Japanese Garden in California

I’m a big believer in saving money. Amy Dacyczyn’sThe Complete Tightwad Gazette is one of my all time favorite books because she made me look at saving money as an art form and a game and not a deprivation practice.  Ever since I read her book I often find myself asking “What would Amy do?” Would Amy go out to dinner or would she whip up a scrumptious feast from the leftovers in her fridge? Would Amy buy the knit black top on sale for $20 at Ann Taylor or would she scout the thrift stores for one that cost a dollar?

If you spoke to my husband he would probably say I’m a bit too cautious when it comes to spending money so he loves it when I do because he thinks I should treat myself from time to time. I always joke with him that he hit the jackpot in finding a life partner because I have cost him very little money. He recently wanted to buy me something as a treat and all I could think of (other than a trip to a foreign country) was a pedicure. I do a lot of yoga and I stare at my feet quite a bit. I like having a fun color painted on my toenails but I usually do it myself which is a real pain in the ass. What a treat to have a professional paint my tired little toes and massage my feet. It was worth every bit of the $28 he spent which included the tip.

Having been in major debt when I was younger, I have no desire to sing that sad song again so yes I have a tendency to live in the fear mode sometimes and to not want to spend money on anything but the bare necessities. However, I’m noticing that I’m beginning to loosen up a bit when it comes to spending money. What’s the purpose of hoarding money if you never do anything with it to enhance your life or those of others?

I’m not advocating living beyond one’s means or buying cars or houses that cost and arm and a leg to impress your friends and family. No, I’m talking about spending money on things or experiences that are an investment in your happiness and quality of life. After one has an emergency fund,  the bills have been paid, and you’re not in debt why not loosen up and open up your wallet?

I read a lot in the financial news about how corporations are hoarding their money because they are unsure of what the future will bring. My reaction to this is usually one of judgment. I think about how greedy they are and how they need to loosen up some and spread the wealth a little. Then it dawned on me I’ve been a bit of a money hoarder as well. Being careful is great but you have to strike a balance.

My household doesn’t have tons of money but we aren’t in debt and our rainy day fund is there for unexpected vet bills, car repairs, and any other emergencies that come up. At some point I think you just have to say I’ve got some back-up money now and I need to quit living in fear of going broke. How much would it take to feel totally secure? Interesting question because there’s probably not a monetary amount that would make me feel secure. True abundance comes from within not from the balance in your checking account.

Spending money a little more freely is part of my journey to lighten up, live life more in the moment, and trust that I can spend money without some horrible consequence. Below are ten things I think are worthy of spending my money on. I still look for good deals but I’m trying not to obsess over a few dollars if I have to spend a little more. Your list may differ because we all have different priorities and circumstances.

• Charitable contributions are always worth it.  Knowing that I’m helping a cause I believe in empowers me to take physical action as well.
• Travel is important to me because the experiences you have are not only are fun but your mind is opened up to new ways of thinking and living. It’s a great form of education and the memories are something you will always revisit.
• Furthering your education is always a good investment. Whether you take a foreign language class or a course in needlepoint, education always enhances your wealth.
• Anything related to your health is also money worth doling out. Yoga classes, vitamins, acupuncture, the list is endless…. Investing in your health is always wise and the return is usually very rewarding.
• Good quality food is very important to me. With food prices going through the roof my first reaction is to seek out the cheapest deals possible but buying food that I know is good and I have an appetite for is a much better use of my money. It’s the same model I use with clothes or any other material item. I would rather have less of something that is quality than a bunch of food in my pantry that I don’t like or want.
• Miscellaneous experiences such as dining out with loved ones or horseback riding because you love horses. While in AL visiting family recently my brother and I went out to dinner and I insisted on footing the tab. It wasn’t real pricey but not cheap either. What was invaluable was the great time we had together. It was worth every penny.
• Spending money on my pets for quality food and vet care is a priority for me. My little companions give me more joy than I could ever put a price tag on so I will always spend money on my pets.

•  Good wine. I used to buy the cheapest bottle I could find that was not akin to Boone’s Farm.  I now spend a little more on a quality bottle and it actually lasts much longer. The wine is so good that often one glass at dinner is enough for me because I don’t want to ruin a good thing by having too much and not remembering how exquisite it tasted.
• My hair. I have always spent money on a good haircut and highlights and will continue to do so. I only go 3-4 times a year but it’s one of my major beauty splurges because it makes me feel good. I’m not into massages, beauty supplies, facials, etc.. but I do like to have nice hair.
• Air conditioning and heat. I used to always monitor the thermostat like a hawk. Now I’m tired of that game.  If it’s too hot or cold why put myself through the torture of being grossly uncomfortable.

(If you’d like to read more about living simply and changing the way you think about wealth please consider reading my book which is available in paperback or Kindle: REDEFINING THE MEANING OF WEALTH: DISCOVERING PROSPERITY AND FORTUNE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.

Walkway at George Washington Univ in Wash DC

What is money exactly? Yes, it sounds like a ludicrous question because we all know what money is right? Money is that $20 bill you take out of your billfold at the grocery store or it’s that debit card you swipe through the machine when you need to fill up your car at the gasoline pump. If we dig deeper into this question, it’s actually a bit difficult to answer. Is money an object? And where do they keep all this so called money? And who the hell is “they”?

Where did all that money go in the 2007 financial meltdown and all the meltdowns before then? How much money is in the world and where does it come from? Why do some have so much and some have so little? Is the work of a teacher or nurse really less valuable then a hedge fund manager or professional athlete?

When I was a child I remember trying to get some straight answers about money. Where does it come from I would ask. Who controls the money supply? All I would get were status quo academic answers from status quo academic people who through no fault of their own had been fed the same answers from a status quo society. Money comes from the bank they would tell me. But where do they get the money? No one had an answer that made sense to me or that got to the root of my question.

I eventually found out my answers about our monetary system and who controlled the money supply. Money is created out of thin air and controlled by the big central banks based on a model that growth must constantly be increasing. The entire modern monetary system is based on the ever expanding debt of individuals, companies, corporations, and governments. This however is unsustainable because our natural resources are finite and at some point will dry up if we are not careful and selective in how we use them. If you’re like me and curious about how our monetary system works, check out Money is Debt. This video takes what is a fairly complicated subject to explain and puts it in simple everyday terms.

Once you grasp how the monetary system operates, it’s tempting to feel pessimistic. However, I take comfort in knowing that it’s a human made system and has nothing to do with real abundance. Our beliefs systems about money keep the concept alive. Money is valuable simply because we believe it to be so. Human made systems can be changed and so can our belief systems. It doesn’t have to be the way it is. The more people are educated about what’s really going on the better chance we have to come up with new ideas and demand a system that works for everyone.

All this talk about money then brings us to the question, what is wealth? If wealth is having lots of money then what happens when your money no longer has any value? For instance, if people start losing faith in something that is perceived to have value, then that “something” quickly loses its value. Then those who were so called rich simply own a lot of valueless money, stock, real estate, etc… Basing your wealth on money is risky because you never know which way the markets will fluctuate.

Money is ultimately a hollow object. Maybe this is why people of all different income levels never feel wealthy enough because money has no meaning in and of itself. I think it’s important to feel wealthy no matter what our present system dictates. This is a difficult concept to accept I realize but how come there are so many people who can feel content despite being “poor?” Why do so many people take pride doing important jobs that they know our system does not reward financially but that gives them great pleasure and a feeling of making a difference? We would all be competing for jobs as bankers if money really was the end-all and be-all. But notice we’re not. Not everyone has a desire to go into those professions that promise great financial rewards. That’s probably because deep down we don’t really value money but we value work that means something to us.

At the beginning of this year I took a part time job in an animal non-profit organization. I’m making less money that I ever have before in my life but I don’t feel “poor “at all. This was a real breakthrough for me because I’ve previously based how wealthy I felt by how much money I was making. And you know what, it was never enough. No matter how much I had, I always felt I needed more.  I thought that if only I could make a little bit more or if my stocks would just increase in value then I would feel more secure and in turn more wealthy.

I now base my wealth on more important things. I’m grateful to not be going to a soul sucking job each day doing something that is not in line with my value system. I’m thankful to be healthy and that I have money for shelter, food and travel. I trust that I will be taken care of and I’m letting go more. Life is easier when I don’t put so much effort into trying to accumulate more and worrying that what I have will be taken away. In other words, my life is wealthier.

(If you’d like to read more about changing the way you think about wealth please consider reading my book REDEFINING THE MEANING OF WEALTH: DISCOVERING PROSPERITY AND FORTUNE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.)

Japanese Garden in Nikko

Western Culture is obsessed with ownership. George W. Bush talked about the Ownership Society as if it was some kind of holy concept that would save us all. However, he can’t take all the blame because all he did was mirror the consciousness of where the majority of people were at the time. Many were happy to be given the red light to chase the so called “American Dream” of ownership at any cost. We incurred too much debt and became slaves to our jobs so we could afford those goodies that we were told would make us happier.

Anyone who brought up community or sharing was pounced upon by those who worshiped greed as their god. You were quickly labeled a socialist, a communist, too idealistic or simply out of touch with the realities of human nature and there was no room for discussion. Case closed. We were encouraged to buy buy buy and go into debt debt debt. A lot of people got rich rich rich because we followed like naive cattle being led to slaughter.

The road of materialism is a dead end. What did it bring us? Is anyone any happier because of what they own? I mean really? Are we? We became out of balance and forgot about the concept of sharing. Human beings need each other and we are meant to share. We are social animals and the only way out of our current mess is to take care of each other and realize we are all in this together. There is no economic philosophy that will save us. There is no tax policy that will suddenly make everything right again. Our mind sets must change.

Jesus said you will be judged by how you treat the least amongst you. So many in the corporate and political power structures love to talk about Jesus and how they follow his teachings. I would ask those people; do you think that he is proud of how we treat each other? Do you think he would condone old people going without medical care and poor children going hungry? Was this his message? The Jesus I know about said nothing about Capitalism, tax cuts for the wealthiest or making excessive profits by grossly exploiting human labor and the environment. I also have a feeling that he would be none too pleased about the military industrial complex. The Jesus I know stressed sharing and taking care of each other.

How do we start to share again? How we do we create a world where everyone is fed, clothed, educated, and has access to health-care? We can’t wait for the politicians or business leaders or we will be waiting a damned long time. Life in the future is going to change and planning for it as if it is going to stay the same is pretty much impossible. The system is broken and it’s time to build something new.

Instead of a society that focuses on competition and individualism how about community and collaboration? This whole idea of sharing makes some people really nervous. They are worried that they will get left behind. They wonder will I get mine. Will someone take advantage of me? Will I end up being the giver and never the receiver? Don’t buy into the fear. Instead buy into the possibilities.

Start now by sharing what you already have with your friends and neighbors. You can start small if you are still unsure. Lend a book or a dvd or give it away if you no longer need it. Maybe a neighbor’s vacuum cleaner is broken and they could use yours if they can’t afford to replace their old one. You may find out that there are several other appliances that you can share with others. Ask around the next time you need something and see if someone is willing to share. Become more involved with your community. Go to a town hall or neighborhood association meeting. Volunteer for a cause you believe in.

You don’t need me to give you a laundry list of ways you can share. You know what to do. You know how to share. You were taught how to share when you were younger but unfortunately those teachings did not follow us into adulthood. We became fearful and brainwashed. We became afraid that if we did not look out for number one we would be left behind.

We can build a sharing society if we really are committed. Everyone wins when we share because everyone feels taken care of and part of something that is larger than ourselves. We are really hardwired for helping each other but we have forgotten this. Don’t believe me? Try it.

Experiment and make your life more about sharing instead of the constant pursuit of what only serves you. Then ask yourself how sharing makes you feel? How does it feel when others share with you? Seneca, the mid 1st century Roman philosopher said, “There is no delight in owning anything unshared.” Many centuries later these words still ring true.

(If you’d like to read more about changing the way you think about wealth please consider reading my book REDEFINING THE MEANING OF WEALTH: DISCOVERING PROSPERITY AND FORTUNE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.)

Happy Valentine's Day from Me to You!

The riskiest thing we can do is just maintain the status quo.
Bob Iger

There’s a story about a young bride who is preparing her first Easter dinner for her extended family. As she’s about to put the ham in the oven her mother stops her to inform her that she must cut three inches off the ham before she bakes it. The daughter asks why and her mother replies, “Because that’s the way my mother taught me to do it so that’s the way it’s done!”

Puzzled, the daughter goes to ask her grandmother why. Her grandmother replies. “Well, that’s just the way I’ve always done it because that’s how my mother taught me to do it.”

Wanting to find out why in the world she has to cut off three inches of the ham before she bakes it, she goes into the living room where the family is gathered around her great grandmother. “Great Grandmother” she asks, “Grandmother says you taught her to cut 3 inches off of the ham before putting it in the oven. I’m puzzled. Why is this so necessary?”

Her great grandmother says, “Well, dear, when I was a new bride, just starting out, I baked my first ham for Easter dinner. The ham was 18 inches long. The largest roasting pan I had was 15 inches long, so I had to cut three inches off of the ham to make it fit the pan.”

And so it goes, from generation to generation, until someone asks “Why?”

This is a cute little story that makes us chuckle but how many of us never ask why? Do we continue to believe things just because those beliefs were passed down to us? Do we continue to do certain things because society tells us to do so? How often are we like the young bride and actually question why or do we just continue to march in lock step with the status quo never giving a second thought to why we do anything?

Dictionary.com defines the status quo as “The existing order of things; present customs, practices, and power relations.” There are a lot of status quo beliefs about wealth, money, and the accumulation of material possessions. Not all of them are bad but not all of them are necessarily the right thing for everybody. Some of them are downright ridiculous and don’t take into account our individual life situations. Let’s examine some of these beliefs and whether or not they still work for us.

Status quo belief: You must buy a home. There is nothing wrong with home ownership but it’s not the right choice for everyone.  Some people will buy when they are young and then sell when they are older. Some will not choose to be homeowners until they are well into their older years and many of us will choose never to buy at all.

So far, my husband and I have chosen not to buy. We live in a ridiculously expensive area and we can rent what we could never afford to purchase at this point in our lives. Does that make our place any less of a home? No! Whether we rent or own our homes, each of us has different situations and needs. Buying is neither is right or wrong, it’s just a choice!

Don’t let anyone guilt you into buying by telling you that you are throwing away your money by renting and don’t let anyone talk you out of buying if that’s what works best for you.

Status quo belief: You have to graduate from college in order to get a good job. I’m a big fan of higher education and I happen to have a four year degree. However, I’ll be the first to tell you that higher education is not the right choice for everyone. Unless you want to pursue a profession that demands a formal degree, going to college is not the only way to educate yourself.

Some people might prefer a trade school or want to work with a mentor while starting their own business. Pursuing higher education should be because you want the experience of formal education not only because you think it will help you in the job market. And what‘s with this business of getting a good job? What does that mean? What exactly is a good job? Again, the answer will be different for all of us.

Status Quo Belief: You have to spend to keep the economy strong and vital. This one really gets my goat. The status quo constantly tells us to spend yet save as well. No wonder so many of us are so schizophrenic when it comes to money issues. Strong economies depend on many more factors than people like you and me spending money on useless junk at the mall each weekend. Buy if you see something you want and you can comfortably afford it. Buy if you have a need that must be met but don’t think spending money willy nilly will help anyone out. If healthy economies depended on shopping till we dropped then why is the US in the mess it’s in right now?

Next week, Part II of this post will explore more status quo beliefs that may be getting in our way of experiencing true abundance. Until then, keep on challenging the status quo and march to the beat of your own drum. The rhythm is much more fun.

Happy Valentine’s Day! Enjoy some candy or fresh cut flowers but don’t think you have to spend tons of money to experience the spirit of the day. That’s just too status quo!

Japanese Waterfall

There’s a lot going on in the world right now. All around us things are changing and if not careful we can fall into a mindset of doom and gloom. Although change has been going on since the beginning of time it does seem to be accelerating rather quickly right now. Not a single person knows exactly what’s going to happen but we do know that something new is on the horizon. There’s not a damned thing any of us can do about change because the world is always in a constant state of transition. It’s just the nature of being human and living on planet Earth.

Worldwide unemployment continues to escalate and countless people are falling into extreme poverty. People in more developed countries with higher standards of living are worried about keeping their jobs. The U.S. where I live is quickly becoming a nation of people“just thankful to have a job” even if they are making a pittance and working practically every waking hour. Gratitude is important but so is not being exploited. Meanwhile our precious natural resources are viewed as nothing more than commodities to be manipulated and traded all in the name of excessive profit and satisfying Wall Street expectations. Nothing is sacred anymore.

Governments are being called out for their wrongdoings and their dirty little secrets that in some cases go decades back are being exposed. Next on the docket are the multi-national corporations and big banks that have chased profit at any cost in order to pad the pockets of a select few. The world’s power structures are beginning to shake and their foundations are rather precarious. The world is becoming more transparent and it’s difficult to hide if you are out of integrity because someone will find you out and call you on it.

Yes, it’s rather gratifying to finally see those who have abused their power exposed. But before we get all excited and start pointing fingers, what about us? Have we looked in the mirror lately? Are we out of integrity? Do greed and fear monopolize our thoughts as well? As Gandhi so eloquently stated, “be the change you want to see.” Are we doing this? Are we becoming the change we know that is so badly needed?

At times it all seems so overwhelming and it feels as if there is nothing we can do to help make the world be a better place. But keep in mind that out of chaos comes creativity and this may be the perfect time after all. Going inward is the only place to start. Doing so gives us stability and balance. It’s easier to advocate for the kind of change that benefits us all when our own minds are full of peace and love. Once we’ve grounded ourselves and gotten our own house in order then we can start working on the outside.

The pursuit of material goods has left most of us empty and unsatisfied. The advertisers’ hype did not live up to their claims and now we are searching for more meaning. We are discovering that working for causes that benefit everyone and not just ourselves gives us more fulfillment than we ever could have imagined. It feels right to question war, poverty, and other injustices. It feels good to starting thinking as “we” and not “I”.

We now know that we cannot sit around and wait for those in the power seats to initiate positive change. Why would they? They are asleep and their consciousness is stagnated.  They need the prodding of the masses to remind them that wealth accumulating only in the hands of a few benefits no one in the long run. It’s the average person who is going to drive the real change in this world. We are all inter-connected and in this together and it’s up to us to drive this point home to those who need to hear it most.

Change is definitely coming and this is an exciting time to be alive but the task before us is a bit scary as well. Will we succeed? Can the world become a better place for everyone? Who knows! But I do know that unless we try, we will never know. I once read that Second City Improv in Chicago encouraged their students to “follow the fear”. We all must follow the fear and we will probably find out it’s not so bad after all. We might even be rewarded greatly!

Flowers from a Mississippi Garden

Frugal is finally in vogue! It wasn’t very long ago that many people didn’t even have the word in their vocabulary let alone were they practicing it. Even mainstream publications and news shows are offering tips on how to be frugal. Driving up to the UCLA campus the other day I saw a Best Buy billboard advertising electric bicycles that said “Major in Frugality”. Everyone is getting on the frugal bandwagon. Some because they are forced to and some because the spending party of the last few decades is over and they want to keep more of what they earn.

I started reading about frugality in the late 90s and was shocked at how careless I had been with handling my money. All the “necessities” that I thought I had to have like cable television and weekly manicures quickly made their way out of my life. I didn’t even miss them! Frugality became a creative exercise for me. I quit buying into the mentality that I needed all that was being advertised to me. I began to question all that society told me I must have and found out I needed very little after all. Frugality became fun for me and it still is to this day!

It’s fun to figure out how I can get the best price for something or better yet do without! There are still areas in my life that I struggle with (the latest being tech gadgets) but I have the frugal skills now to start reining  my desires in when I begin to get out of control. More importantly, I have awareness which is the most valuable asset of all when it comes to being frugal.

Many people think frugality is a fad and people will go back to their spendthrift ways once the economy improves. I have two things to say about this. First I don’t think the economy is going to improve and go back to how it was before. The so-called prosperous years were not what they seemed. Most of the wealth was abstract and not real. We’re moving into unchartered territory and we have no idea what economies are going to look like in the future. Too many people are tapped out and having a hard enough time just covering the basics. We may have to learn to live with a lot less which may not be such a bad thing.  More importantly, we will all have to begin to share with each other. We will have simpler lives but lives with more meaning and quality.

Second, once you start practicing frugality, it becomes part of your lifestyle. You wouldn’t dare pay for something without questioning it first. Did you get the best deal? Do you really need it? You begin to realize that frugality is not about being cheap. It’s about conserving our money and resources and not being wasteful. Frugality allows us to take control of our lives and get out of the debt cycle. Only time will tell, but I think frugality is here to stay.

The Grounds of a historic home in Natchez, Mississippi

While earning your daily bread, be sure you share a slice with those less fortunate.  ~Quoted in P.S. I Love You, compiled by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

My yoga classmate/friend Carole recently passed along to me a New Yorker article featuring Melinda Gates. For those who have been on a complete media fast for the past couple decades, she’s the wife of Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft and a very accomplished woman in her own right. At last count their fortune is up to fifty-three billion dollars. They plan to give the bulk of their fortune away and because of this their daughters’ inheritances will be very modest. Last year alone they gave away three billion dollars mainly for global health issues. One of the things that struck me most in this article was when she said, “Bill and I don’t believe in a world where you have the haves and the have-nots. We are more in favor of taxation reform than I think most people in our situation would be.”

I’m with the Gates on this one. I don’t believe in a world of the haves and have-nots either. What good is any of our wealth if we are all not prospering? It doesn’t sit right with me. Do any of us really want to live in a world where so few have so much and so few have so little? I’m not talking about fancy cars, Mcmansions, and Prada bags for everyone. I’m talking about access to healthcare, adequate nutrition, education, and safe shelter for all.

I appreciate Melinda Gates speaking up about this issue. It carries a lot more clout than if someone like me from the middle or lower income brackets did. It’s likely we would be labeled as jealous communist modern day Robin Hoods wanting to steal from the rich and give to the poor. It’s difficult to even have meaningful dialogue with some people about the ongoing disparity between the rich and the poor because of ideological differences and a lack of willingness to admit that something is terribly wrong in our society and the world at large.

I bring up the Gates because when I read about people like this with such exorbitant amounts of wealth who too are concerned about the growing disparity between rich and poor I have some hope. They could have chosen to only give some of their wealth away and built a Gates dynasty instead. I bet they know that their fortune was built with the help of workers, infrastructure, government regulation, and community help and that no one really makes it alone. I know it can be argued that they have so much wealth that they damn better give some of it away. I know all the arguments that can be made and I’m not saying they are perfect. I’m simply acknowledging them for their charity and for furthering along the “sharing” mentality that more and more of us are seeing as our best bet towards a world that works for everyone. And high profile rich people contributing to the dialogue can go a long way in influencing how people think.

I believe the have-nots are our responsibility and that we have a moral obligation to take care of the least amongst us. Whether we want to admit it or not, a lot of us have what we have because of factors beyond our control. Take me, I grew up in an upper middle class family. My parents made sure we got to go to college, and we had a stable home environment. Because of who I was born to I received certain gifts that had nothing to do with my hard work or initiative. In other words, I got a good head start. Many did not. Then there were those who were lucky like me but suddenly became disabled, lost good jobs through no fault of their own, or who never had role models to teach them how to handle their finances and make good choices. Let’s also not forget the most vulnerable in our society – the innocent children, elderly, and homeless animals who suffer disproportionately each day. Worse yet, what about those spread out across the globe who are experiencing poverty unimaginable to most Westerners?

I’m not sure if one more tax cut for the super wealthy is going to solve our problems and suddenly trickle down and bring prosperity to all. I’m not sure if one more stimulus package or unemployment extension (although dreadfully needed for some) will solve our problems at the root. No, there’s got to be a revolution in our thinking. We need to move from a species who is constantly trying to accumulate to one where we constantly share with each other. In other words we need to evolve. We need to grow up and mature. I envision a world where sharing is the norm and unchecked greed is looked down upon. I admit this sounds idealistic and looking at the current realities, a bit unimaginable. But is there really any other choice? Isn’t sharing always the best way?  Isn’t it our only hope if we want a world of the haves and the haves?

Louisiana Sunset

The moment you have in your heart this extraordinary thing called love and feel the depth, the delight, the ecstasy of it, you will discover that for you the world is transformed.
~Jiddu Krishnamurti

Two types of economies exist in our world today. There is the “outer economy” which is the one we fixate on the most – money, bartering, loans, jobs, stock markets, interest rates…..  The second type of economy is what my friend Darice likes to refer to as the “inner economy.” This economy is the more powerful of the two and the one we often forget to focus on because we are so disproportionately concerned with the outer economy.

What exactly is the inner economy? Your inner economy is that part of you that is abundant no matter what your financial situation. Having a strong inner economy helps you look at life from a different perspective. You know your life has value and meaning whether you are in times of outer economy bust or boom. An inner economy is measured by your health and peace of mind. It’s the time you spend with family, friends, and animal companions. There are no limits when you have a strong inner economy. Inner economies don’t fall prey to competition and material resources. Scarcity and fear based human made rules don’t affect your inner economy unless you let them. A strong inner economy prepares you for whatever life sends your way.

I have little control over the outer economy. It is obviously very broken and a big fat mess!  Yes, there are some (mainly the corporate media) who are trying to desperately convince people things are starting to turn around but personally I have my doubts. I don’t mean to be a “Debbie Downer” but I’m not buying this “things are beginning to get better” nonsense. Yes, I know some people like the Wall Street Bankers and defense contractors are doing very well. On the opposite end of the spectrum there are still 8 million plus people unemployed and wages for the most part are stagnant.   In my book, the economy is not working until everyone is prospering.

“No person left behind” is my new slogan. And I’m not just talking about the U.S. but every being on the planet-humans and animals.  It’s mind-blowing to me how in the 21^st century greed can still run so grotesquely rampant. You would think we would have evolved a bit as a species, huh? The multinational corporations and banks will continue to have their way until the collective consciousness wakes up and we demand a world that works for all and not just a select few. Pretty soon the world’s resources will be depleted and it won’t matter who has the most zeros after the numbers in their bank account.

How do we start waking up? How do we demand change? We do so first by focusing on our own inner economy. We work on our own transformation of consciousness. Of course we all have to exist for the time being in our current system but we need not give it any more power than absolutely necessary.  On a practical level we can boycott the large banks and move our money to credit unions and local banks. We can buy local products from local businesses when we have the opportunity. We can start focusing more on our relationships with people instead of constantly consuming unnecessary goods and services.

On a more spiritual level, we can go inside and work on changing ourselves. We can focus on unconditional love and compassion for all beings. Because you know what?  The world is a reflection of all of us and the time is ripe for a radical mind revolution in each and every person. Remember, we can’t change a thing until we change ourselves.

Zeitgeist

(from German Zeit-time and Geist-spirit)

The Spirit of the Time

Saturday, March 13, 2010, was the second annual celebration of the Zeitgeist Movement or ZDay for short.  The purpose of ZDay was to educate others about the movement and its concepts. There were 337 events in over 70 countries worldwide with the main event being held in New York City. I recently became a member of the Los Angeles Zeitgeist Chapter and I volunteered at the event.  It was great!  The movement is relatively new and already has over 350,000 official members worldwide. It’s growing every day. There’s also no telling how many people are with this movement in spirit but have not yet officially joined.

The Zeitgeist Movement speaks deeply to me and I’m passionate about this organization and its mission. Instead of just ranting and raving about how awful everything is, The Zeitgeist Movement presents ideas.  The ambitions are bold but the world is in dire need of a bold new direction. We are using up our resources at an alarming rate and our present model of society cannot sustain itself.

Below is a short Q&A about this movement and some links that I highly recommend you check out.  I know the concepts at first glance may seem a bit complicated to grasp. They may even seem a bit utopian and way out there. You may think they would never work.

Keep in mind, anything is possible. There were people who used to think the world was flat and people who never thought a man would walk on the moon. There was a time when the Divine Right of Kings was accepted as truth.  Slavery was once legal in this country and women were considered property. Think things can’t change? Think again! Also, the technology around us today would have been unthinkable even a few decades ago. One way or the other things will change. Change is constant and the one thing we can always depend on. Why not work for a vision of change that is empowering and leaves no one out?

What exactly is the Zeitgeist Movement? The Zeitgeist Movement (TZM) is a worldwide grassroots movement advocating social change, most significantly that of society transitioning from a monetary-based economy to a resource-based economy.  Filmmaker Peter Joseph founded the movement after creating the movie Zeitgeist Addendum. TZM is the activist arm of the Venus Project.  It is not a political movement and it sees all people as equal.

To View Zeitgeist the Addendum movie for free, click on the link below:

The Zeitgeist Movie

To find out more about the Zeitgeist Movement, click on the link below:

The Zeitgeist Movement

What is the Venus Project? The Venus Project presents a bold new direction for humanity that entails nothing less than the total redesign of our culture. There are many people today who are concerned with the serious problems that face our modern society: unemployment, violent crime, replacement of humans by technology, over-population and a decline in the Earth’s ecosystems. The Venus Project offers a comprehensive plan for social reclamation in which human beings, technology and nature will be able to coexist in a long-term, sustainable state of dynamic equilibrium.

To find out more about the Venus project, click on the link below:

The Venus Project

What is a Resource-Based Economy? A Resource Based Economy is a society without money, barter or exchange, with the awareness that Humanity is ONE family and where technology, science and spirituality is used to its fullest to develop and manage the planet’s resources to provide abundance for everyone in the most sustainable way.

What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal. ~ Albert Pine

One of my frugal finds-Beautiful silk flowers I found on the street

“By sowing frugality we reap liberty, a golden harvest.” –Agesilaus

Redefining Wealth requires a mindset change. Saving money through frugality is one of the many practices that can help us redefine what “wealth” means. Little by little frugality is making its way into the mainstream, but in my opinion it still has a long way to go.  Too many people still see frugality as deprivation and drudgery, not to mention un-hip, cheap, and damaging to the economy.  I always find the latter reason especially amusing since out of control spending is one of the reasons the economy is in such distress.

I’m still a work in progress when it comes to curbing my spending and being mindful of what I buy.   Below are some strategies I’m using as I strive to change my mindset, adjust to a reduced income, and redefine what wealth means to me.

• Is it a want or a need? This is a basic Savings/Frugality 101 principle but it’s a great question to ask before you make a purchase.  If I’m looking to buy ingredients to make a salad or replace worn out undergarments, then the purchase is a need. (And of course, I always shop around for the best deal on necessities). If it’s a cute blouse I see on sale, then that’s definitely a want, because I already have dozens of “cute” blouses in my closet.

• When I come across an item that is a want and I’m ready to cave in to the temptation, I ask myself the following question-what do I really want?   Like everyone, I want love, happiness, acceptance, respect, and meaning in my life.  I don’t need the latest Prada bag or flat screen TV to experience these things. When I can analyze the missing need in my life, I often find I don’t even want the item in question anymore.

• I’m learning to analyze the advertising around me.  I recently came very close to buying a night cream that promised a vibrant new youthful complexion with only a few applications. It suddenly occurred to me that if this product made you look as young as it claimed, then the whole plastic surgery industry would be out of business.  Last I checked that industry is still thriving.

• There’s nothing wrong with buying used, finding things on the street that people are throwing away or asking around to see if someone is getting rid of  something you need. I recently mentioned to a friend that my Bluetooth was falling apart. Lo and behold she said she had an extra one she wasn’t using and I could have it.

Looking for ways to save money can be fun and creative.  It’s also great for the environment because we don’t consume more than we need. I find that when I approach saving money as a positive endeavor and not some kind of death sentence, then I’m much more successful, not to mention happy.

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