of always recognizing “the good stuff,” yes, during the hard times, and at ALL times. In a culture addicted to complaints and always seeking “more, more, MORE,” it is a transformative action to habitually declare the good we are experiencing each and every day.

Today, I am grateful for a new home that meets my needs perfectly. I am grateful for my daughter. I am grateful for the taste of yoghurt, text messages from my new boyfriend, family photos, and a client’s breakthrough. I’m grateful that my friend is no longer in prison, but is enjoying adventures with sailboats, horses, and new friends right now. And most of all, I’m grateful for gratitude, that miraculous little mind-shift that has the power to change absolutely everything.

Hard times will come and go, but we can give thanks at all times. And make no mistake – it’s not just that we “can” focus on the positive; when times are tough, we must. Without the power of gratitude, our sense of inner abundance will be conditional as the weather. When we can find our center in the eye of the storm, we will have peace in all circumstances.  -KP

Kate Phillips helps people go from frustrated, fearful, and freaked out about money (feel free to add your own “F word” as it applies to money) to an experience of peace and prosperity. Learn more about Total Wealth Coaching, or find out more about our services. We offer a no-cost 25-minute consultation to determine if we might be a good fit for working together. Contact us today at 206-601-0321 or Info (at) TotalWealthCoaching.com

And don’t forget to opt-in (upper right) for our e-book and other valuable information that will help you live a life of peace and prosperity!

I’d love to share my guest post with you: “Prosperity and Abundance: Three Keys to Think and Grow Rich.”. These three keys truly are the secret to building wealth (or creating anything you want in your life!)

And be sure to poke around the blog while you’re there… my guest post is sandwiched between other posts on P4P’s 7 Principles of Prosperity, which provide a practical guideline to making wise financial decisions. There’s also some fantastic information on Life Settlements and other alternative investments.

Also, don’t miss the opportunity to sign up for Partners for Prosperity, Inc.’s Prosperity Pack! You’ll get a podcast overview and a Summary Sheet of the 7 Principles, an audio report from Kim Butler and Robert Kiyosaki on “Creating Your Prosperity,” and more!

My father went on vacation in April with his “little sister,” my aunt Faye (not her real name). She found an incredible deal for a 15-day Panama Canal cruise – 80% off on a trip from Puerto Rico to San Diego. She booked a suite for two on the back of the cruise ship (where they could view BOTH continents from their private deck) and first-class flights for both of them.

The smiled, they laughed, they ate (and ate and ate!) They had the trip of a lifetime. And on the final night of the cruise, after my father went to bed, Aunt Faye slipped out to the deck for some fresh air. Then she climbed overboard, and let go.

The next morning, my father awoke to find her missing, and her bed not slept in. He alerted the ship and they began to page her. Surely she was just on the internet, enjoying coffee on the deck, or somewhere curled up in a lounge chair asleep.

As the day wore on, it became apparent that something was very wrong. By 1pm, the ship had been emptied of passengers, and Faye was still nowhere to be found.

The Coast Guard was notified and began searching the sea, which they did for the next 22 hours. My father was taken into custody of the FBI for intensive questioning. The cruise ship contacted me and asked me to fly to San Diego immediately.

I didn’t need to wait for the ship’s closed circuit security camera footage (discovered the next morning during an around-the-clock investigation) to reveal what had happened. I knew. My aunt was gone. And as my uncle confessed to me, “I am shocked, but not surprised.”

I had been very concerned about my aunt. She had been depressed about her financial situation, and it consumed her thoughts (at least, when she wasn’t on or planning her next cruise, her favorite diversion.) She had retired young and was “running out of money,” in her words. She loved luxury cruises more than anything in the world. She had been on over 50 cruises, often paying a friend’s or family member’s way so she didn’t have to travel alone.

Although Faye received disability income of nearly $1800 a month and had started her retirement with a once-very-substantial 401k, she had no interest in living within her means. She defended her vacations by saying that she might meet a wealthy man on one of these cruises who would rescue her from her dwindling assets.

We would get in arguments; her psychiatrist, her sister and I would “command” her to stop taking cruises and plead with her to develop a sustainable financial strategy. She said she was “only happy on cruises.” I urged her to find other ways to be happy, but refused to connect with other people in her town or explore less expensive hobbies. (She said I sounded like her therapist, which I took as a compliment.)

Faye was no longer living in reality. The cruise ship was her heroin, and she was mainlining now. Her life as well as her finances had fallen apart. Still, she took seven cruises in the last six months of her life. I urged her not to book this cruise, saying I knew she “couldn’t afford it,” but she hung up and bought the tickets anyway.

After losing all perspective, my aunt chose to lose herself at sea. Her (excellent) credit was now maxed. Her accounts were hitting empty. She had defaulted on her mortgage, and creditors were now calling. If she couldn’t live in first-class luxury, she didn’t want to live at all. (Though ironically, she scrimped and ate peanut butter sandwiches so that she could take more cruises.)

Faye left behind no children, no close friends, no note of explanation, and, in the words of singer-songwriter Sam Phillips, a “solid gold question mark twenty feet tall.”

I have said for years, most of us in this culture have a love-hate relationship with money. (It’s almost impossible not to, given the opposing forces and opinions that shape our understanding of the world.) Without understanding this powerful phenomenon, it turns into a distorted mirror through which we see life and even ourselves.

In extreme cases, this love-hate relationship can lead to self-destruction. But with understanding and compassion, the money mirror can lead to enlightenment and the refinement of our passions.

What happens to the kid (or the adult) who has everything they want without limit? Boredom, even disdain for their toys. Or guilt that others can’t enjoy the same. Fear or dislike for others not similarly endowed.

But most of us encounter the opposite experience – that of “not enough.” Money imposes limits and scarcity upon our world, however illusory those limits are. Gently, those limits can actually serve us by leading us to CHOOSE – choose what matters most to us. Choose what gives us the most joy.

At times, our yearnings lead us to bust past illusory financial limits once assumed as “reality” and discover that we are limitless beings with the ability to create worth and wealth through the mere power of our intentions. Other times, money gives us the opportunity to practice forgiveness. Forgiveness towards our parents, our stockbroker, the boss who downsized us. Forgiveness for our lost years, lost savings, or our lost sense of self-worth that prevented us from building or keeping our net worth.

Faye’s death reminds me daily that my work of reconciling people to themselves through the lens of money is important, essential, even life-saving work. I don’t know what I might have done differently that could have saved her, but I do know that I can continue to make a profound difference for others who are willing to transform their relationship with money.

I am also reminded that the passions and callings that stir our souls are not disconnected from the pain that others experience. What pain, what suffering, what problems pull on your heart strings? I believe that “pull” represents a difference that you are meant to make, in some small or large way. I may have not been able to save my Aunt Faye, but perhaps, I can make a difference for someone else’s “Aunt Faye” and guide her away from the brink of disaster.

Thanks for listening. Our family appreciates your prayers and energetic support during this difficult time.

-Kate

I’ve been single for 13 years (I’m divorced), and today, I realized how far I’ve come.

Several years ago, If “that special guy” didn’t call, ask me out, or plan something, I felt lousy. Unimportant. Hurt. Maybe even angry.

If I was on a Valentine’s date that wasn’t going the way I wanted it to, my expectations produced frustration. If I spent the evening home alone, I was sad.

Scarcity shows up in all sorts of ways (money, love, time…). So does abundance and prosperity. When we look for what’s “missing” and “lacking” we will find more of it. When we celebrate what’s here, or better yet, CREATE it, we have everything we need.

A few years ago I had a turning point in my relationship to both Love and Abundance. I had been focusing on the goal of “Being in a Relationship” for years. Not just any relationship, but a great one. I had envisioned a passionate, committed, loving relationship for years, yet none had shown up to any significant extent.

Sure, there had been lots of dates and even boyfriends. There had also been plenty of romantic dead-ends and false starts, so many that I became known for my “Nashvillian Love-Gone-Wrong” songs and had vowed to name a CD Romantic Comedies and Other Tragedies.

I noticed a pattern – that when a relationship was new and full of hope and promise, I would be thrilled. As time marched on and the skeletons inevitably rattled out of the closet (emotional immaturity, cheating, stalking, addictions, warped values, etc.), my happiness would plummet.

I would work hard to “save” the relationship (or “fix” the guy), becoming miserable in the process. I knew how to be happy on my own, but once tangled in the relationship, I resisted going back to singleness. I became attached to the guy and to “this” relationship. I would resist the unavoidable outcome until the relationship became unbearable.

When the romance was finally pronounced dead, the next stage would begin. Analysis, grieving, and way too many imaginary “conversations” in my head with the recent ex. I’d seek to understand, explain, and perhaps even create new scenarios in my head with alternate endings.

Never in complete despair, I had come to recognize the resiliency of my heart. As difficult as this “getting over someone” stage was, I knew that when it had run its course in the following weeks or months, I would be sane again. Happy again.

I remember writing in my journal, “I can’t wait to get my balance back.”

Hmm… get my “balance back”? What did that mean, I thought? How and when did I lose my balance?

The answer became obvious. I lost my balance precisely at the point when I handed over the keys to my happiness to someone else. At the point when I started to lean inappropriately on another person for my emotional fulfillment. I lost my balance when I gave my power away.

Out of curiosity, I counted these experiences. In ten years, I had experienced ten romantic disappointments. Ten failed relationships. Ten broken hearts. And the gift of those ten broken hearts was this: I realized I didn’t want or need “a relationship.” I just wanted to be happy. And I had been hinging the success or failure of my own “happiness” on whether or not I was in a relationship!

I erased “passionate, committed loving relationship” from my list of goals and replaced it with a new, revolutionary intention: To be happy, whether or not I was in a relationship.

I also got clear about what I wanted from a relationship.Of the long list of desired benefits and features (love, passion, companionship, etc.) “Love” had always been at the top of the list. Now I realized the sacrilege of it. Here I was, love incarnate, waiting for someone to “give me love” (and refusing to be whole and complete without some external “giver of love”). Hmm, perhaps, I should look at how I was giving (and not giving) love to myself….

I look forward to discovering and growing that special relationship someday (who knows, perhaps tomorrow). But never again will I hand the keys to my own happiness over to someone else. Never will I cling to a relationship, imagining “love” to be a scarce commodity and men to be in short supply.

It took some time to develop new thoughts and feelings about “relationships.” But I’m getting the hang of it. I no longer approach holidays with anxiety, frustration, or self-imposed expectations. I just enjoy them, however they show up.

Today was the perfect Valentine’s Day. I dressed up like a human Valentine’s card (black skirt with red roses and red accents to match), shared a lovely meal with a woman friend from out of town, visited another friend in jail, and met some wonderful new people doing the same.

I came home, finished some work, and watched a short movie with my father. We enjoyed some lovely chocolates and flowers sent by a girlfriend.

Nothing was missing. Nothing was wrong.

I did not approach Valentine’s Day seeking love, needing love, or assuming that love had somehow gone missing. I approached it knowing that I embody love. Knowing that I am the Source of love, literally, “a cup of God.”

I brought love to those around me with my festive outfit, words and smile. I received love and happiness from an endless number of friends, family, and even strangers. And I was, and I AM… Happy!

Love is abundant. Love is everywhere. Love is inside of me. It cannot be lost or taken away. Perhaps I shall feel the pang of romantic disappointment again, but I shall not forget the gift of ten broken hearts, the undeniable awareness that I AM LOVE.

When his daughter suddenly requested more money for college expenses, he suggested a later time to discuss her request. However, his daughter’s mother – his ex-wife – had a more immediate solution to his daughter’s cash flow needs. After all, she knew her ex’s social security number and could imitate his signature.

When my friend discovered what had happened, he did not lay down like a doormat as the ex had hoped. He took legal action.

It was complicated (for everyone), embarrassing (for her), and frankly, the only self-respecting option he had. More than happy to discuss and provide for his childrens’ real needs, he was not about to be taken to the bank in such an underhanded way. He stood up for himself, and righted the wrong, removing the item from his financial record, and placing the responsibility with the person who had signed the fraudulent loan papers.

Shortly after hearing this story, I met someone else, a middle-aged woman. She was exhausted, working three jobs.

As I inquired about her circumstances, she revealed that she was paying off a number of credit cards – that she had not opened or authorized herself.

Her own ex had hijacked her social security number and forged her signature, obtaining credit cards against her knowledge. She discovered the situation when angry creditors started calling. The cards were maxed out and late, and her credit was ruined.

“Why are YOU paying them off!?” I asked incredulously. “You realize, that’s FRAUD!?”

“I know, but I didn’t want to sue him or get lawyers involved,” she answered with a tired sigh.

“But… but… you shouldn’t have to pay something off that you weren’t responsible for or even aware of! Did you contact the creditors about it?”

She had failed to advocate for herself, opting instead to take two extra jobs and commit herself to a few years of drudgery to pay for her ex’s sins with her own hard work.

I was fascinated with the similarities and the contrasts: Two middle-aged people, both with responsible money habits and good credit. Two ex’s with opportunistic agendas and questionable ethics. Money borrowed from each against their knowledge or will. Creditors with hands outstretched, wondering who is going to repay the debt.

One says “no” and places responsibility back on the perpetrator. The other allows the person who took criminal advantage of her to walk away scot-free, while she pays the price with her own time, dollars, and quality of life.

One man. One woman.

Coincidence? I don’t think so. Of course, you can’t draw strict lines between “male” and “female” and predict behaviors, but some stereotypes exist because they are, more so than not, true. And what do these culturally ingrained generalizations tell us? A person stands up for himself “like a man.” A person looks after and nurtures others “like a mother.”

You can be a “tough guy” or a “pushover,” and we all know whose “work is never done.” (Maybe because we’re working three jobs.)

Are women (or anyone of a more feminime persuasion) pre-disposed to be financial martyrs? The woman is the first to “rescue” other family members at her own expense (literally). Caring more about the relationship (a top priority for the feminine soul) than her own best interest, she might even forget to sign a contract or discuss terms, saying instead, “You just pay me back when you can, alright?”

In one family, a woman worked a job she hated while her husband and grown son refused to work. As well as sheltering the men in her life (I use the term “men” loosely here , she also took in stray animals – dogs, cats, fish, you name it – and attempted to care for them as well.

Meanwhile, she maxed out the equity in the home that had once been her free-and-clear inheritance, and her sister with the better-paying job closed the gap of the expenses she couldn’t meet.

I saw Suzi Orman speak once, and she described the importance of putting on our own oxygen mask before you help those around us.

“Ladies, I’m talking to YOU!” she exclaimed to a room of knowing laughter.

It’s true. As women (or as people of any gender with strong feminine energy), we forget our own worth. Sometimes we sacrifice balance, health, even our self-respect in the quest to “take care of” those around us. Our desires to nurture ourselves and maintain healthy boundaries are sometimes sacrificed to the crises of others, our inability to say no, and our own motherly guilt.

We become martyrs in our families. Sometimes, we’ve got to draw the line in the sand and say, “I’d love to help you, but you’re going to have to find another solution.” Sometimes, we’ve have to say, “I’m sorry you felt desperate for money, but forging my signature is fraud, and I’m not going to pay for it.”

We become martyrs with our creditors. Women forget that in times of emergency, when divorce, severe illness or death strikes, that sometimes our super-women capes are not enough.

Sometimes the money doesn’t stretch far enough, and we have to remember that things like our mortgage payment and our health insurance come before the credit card bill. Sometimes we have to say, “I’m sorry, but I can’t afford to pay you this month.” Sometimes, we have to ask for help, and be willing to receive it. And sometimes, we’ve got to hold onto that oxygen mask with all we’ve got, and just… breathe.

We become financial martyrs whenever we sacrifice ourselves to the needs, requests, and demands of others. Sometimes, we’ve just got to say NO.

You might be a financial martyr if:

• You always “find” money when other people need it, but you never have enough for yourself.
• You’ve taken responsibility for another person’s financial irresponsibility or fraud.
• You’ve let “essentials” such as insurance and health care lapse.
• You give or loan money to family members who are capable of earning it themselves.
• You loan money to people who don’t pay it back.
• You always seem to be on the “giving” end of the money stick.

If this sounds like you, I highly recommend this breathing exercise:

1. Inhale from (metaphoric) oxygen mask regularly.
2. On your exhale, start practicing the word “No”.
3. Meditate and visualize the things that you want and need. See these things as important, valuable, and available to you.
4. See others as capable, and resist the urge to rescue them.

You are your own greatest responsibility. Particularly if others are counting or depending on you – bosses, children, spouses, partners and customers – you must realize that self-care is the basis of being able to help anyone.

Maybe that’s why I called the first financial workshop I designed “Love Your Money, Love Yourself.” Because loving your money (and caring for it, not giving it away to anyone who asks for it) IS loving yourself. Would you give away a child to anyone who asked (or could forge a signature?) Of course not! Likewise we should protect our money and treat it with care.

If you’re reading this blog post on a computer in the U.S., you already have advantages and freedoms that many in the world can’t take for granted.

First of all, you can read. (A few Middle Eastern and African countries are still debating whether girls should be taught to read….)

Second, you have electricity. (I love my annual Orcas Island camping trip, but flashlights and porta-potties get old after a few days.)

Third, you have a computer, or at least, computer access. (Anyone over 30 will remember the time known as “B.C.” – before computers!)

Furthermore, nobody’s making you read this. It’s not government-approved propaganda. And in spite of the tenacious corporate hold on much of our print and airwaves, make no mistake, we live in a land where freedom of speech reigns – even freedom to criticize our political leaders publicly.

My point is this: even if you’re working a job you don’t love, even if you’re struggling to pay your bills, even if your significant other just ran off with someone else and things could be better than they are, you’ve still got a helluva lot to be grateful for. (I’ll light a sparkler to that!)

You have the freedom to choose a new home or a new line of work, to study any subject you want (even for free via your computer), freedom to meet new people, even start or expand a business. The requirements for these things?

Nothing more than sheer ingenuity and force of will. We enjoy tremendous freedoms that should never be taken for granted, freedoms for which others literally risk their lives for the chance to have.

People in U.S. complain, sometimes very legitimately about taxes, corruption, and other problems. But I haven’t heard any stories of American citizens strapping together pieces of wood and pushing their families away from the shore in the attempt to try to float their way to someplace better before they starve to death or die of exposure. I do, however, know former refugees and immigrants who risked it all to find a better place, and they are grateful every day that they found it.

You might call it a paradox:

On the one hand, we live in one of the wealthiest nations, not just of our time, but of any time.

We have more freedoms, possibilities, and technological advantages than 99% of the people on the planet.

But are we any happier, any more grateful, any more “free” than those of less privileged societies, or countries with a “lower standard of living”? Do we have time to enjoy more things, or are we just working more to pay for the things we don’t have time to enjoy?

You be the judge. As a nation, we are famous for eating ourselves obese, overworking ourselves into early graves, and racking up more consumer debt than citizens of any other nation. Millions of people are caught in cycles of revolving debt, and nearly a million and a half file for bankruptcy in the U.S. each year. Rampant unemployment and large downturns in the stock and housing markets have turned many good intentions sour, and we realize that our lifestyles and our habits were not sustainable.

Where has all this “freedom” gotten us? We’re over-extended, over-entertained, and over-whelmed. We carry phones and devices with perpetual internet connections, but we’ve become disconnected from ourselves, each other, and the earth. We’re majoring in the minors.

Some are looking to political movements to save us and “get us back on track.” But I believe it’s time to move forward, not reminisce about a past that had its own set of problems. It’s also a time for unprecedented personal responsibility, an opportunity to stop expecting the government or somebody else to bail us out.

It’s time for us to get intentional and to make decisions that reflect our highest intentions. Being debt-free, building a profitable business, and achieving financial independence all begin as decisions. Do people just randomly wake up one day and realize they have paid off all their debts or achieved financial independence as the surprising result of their circumstances? No! Any change of course begins with a decision.

It’s time for our own Declaration of Independence, not from oppressive forces around us, but from the distractions and obstacles within us. If you’re not living a life you love, it’s time to change the course you’re on.

If you’re ready for more freedom in your life – more personal freedom, more financial freedom, more emotional freedom, then decide it, declare it, and begin it. As W. H. Murray wrote in The Scottish Himalaya Expedition, 1951 (chronically but largely incorrectly attributed to Goethe):

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, the providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way. I learned a deep respect for one of Goethe’s couplets:

‘Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!’

Whether you’re reading this on the 4^th of July, the middle of October or the March after next, I invite you to make your personal Declaration of Independence on what is always the perfect day – “today.” Make a decision about what you want your life to be like, and declare those intentions in words and in writing.

As for me, it’s my decision to spend this next year helping people out of debt, assisting them in removing the blocks to their prosperity, and showing them how to transform their relationship with money so that they can live out their own visions and intentions. I’m committing myself to a new level of giving and bringing value, and I’m opening myself up to a new level of receiving in my life. I’m committing to a new level of self-care and discipline, particularly seeing how (since my elderly father moved in with me six month ago) it is all too easy to neglect myself to attend to the seemingly urgent tasks that can fill the day. I’m also committing to a new business model that will allow me to help more people and take more days off for planning, family time, and restoration.

What do you want your own personal Declaration of Independence to say? What are you committing to that you are ready to ”begin now”? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.

Happy Fourth of July,

Kate

Follow Total Wealth Coaching on Facebook

A funny thing happened on the way to getting my taxes done…

Some kind of “tummy bug” hit. Not that awful have-to-sit-on-the-toilet-with-a-bucket-in-your-lap flu that leaves you wondering what else your body could possibly purge, but a milder I-just-don’t-have-an-appetite-and-my-stomache-kinda-hurts thing.

Now, with all the “work” I’ve done with my relationship with money, I’m pretty conscious about how my mind, body, emotions, and financial world fit together. Was I resisting doing my taxes? To be honest, it’s one of my least favorite things, though I’m not sure the tummy ache was related. (I actually was in a pretty good mood after I got into the swing of things…)

I’ll admit, I relish exploring the more creative, emotional, right-brained aspects of money… from brainstorming business ideas to helping someone process through their “stories” about money, perhaps gaining big “aha’s” or even reframing how they relate to money. But I’m not an accountant type; I struggle with mundane record-keeping tasks, and I’m not the person to come to with your questions about Quickbooks!

Having huge breakthroughs in my relationship with money — and developing many distinctions that help others to do the same — created a new world of possibilities for me, but it didn’t make me a bookkeeper!

Still, the bills must be paid, the taxes must be filed. And if you’re like me (naturally resistant to mundane financial tasks), you might even find your mind and emotions working against you to accomplish these things. As they say, awareness is a perfect place to start…. but awareness itself doesn’t guarantee change or even progress. What’s needed is focused attention and energy.

Changing our focus and energy around something can have profound effects. Law of Attraction coach Sandy Forster, an Australian single mom who went “from welfare to millionaire” shares how she changed her focus and energy around bill paying. In a time of severe cashflow difficulties and great debt, she started focusing on gratitude. As she would pay each bill, she would give thanks for the services provided, whether that of her telephone, electricity, or other service.

Even she could not pay the bills in full, she controlled what she could control at that moment, which was shifting her focus and energy. She gave gratitude for her debts, then she would write on the check, “Thank-you! Happiness and Prosperity to You!”

Yes, she blessed her creditors.

Although Sandy experienced a rather sudden shift in fortunes, the shift was a long time coming. Following a divorce, her financial situation slid slowly downhill, and she spent many months in that valley before things turned around for her. And as she tells the story, the changes started inside, very intentionally, as she shifted her beliefs, energy, and focus, little by little, until good things started coming her way with great velocity.

If you suffer from tummy aches, feelings of dread, procrastination, and other signs of anxiety and resistance to financial tasks, try these tips:

When paying bills or doing financial accounting or paperwork:

• Plan. Set aside time for it in advance on your calendar. Make it an important appointment, and not something you try to do at 11pm at the end of a long day.
• Prepare. Approach the appointment with a good attitude and positive self-talk.
• Get comfortable. Put on pleasant music (it has to be instrumental for me, or it’s too distracting), adjust the lighting so it feels good to you, sit comfortably, and sip on some hot herbal tea, a glass of wine, or whatever will put you into a relaxed mood.
• Give Thanks. Dwell in gratitude throughout, not worrying about money already spent, but thankful for value and services received.
• Reframe. Notice resistance in the form of limiting beliefs, such as “I’m not good with money” or “I can’t do this.” Challenge those beliefs when they surface. Be gentle and affirming with yourself, acknowledging that you can do more than you’ve believed, and that you are capable.
• Be productive. Work however you work best – whether in short spurts with lots of breaks, or one long period with no interruptions. And managing/preventing interruptions is key! Turn off the phone and eliminate distractions.
• Finish. Work to complete a particular goal, whether that’s doing your bookkeeping for the week or month, paying all bills, or completing another task.
• Get support. Use an accountability buddy to keep you on track and share your accomplishments with.
• Get help. If you get in over your head, hire or ask for help.
• Celebrate! Reward yourself when you’re done! It can be as simple as enjoying some gourmet chocolate, watching a favorite movie, or treating yourself to anything else that you know you’ll enjoy.

As you shift our focus and our energy around your financial tasks, you will discover “Hey, that wasn’t so bad after all!” You might even find yourself looking forward to the next round of bill-paying or receipt-logging. Though I make no promises that you’ll wake up a left-brain, detail-oriented accountant!

Today seems like a good day to ask…

“Why are some people so lucky?” (And it’s usually not you!?) If you’d like to increase your luck and literally, your “good fortune,” read on.

I have a “G.R.A.T.I.T.U.D.E. Formula” comprised of 9 steps to increase prosperity and abundance in every area of life. And the first step has everything to do with increasing your luck and opening yourself up to more of the green stuff, regardless of your ethnic heritage. As a matter of fact, it’s something I always recommend to my self-employed clients who want to start or increase the flow of money in their business…

Ready? (It’s the “G” of the G.R.A.T.I.T.U.D.E. Formula…)

Give Generously.

It might sound too simplistic, too obvious, but oftentimes the important things come across that way. As Wayne Dyer points out, when you approach life from “I need more… gimme gimme gimme,” you actually attract more scarcity and repel the abundance you are seeking, financial or otherwise.

Being able to shift your focus to what you have to offer, and how you can serve, rather than what you don’t have but desperately want, is the key.

This principle not only resonates as true, it’s statistically and demographically documented! In the excellent book by Thomas J. Stanley, Millionaire Women Next Door, one of the characteristics of millionaire business women tend to share in common is their generosity. They give of their income at 3-1/2 times the national giving average (an average of 7% instead of 2%). These millionairesses are also tremendous givers in their estates as well.

And lest you think, “Oh sure, I’d be generous too if I were a millionaire,” let me point out what else the research revealed. These generous millionairesses didn’t wait to start giving until they became wealthy by some standard. They started giving BEFORE they were considered “wealthy.”

You see, building a keeping wealth is ultimately dependent on a wealthy mindset, and giving is truly the height of an abundant mentality.

Some of them learned to regularly give 10% or more of their income, and interestingly enough, these “Tina Ten-Percenters,” as Stanley nicknamed them, seemed to keep as much of of their wealth as their tight-fisted counterparts on the other end of the spectrum, the “Olga One-Percenters.” Coincidence?

Giving is a declaration to the universe that there is not only “enough” for you, but there is more than enough. It is an statement made with actions that says, “There is more on the way, and enough to go around.”

Enough for me, enough for you.

Enough to keep, enough to give.

Eben Pagan, a wildly successful marketer who sells informational programs (primarily) on the internet, has revealed the crucial difference this contribution mindset has made in his bottom line. Growing up poor, Eben once worked for $10 an hour and rented an apartment before purchasing a trailer to live in. Now Eben’s company now generates up to $24 million dollars of annual sales. (He no longer lives in the trailer, although he swears he was quite happy in it!)

When mega-marketer Frank Kern pressed Eben to get specific on how he went from there to here… from literally “living in a trailer” to a multi-million dollar business, Eben declares the day it all changed for him was when he stopped trying to figure out how to SELL something that would make him a million dollars, and started focusing on what value he could GIVE.

For years, Eben’s mind had been obsessed with the question, “How can I sell a million people something they would pay a dollar for?” He changed his focus to wondering, “How can I GIVE $100 of value to a million people who might then be willing to pay $10 for the value they had received?” …And the rest, as they say, is history.

Today, Eben models this giving philosophy today, giving away entire segments of his video trainings, establishing his value before people purchase.  (Programs like Wake Up Productive, Self-Made Wealth, Get Altitude…) And he trains other entrepreneurs to do the same. Don’t hold back, but give generously of the value that you offer.

By giving first, the flow of giving and receiving is established. The cycle is jump-started, and the inevitable result is that good things will return to the giver, in some shape or form. This is true if these principles are followed:

1) The giving is truly GIVING (i.e., it’s not a form of martyrdom or creating obligation, but the gifts are truly and freely given.)

2) What is given is of VALUE to those to whom it is given (it is wanted and needed, something of use.)

3) The gift given fosteres sufficiency and sustainability. (It does not disempower the receiver.)

Eben looks like a pretty lucky guy… or maybe he’s just learned the secret of Giving Generously.

And now, an Irish blessing…
May you always walk in sunshine.
May you never want for more.
May Irish angels rest their wings right beside your door.

(And when someone asks, “Why are some people lucky – in money and in life?” may they be talking about you!)
Kate

I’m honored to kick off the month as part of a list of tremendous guests such as Mikelann Valterra of the Women’s Earning Institute, best-selling author Molly Gordon, (The Accidental Entrepreneur), and Anna Choi, a woman I highly admire for her transformative money management work with couples. See the whole schedule HERE and if you like, subscribe to the free podcast (same page) so that you won’t miss a show!

The show I’ll be featured on goes live Wednesday, March 3 at 3pm pst on 106.9 HD, channel 3. For the details of how to listen via the internet, subscribe, or hear a replay, click here.

And I can’t wait to meet the Sisters in person… The Sisters of Sizzle are Elise Kloter and Jill Pagano. Amongst other things, Elise is a Passion Test Facilitator, and Jill is a Nia instructor. Together they are fun, energetic, and a perfect example of what happens when women’s intuition meets entrepreneurial synergy. The two met and got this crazy idea to start a radio show, and voila, they were getting their sizzle on in no time! Their program now has thousands of subscribers and attracts fantastic guests.

Join my new friend Robin Stephens and me for a teleclass on March 2nd and we’ll answer those questions and more! Robin has invited me to launch her next Healthy, Wealthy and Organized teleclass series on March 2nd. The class is free, but you can’t afford to miss it!

Robin Stephens is a gifted life coach who works with (especially) women to help them

• increase wellness and energy
• create motivation
• achieve balance
• conquer their clutter and stress.
  (How awesome is that!?)

Now Robin is helping even more busy women professionals and business owners achieve more inspired, balanced, and organized lives through her classes and products. (See www.healthywealthyandorganized.com) And that includes… this teleseminar!

Here’s what’s happening:

“Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Fortune Teleclass”

Hosted by: Robin Stephens with Guest Expert Kate Phillips
Date: March 2, 2010
Time: 5 pm PST/8 pm EST
Bridge line: (605) 475-4800
Access Code: 795697#

On this call, I’ll reveal the basic three-step formula for creating wealth, as well as six other essential keys for women who want to create more abundance and reverse beliefs and attitudes that sabotage their success.
You’ll discover :

• Simple things you can do right now to alleviate financial stress
• The biggest key to creating abundance in your life
• Why affirmations and the law of attraction don’t work
• How emotions can feed abundance and scarcity thinking
• The most common beliefs that hold us back from playing a bigger game
• Creating a healthy relationship with money
• and more tips or mini-coaching call-ins as time allows!

Can’t make the call? No worries. If you register you’ll automatically receive the recording within 24 hours after the call.

Register here for the call AND the recording.

I hope to hear you on the call!

Flock is an innovative website that offers spiritual direction and soul-nurturing advice to a growing online community of women (so far) who are discovering their unique spiritual paths. I’m part of a team of coaches, counselors and experts, and delighted to be the “financial healer” in the mix.

Rachelle interviewed me for her Magpie-Girl blog, asking “What are the common misconceptions women have about money and prosperity?” Click here to read my answer at Magpie-Girl….