Money & Mindfulness. Lisa Messenger

      As I mention in all of my books, I am a big fan of positive meditation and visualisation. It might sound at odds, mixing meditation and money (isn’t one all about letting go and the other about getting?) but they actually mix together wonderfully, which is why when I was sitting down to write this chapter I asked the amazing life coach and motivational speaker Gabrielle Bernstein, who we were lucky enough to feature in an early issue of The Collective, to share her favourite money meditation from her book Miracles Now.

      “I have to admit that I used to be one of those people who let the bills pile up. Yup, I was that girl. Every month the stack on my desk grew bigger and wobblier. Every time I looked at it, I felt pangs of frustration over having to pay them. Maybe it stemmed from an old fear of not having enough, or maybe I was just exercising my self-sabotage muscles. Whatever the issue, it was a pretty awful monthly ritual.

      Then it became clear that my bad habit was blocking me in many ways and creating unnecessary frustration and guilt. My bill pile was cluttering up my desk space – a real no-no. The ancient Chinese method of feng shui emphasises releasing all clutter in the office space. Clutter has a profound impact on our emotional, mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing. The value of clearing the clutter is that it releases vital energy that helps with mental clarity, inspiration and even our earning capacity!

      So my first step towards healing my relationship with bills was to clear the clutter off my desk. I gathered my pile of bills and organised each statement in a beautiful green box. (If your bills are paperless, you can make a similar move with your email. Simply create coloured labels or folders for each bill and organise them as they come in, so you are never searching for the latest email statement.)

      Once I was organised, I committed to bringing my spiritual practice to my monthly bills. I sat with my beautiful green box and prayed over each bill before cutting a cheque. I said, “Thank you, Universe, for providing me with the resources to pay these bills. I am grateful to contribute to the economy and to support my growing business.”

      Simply saying this prayer before paying each bill energised me. I was infused with an attitude of gratitude rather than an essence of anxiety and tension.

      Now my bill-paying process is much more enjoyable and my desk is clutter-free. To top it all off, as soon as I cleared my desk space I started to notice many more career opportunities come through. Money began to flow more freely once I cleared the space to receive it.

      If you’re someone who experiences a lot of anxiety around paying bills, use these tips to bust through the block. Clear your desk and pray before you pay!”