Some of us have a great deal of discretionary income; others of us have very little. In any case, if we want to make an impact on the planet with monetary “energy” we can use our money to make a better world.
Throughout my life, I’ve noticed the spiritual adage, “Whatever we give, we get back threefold” to be remarkably true in my life. Several years ago, I experienced this truth in action. Before I left Arizona for a California vacation, I gave a white baby shirt my children had outgrown to a friend. I also wanted to give something to her four-year-old daughter so I brought along something for her, a faux silver ring with a smiling “Hang ten” foot.
During my California trip, my Grandma took me shopping; she really wanted to buy me something. I settled on a white blouse. Later that weekend, my relatives and I went to the Laguna Arts Festival. The whole group got toe rings, I’m not a big toe ring person, but I went along with my Aunt’s urgings. I selected a silver one. When I came home I was very surprised to realize that I gave away two things in a form I could not use and was given two similar items in a form that I could use!
This is not the only time I’ve noticed this principle at work and I am sure it won’t be the last.
Sometimes people are fearful that if they let things go they won’t get “more” or even that they will lose a piece of their identity. However, those of us who have had the opportunity to lose all of their personal belongings (like yours truly due to an apartment fire) have an amazing opportunity to “dis-identify” with their possessions.
Recently, I worked with a client who desired to make monetary changes and to stop buying things she didn’t need. There are many hidden costs to accumulating stuff: we have to store it, clean it, move it (uggh!), we have to insure it and take care of it. There are emotional costs as well: we need to be able to find it and we may be preoccupied that someone will break it or take it.
