Several years ago, after investing much time and money in multiple coaching credentials I emerged ready, willing and able to share my hard-won life wisdom and huge toolbox with women eager to discover their own unbridled truth.
I was blessed quickly and effortlessly, with several brilliant, creative, conscious clients. My cup overflowed, as I experienced that sharing what inspired me most, could catalyze phenomenal transformation for others.
The problem was, although I was deeply at home in my identity as a coach, I was not identified at all with being an entrepreneur.
I thought the way to heal my money blind spots was to consume every piece of content I could shove into myself, about how to create wealth quickly.
As the years passed I found myself spending less time in my gift zone, immersed in activities that light me up, and more and more time breathlessly chasing whichever piece of advice skillfully convinced me, that if I did not follow it, I would at the very least be left behind and at worst, fail.
A few of the strategies I had learned from coaches who are undoubtedly masterful at what they do, resulted in beautiful successes.
Yet, one day not long ago, I awoke to the fact that the dreams I was chasing were not my own and I was paying an unacceptable price.
The first time I heard the word sustainable in the virtual marketplace I had a visceral, somatic reaction… I experienced profound relief shoot through my body, from head to toe!
Sustainable…
“a method of harvesting or using a resource, so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged”
Spending every waking hour trying to become wealthy can keep one living in a perpetual state of scarcity and failure.
In the foray of striving for riches, I had lost touch with the richness of living my life, moment to moment, day to day.
I like money and all that it can do for me and others, and I enjoy luxury.
I also believe that the unrelenting pursuit of wealth can actually prevent the creation of a sustainable business.
Think waiting anxiously for your plane to take off, when your ship was sitting quietly at the dock all along, ready to carry you effortlessly across the water.
We don’t hear a lot about “sustainable success” in the marketplace. (Although I was invited, immediately after writing this article to speak at an event by that name!)
I owned a beautiful home for 15 years. I had made it a sanctuary, my greatest work of art. It was a safe, nurturing place that held me as I left my conventional job, descended into the shadows within, and excavated my soul so that I could become who I am today.
I said to myself, more times than I can count… I would never leave that home… I would die there and then become a ghost there :-). The new owners would have to hire a ghostbuster if they ever wanted me out. I was certain!
Until the day I realized, that when I wasn’t looking, my (very large) house had become part of the false wealth equation. It was robbing me of the rich, meaningful life that would ultimately sustain me and my business.
So, over the summer, much to my shock, and the shock of those close to me, I decided to let go of my beautiful house. (Maybe you know that our houses symbolize our consciousness).
To be crystal clear, for me a sustainable business does not mean that I don’t make plenty of money…or lots of money.
It means that my business and I are driven and sustained by richness, meaning, and enough money. “Enough” is very subjective…and a whole other article :).
I could write a book and hopefully, soon I will.
For now, I’ll simply say that down-sizing and letting go, is one hell of an expansion!
Just like every other important domain of life, you have to be yourself when it comes to money… Trying to be somebody else with money can cause early death to one’s most precious truth.
And I know if you’re reading this, the idea of living according to your deepest truth is probably pretty exciting to you.
You can’t be somebody else when it comes to money.
If you want to learn how to be YOU, when it comes to your relationship to money and stop “SHOULDING” all over yourself, begin by taking my free money archetype quiz. You find it in the top right corner of my homepage.
Surprise yourself (I did)! If not now when?
Much love, Michelle
PS Email me directly if you have questions and I’ll get right back to you.
