8: Seeing Money as a Bridge: A Thanksgiving Reflection
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When you hear the word “gratitude,” you probably think about being thankful for your family, your health, or maybe that big vacation you took this year. But what about being grateful for your money?
This week is Thanksgiving here in the United States, so it makes sense that gratitude is at the front of my mind.
When you hear the word “gratitude,” you probably think about being thankful for your family, your health, or maybe that big vacation you took this year. But what about being grateful for your money?
I believe that money should be a tool to help you live your greatest life, rather than an obstacle. So wouldn’t it make sense to pause and appreciate your money for the opportunities it provides for you, no matter how big or small your bank account balance is?
What if, when you look at your checking account balance, even if it really isn’t where you’d like it to be, you still take a moment to find gratitude for what is actually there?
It’s the money that paid for the roof over your head.
It's the money that bought the groceries for your Thanksgiving meal.
It's the money that covered the bill for your kids' new shoes.
It’s the money that you’re using to pay down that credit card debt…again, even if it is going much slower than you would like.
Every dollar, every cent, has a job. When you're using a tool like YNAB and you're intentionally giving every dollar a job, you can visually see the progress of your deliberate planning and start to feel the energetic flow of your money.
And that, my friends, deserves gratitude!
Instead of focusing on that financial anxiety or the feeling that "everything you want costs money," try to embrace that energetic flow of money. Be grateful for the money that comes in, because it allows you to pay for the things that are important to you.
It is so easy to get caught up in the stress of budgeting, especially when you are just getting started or if you’ve just had some large expenses. But when you stop and acknowledge that your money is a bridge to achieving your biggest, wildest dreams, it changes everything.
This week, as you are sitting down for your Thanksgiving meal, or your usual Thursday meal if you aren’t here in the US, I want you to try this simple practice: Take a moment to genuinely thank your money for the opportunities it provides, and thank yourself for the work you put in to earn it. The goal is to begin to move past the shame, guilt, and fear—all those heavy emotions that people carry around money—and replace them with appreciation and clarity.
Go ahead and give that practice a try this week, even if it feels a little silly at first. You just might be surprised at the shift you feel with your relationship to your money.
And finally, as we talk about gratitude, I want to take a moment to thank you, my amazing listeners. This is only episode 8 so this podcast is still brand new for me, but you are here showing up. Not only are you showing up for me, but more importantly, you are showing up for yourself.
Every week that you show up, you listen, you take in this information, and you take another step towards a more positive financial future. You are the reason I am so passionate about helping others use money as a tool to build their greatest life.
It truly means the world to me that you are letting me be a part of your financial journey. I don’t take that lightly and I want you to know that I appreciate each and every one of you. So thank you. Thank you for allowing me to share this work that lights me up so much. Thank you for allowing me to spread my budget nerdiness into your life.
With that, Happy Thanksgiving, friends! Until next time, keep creating that positive relationship with your money so that you too can start to experience financial freedom.
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