Most women will discuss their sex lives before they’ll talk about money.

Money is an emotionally charged topic for many women. We avoid it like the plague. Some of us feel like we don’t “have enough” money; others feel guilty believing that we have “too much” money. Although women entrepreneurs generally want to earn more money in their businesses; most are desperately afraid of how their lives and relationships would change if their income jumped a level or two. What they don’t realize is that their money rules sabotage their efforts to attract more clients, generate more income, and more impact lives.

When you let go of your fear and guilt around money, you can serve 
your clients at a higher level and quickly and significantly increase your income.

Your thoughts and feelings about money actually dictate the actions that you’ll take (or not take) in your business. It’s very common for a woman to spend large sums of money on business training programs, yet never increase her income. This happens because when it comes time for her to implement what she’s learned, her old fears and guilt about money re-emerge. She begins to worry about possible pitfalls; has doubts that she can succeed; and/or feels angry or resentful that she has to earn money. So, despite having more information, she finds excuse after excuse not to market her business; ask people to work with her; or connect with potential business partners. The end result is that she stays stuck —no new clients and no additional income.

You don’t have to be down to your last nickel or in massive debt to have negative money beliefs. Here are three key signs that your money rules are controlling your finances:

1. Your income is insufficient to meet your needs and desires

2. Your income has remained stagnant for several years, despite your efforts to raise it

3. You quickly blow through any additional money that you receive

Your money rules are based on your unconscious beliefs about money. Your money rules are sabotaging your efforts to create greater financial abundance.

In my own case, I realized that I held the negative belief that, “People who earn a lot of money are work-a-holics who don’t have personal lives.” This belief showed up in my business in my reluctance to pursue speaking engagements and attend business conferences. Although I knew that these were great opportunities to connect with my ideal clients, I used not wanting to be away from my son as the excuse not to go. Once I uncovered this limiting belief I was liberated to pursue speaking and networking opportunities that occurred while my son was in school or that required limited travel. Within a month of this one revelation, my income jumped significantly!

Although I’m a marketing expert, I now know that teaching marketing isn’t enough to help a woman to create a meaningful and profitable business. She first has to get to the root of her money rules. A lot of our money rules are beliefs passed down from family members and reinforced by our social network. These beliefs then inform how much money you feel that you deserve or can realistically earn.

When a woman transforms her relationship with money, she’ll see money as partner in co-creating the life she truly desires. When this shift occurs she’s then emotionally free to make new choices and decisions in her business.

To make this change you don’t have to get mired in the past. However, you must be willing to recognize the ways your money rules are stopping you from growing your business, touching more lives and experiencing financial abundance. The first step to breaking your money rules is to become aware of your true feelings about money. Get a piece of paper and, in as much detail as you can, answer the following questions:

• What did your parents/family tell you about money growing up?

• 
Were your parents constantly saying things like, “We don’t have enough money,” “Money doesn’t grow on trees,” or “Rich people are greedy”? or “People like us don’t get rich.”

• What indirect cues did you receive about money from your parents/family?

• Did your parents argue about money?

• Was money a taboo subject that was rarely discussed?

• Did you notice that one parent spent freely spent while the other was miserly?

Compared to your peers, did it seem like your family had:

More money?

Less money?

Or about the same?

How did money factor into your friendship or how you felt with other kids?

When you courageously take the steps to transform you relationship with money, you’ll change your entire life. You’ll stand in your power which will translate into you having a greater appreciation for your talents, gifts and skills. With your higher self-worth you’ll require right compensation for the value that you provide to clients. By being a role model you’ll also affect meaningful shifts in your community as your business helps people to improve the quality of their lives.

July 2013 Issue