Have you ever thought about money? I mean really sat down and thought about it. If you’re like me, you’ve thought about when you’ll get your next paycheck, the bills you have to pay, and how much will have left over. And you’ve probably come to the conclusion that you need more. But that’s just scratching the surface.
Money is such a delicate subject because we all need it and we all have different feelings and views surrounding it. There are a few key questions to ask yourself when you think about money and its role in your life. Here are just a few.
Does Money Bring Happiness?
As we go through life, we need “stuff” to learn and grow. As we learn and grow, we develop ourselves and are able to give back to our families, friends, communities, and the world. To get the “stuff” we need usually costs money.
For example, I love to dance and my husband offered to take ballroom classes with me. It was great! We went down to a very nice studio in the area and told the instructor we were there to learn Tango, Salsa, and Swing. He was delighted and then told us how much. We wrote the check and took the lessons. It was a blast!
The point is, to learn how to dance, we needed the right resources – the dance studio, the instructor, and the lessons. All of that cost money. So not only do we need money for the basics like food and shelter, we need money for all of the “stuff” that will help us grow into all that we can become.
My daughter may be the best piano player in history and bless the world with her talent but if I cannot afford to get her a piano, and lessons, and so forth, we will never know. Now I’m not saying that to develop yourself always costs money. There are many ways to grow and expand yourself by utilizing the resources all around. But the simple truth remains, the more money one has, the more opportunities will be presented.
By developing ourselves, we live fulfilled lives and that brings happiness. So having money does not directly make you happy. It’s what you can do with that money that brings happiness.
Does Money Bring Freedom?
We know now that having money opens doors that may have been closed before. But can having more money really bring freedom? Well it depends on what freedom means to you.
Does it mean being able to say good-bye to your boss and your 9-5 job? Does it mean traveling the world and seeing the most exotic places? Does it mean eating out whenever and wherever you want? Does it mean buying your dream house?
Freedom can mean lots of things and it’s different for everybody. For most people however, having true freedom simply means being able to do what you want when you want to do it.
Now if you’re working at your 9-5 with a boss watching your every move, that’s not really true freedom is it? Can you take off to the mall for a few hours if you want? Could you take an afternoon siesta and snooze at your desk? Probably not! You’d lose your job pretty quickly I imagine.
What about having to pick and choose which bills you will pay this month? What about having creditors calling you demanding money? What about having to make do with your old clothes because things are too tight to buy new clothes? These are just a few examples of what freedom is not!
Again, to see, have, learn, and do things in this life we need money and that brings with it a sense of freedom. So to answer the question, yes, money does buy freedom pretty much however you look at it.
Is It OK To Have Lots of Money?
This is one of the most important questions you should ask yourself when thinking about money. Many people struggle with this concept. A lot of it comes from left over beliefs they inherited from their parents, friends, and others.
So is it ok to have money? What do you think? We’ve already learned that, though indirectly, money does help to bring freedom and happiness into your life. I can tell you from experience that I would much rather have money than not have money. Who in their right mind wouldn’t?
Often as people start down to the road to wealth creation, they get hung up on thinking it’s wrong to make a lot of money or to have more money than their parents did. These kind of beliefs become paralyzing and you will never have the kind of money you say you want. If this is your case, think seriously about why you think that is.
I will say it here: it is OK to have lots of money! Having money isn’t and shouldn’t be a selfish desire. In fact, it should be just the opposite. The more money you have, the more money you can give.
Final Thoughts
So, we’ve talked about money and three key questions you should ask yourself about money. Money does help you to live your life better. The biggest, most important thing to know however is that you must have a healthy relationship with money. This includes how you feel about, how you make it, and how you share it.
Above all, your priorities must be in order. You must decide what is the most important to you. For most people, when all is said and done, their family and friends will be the most valuable treasure they could ever hope to have.
It’s ok to make money. It’s ok to make a lot of it. Just remember why you’re making the money in the first place. It does you no good to be able to buy your daughter a grand piano if you’re never around to listen to her play!
Hopefully these questions have made you think. It’s a good thing to challenge your beliefs every now and then and make sure they’re in accordance with what you truly want in life!
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