Looking Back To See The Future: Part 1
Part One
As we start the second month of 2023, when I think about 2022 I think of so much change mentally and physically. In 2022, I realized how powerful the mind is and I truly made the effort to build a stronger mindset while changing some less than ideal habits. I learned how important is it to control your thoughts and maintaining positivity. The snowball effect can be positive or negative, but once you think of one it snowballs into many. Preventing an often negative snowball effect and strengthening my positive snowball effect was key…well more accurately, being able to register the negative thoughts (because they will inevitably come), process them, and change it to a positive was the hard part and still is sometimes. I learned that you receive from the universe what you put out into the universe. I remember seeing a video on instagram of Phylicia Rashad where she quoted memorable things her mother taught her and one was “The universe bears no ill to me. I bear no ill to it” along with “The inner reality creates the outer form”. Those were profound for me as she feels with those affirmations she could live anywhere at anytime. I now want to overflow with positivity for myself and others. Speaking things into existence and moving mentally as if I have accomplished that goal, attainted that thing, or already have earned that title is major for me. Affirming daily that : I am a successful business owner, I am wealthy in all areas of life, I am a world traveler, I am happy, I am helping people daily, I am a great public speaker, I am providing opportunities for others to better their life, I am using my blessings to bless others, etc. I am also PRACTICING GRATITUDE ! I understand that all those things mentioned I already am/have, I just have to get there and appreciate what I do have by taking care of what I have now. With me fostering a better mindset , I also wanted to increase my financial literacy and WHOA!! I would get bits and pieces from different accounts online, but I took the chance and signed up for the Mommy Millionaire 5 day course presented by Ellie Diop (@ellietalksmoney) - I recommend y’all give her a follow on IG if not following already. Y’all, it was a bit overwhelming, but I learned an immense amount that I will continue to incorporate into my life. We discussed life insurance and how that can help secure generational wealth along with accumulating a cash value to become your own bank (removing all the interest being paid back to banks). Other topics included living tax free - the importance of having a business and that that is the way to receive better tax benefits, using OPM (other people’s money ) for your business ventures, passive income avenues, methods to set your children up financially, forming trusts, wills, and better future planning. I feel as though I know too much to fail at this point. It was also a realization how behind black people have been for so long regarding financial literacy specifically. These are things most of us just don’t know which puts us at a continued disadvantage. There is an entire game being played around us that we have been blind to. Knowledge is truly power and I hope there is a shift with more information being easily accessible from social media.
As for me, many things are still a work in progress, but small steps add up. I knew I had to change my mental relationship with money after learning so much. You have to spend money to make money and I had to stop hoarding money just to see a nice number in my savings that wasn’t doing anything for me. Now stocks still have me a little stumped, but investing in a couple relatively safe index funds and working on a mutual fund is a start.
Some of the books I credit with aiding me in changing my mindset and ultimately my life are ‘The Secret’ by Rhonda Byrne, “The Alchemist’ by Paulo Coelho, and ‘The Science of Success’ by Wallace D. Wattles. I’ve mentioned before that these are three books I plan to read yearly to keep the practices fresh in my mind.
As we all continue to evolve, I believe that everything starts with the mind and everything will flow better from that into the physical once it’s strengthened. I see 2023 as a year where I continue to learn, be present, and be comfortable being uncomfortable.
Check out Part 2 of this blog on the physical changes 2022 brought me.
Keep it G,
G3