What are you focused on — right now, this minute? What are you thinking? What is your self-talk saying to you?

Are you thinking about the things you want in your life, or all the things you don’t want? Do you know what you want? Seriously, have you thought about it in detail? Have you named and claimed the resources you want? Do you focus on what you want or the things that you don’t want in your life, world and affairs?

From stinkin’ thinking

Are you thinking of lack, of not enough, of what you don’t have, and don’t want? Are your thoughts centered on the stack of bills on your desk, and the lack of funds with which to pay them? If you think of lack, it’s all you will get — which is the opposite of what you want.

Are you thinking about the flaws in your housing situation? About how unhappy your spouse makes you? Or how disruptive your children have been this summer? No matter what you are thinking, the Universe responds to you by considering it a request and granting the request of your thoughts! Isn’t that scary?

Your thinking is your reality. In a real sense, your beliefs create your reality. Whatever you focus on, and think about, is what you create. Wow. This is so deep, and in many ways so elusive and difficult to grasp, to appreciate, to GET.  Just so you know, this is not woo woo stuff.  It’s hard core quantum physics. Let me share a quote from a great book that explains the science behind this truth.

I’m reading The Answer by John Assaraf & Murray Smith.

So what are we saying here, that everything that is, is made of thought? That thought creates the physical world? Yes, that is exactly what we’re saying.

Your thoughts not only matter, they create matter. Thought is where everything comes from.

To more disciplined thinking

This is why it’s imperative that you learn to discipline your thoughts and get rid of ineffectual thinking. Ineffectual thinking are those thoughts about things that you do NOT want in your life. Your life is a reflection of your predominate thoughts. Change your mindset — your thoughts, beliefs, attitudes and perceptions — if you don’t like what has been showing up in your life.

An attitude of gratitude

Start your abundance thinking makeover with gratitude. Express thanks for the sun shining … or the gentle rain watering your garden. Say thank you for the people in your life, your great health, and the happy sounds of laughter around you.

Say thank you to the Universe, or God, or the Source of all there is for the work you do; for your car that started and got you safely to your destination; and for the beauty of the trees outside your office window. Break the gratitude down as finitely as you need to in order to stay centered on the good — on what you want– as you set a new auto pilot for your thinking.

Look at your life and see exactly what you’ve been focused on in the past. Now declare it a new day. Change your thoughts to change your life!

Peace and prosperity,

P.S. Get the best money tips, personal finance news and expert interviews. Subscribe to the new Financial Fitness eZine.

© 2010 Judith Stephens. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Are you ready to make real money? Are you motivated to get unstuck and uplevel your financial life? Interested in managing your money well?

On Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at 8pm Eastern, 5pm Pacific I’m hosting a free teleseminar about money. Registration is now closed.

On the teleseminar I’ll share business and spiritual tools you can use to attract more money into your life. I’ll talk about effective ways of thinking about money — mindset shifts. I’ll share two habits you can quickly adopt that will propel you to higher earnings. And as you attract more, there are three steps you can take to strengthen your money management skills.

This Event is for You if You’re Ready to Create a solid Foundation for Financial Fitness. It’s for you if you received a large settlement and unsure how best to manage it. This teleseminar is for if you’re tired of money remaining a mystery to you.

Register now to get the Call-in information for the Wednesday, July 28, 2010 teleseminar. Registration is closed.

Register today. I’m looking forward to seeing you on the call.

Peace and prosperity,

Judith Stephens
The Money Lady
_ _ _ _

Judith Stephens, MBA, The Money Lady, is a Financial Literacy Advocate and Money Management Strategist. A former corporate and small business executive, board member, investor, fundraiser and independent business owner, Judith combines analytical, spiritual, and management tools with a great sense of humor to help people learn to attract, invest and manage their money.
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PS. Do you have questions or want to talk more? Email me at Judith@YestoFinancialFitness.com.

PPS.  Tell your friends and colleagues about this training. They want it and will thank you for sharing.

A supportive money attitude and mindset are required to attract money and keep it flowing in your life. Are your thoughts and beliefs supportive of prosperity and abundance, or do your beliefs reinforce scarcity and lack?

Mindset Alerts

Mindset Alerts refer to a non-supportive thought or belief you currently hold. As you hear yourself express limiting thoughts, it’s important to realize that such thoughts no longer serve your best interests or highest good. They impede your progress.

Thoughts about money that should signal High Alert include:

I’ll never have enough money.

It’s more spiritual to be poor than rich.

I’m not worthy of becoming wealthy.

Mindset Shifts

Mindset Shifts are better ways to think about old beliefs. You want to shift your thinking to beliefs that support you. As the saying goes, you must “change your mind to change your life.”

Mental Shifts might include:

I have more than enough money.

I manage my money well.

I am a good friend to my money and it stays with me.

Listen to Hear Yourself

Listen to your self-talk. Hear the beliefs you hold. Challenge the thought; don’t simply accept it. Ask yourself if the statement serves you today? If not, consciously change your thinking about that topic to one that works for you, instead of against you.

It’s empowering to monitor your thoughts. You will be amazed at the gunk that currently fuels your system. Remember GIGO — garbage in, garbage out. You’ll wonder where the gunk and garbage came from, and how long a particular belief has been governing your life. Monitor yourself.

Be brave. Pull the mental weeds of lack and limitation. Supplant weeds with roses. Do This For YOU. Breathe.

Peace and prosperity,

Judith Stephens

© 2010 Judith Stephens.  All Rights Reserved

Are you a perfectionist? Do you think … just a little more polishing and you’ll be ready to launch that two-year-old project you’ve revised, reworked and re-engineered to death?

Old School

Are you so old school that you were taught “if it is worth doing, it’s worth doing perfectly?” Well, let me share a truth with you. They were wrong. Your teachers, bosses, parents … all the people who pushed for perfection at the price of completion were off-base and out of step with this time.

I used to be a perfectionist. I made sure there were no critical omissions in my completed documents. The problem is that I didn’t publish as many articles as I might have if perfect wasn’t part of the goal. Actually, perfect was not my personal goal. It was the required operating procedure standing in the way of project completion.

Perfectionism was a girdle in the old-school world. It was tight, restrictive and painful. There was nothing fun about wearing the girdles I wore as a young woman. Why didn’t I question the need to adhere to such a rigid rule then?

I am not endorsing sloppy work. I don’t advocate half-ass effort. I am recommending that you allow yourself the creative freedom of knowing that good enough is good enough.

Life is your personal laboratory. It is yours to explore, experiment, and decide what’s most important to you. It is your place to dream, test ideas, and implement plans. To accomplish more in your life, think of life as a beta.

Do the best you can as quickly as possible, then launch the program, project, or venture. Revise and perfect it later. Think beta –the first iteration. The Microsoft method. Decide how to monetize the initial effort and price future updates. Get it done.

Launch Beta 1. Get Feedback. Revise. Improve. Price. Launch Beta 2 to a market of early adopters waiting expectantly, and to the later-adopters who have been waiting for Beta 2. What a great operating model. Rinse. Repeat. Replay.

Go launch your new product.

Peace and prosperity,

P.S. Get the best money tips, personal finance news and expert interviews. Sign up to the new Financial Fitness eZine.

P.P.S. Join me on Facebook. Click the Become a Fan Facebook button on the right.

© 2010 Judith Stephens. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Are you still doing the same old tired things and hoping for different results? You want to increase your income by 20% this year. But you haven’t actually done anything to make it happen. You know this is the definition of insanity, right? Isn’t it time to change your mind? And a habit or two?

A change in your habits or behavior will bring about new results in your life. Shake things up! Take wobbly toddler steps in the right direction to get you started.

I stopped watching TV. As I watched successful people “entertain” me out of using my time more productively on my own projects, I decided it was crazy to watch them do their jobs at the expense of my own. So for the first time in years, I didn’t watch the Australian Open tennis tournament. I left Venus and Serena Williams to handle their business and I handled mine. It was liberating! Serena won without me. And I finished a new information product. I love progress!

You might want to introduce a daily walk to your routine. Use it to get clear on your goals as you clip along at a steady pace. Or spend 10 minutes meditating first thing in the morning. Or say two affirmations that resonate with you. Or list five things for which you’re grateful at the end of the day.

Decide one thing that you’ll accomplish today. Not just activities, but accomplishments, a completed assignment you can check off the To-Do list. Let these things represent a mindset and momentum shift for  you. Commit that you will complete it by noon, or 3pm. Accept no excuses.

Will you write that proposal that’s been nagging you? If it’s not an income-oriented project, is it operational? Might you compile this month’s bills in one place — like a file folder? How about listing all of your expenses and totaling them? Give yourself the power of knowing exactly where you are financially. It means you have to stop playing games with yourself. What was it — money masturbation 101? Enough already.

Change some variable in your results equation to achieve the outcomes you desire. Make a change in your routine. Do it daily. Adopt habits to develop and strengthen your mental and money muscles. Do it for seven days. Then expect to see different results.

Let me know what habit you adopted, or unproductive habit you stopped. Did it help?

Peace and prosperity,

P.S. I invite you to subscribe to my new Financial Fitness eZine. Get the latest money tips, news and expert interviews. Simply click here and enter your name and email in the form.

A transition is “a life change characterized by a sharp break with the past.” Life’s transitions happen all the time. Often they don’t let you know they are on the way. What was, is no longer.

I recently lost my sister. Technically, Phyllis was my best friend. In actuality, she was the sister I always wanted. Fifteen years ago we adopted each other. Someone to watch our backs. Her transition smacked me upside my head and shattered me. But worst, the business that surrounds the death and dying process left me shell-shocked.

Are you one major transition away from an unexpected disruption of your life? How will an unexpected and unplanned for event impact you? Are you vulnerable? Have you put emergency plans in place? Do you have a Plan B to protect and shelter you from the devastation of unwanted change?

“The death of a loved one imposes cruel demands on the closest survivors. You, more than anyone, need time and space to handle your emotions, gather your thoughts and say goodbye. And yet demands are suddenly coming from all sides.”

I didn’t know. I was unprepared. Dumb is expensive. Here’s my heads up to you so you know.

Transitions

Many people are vulnerable to big transitions. The death of business partner you count on, a surprise divorce request, an unplanned move from your home, or getting laid off from your job can temporarily rock your world. Developing alternative plans — ones you hope not to use — can protect you emotionally and financially. Make a Plan B today and minimize the severity of tomorrow’s thunderstorms.

Yes, you’re married to a wonderful person. One you love and trust. Your relationship is secure and special. But ask yourself … what if? In America we have a 50% divorce rate. You gotta ask.

I’m a positive person. I prefer to think about what I want, not what I don’t want in my life. And yet such a limited approach can leave you at the mercy of those things you don’t want in your life.

Accidents happen. People change their minds. It’s important that you think about and consider the what-ifs. Then make provisional plans to protect yourself and your family.

Make A Plan B

Like what kind of plans? Step one is Keep a Cash Stash. In case your credit cards are unavailable, you need cash to manage a major life change. The cash must be accessible — you must be able to get your hands on it when you need it most.

Regularly add to a Personal Financial Security savings account. Such an account is often referred to as an “rainy day” or “emergency” fund, but — here I go again — I dislike the feeling of preparing for what I don’t want. A Financial Security account describes what the money is for and works for me.

You might open a new brokerage account with your favorite investment services provider and start a Financial Security equity fund. Or a Keep-Me-In-the-Manner-I’ve-Become-Accustomed bond fund.

Purchase life insurance where you are the beneficiary for anyone on whose support you depend. Key man insurance policies are standard in many corporations. You may want to have the equivalent. Insure the person or persons who are most important to your life running smoothly. It costs to grieve and takes time to replace their contributions to your life.

What other safety valves should be put in place to protect you? What do you wish you had known before you went through a big transition? Share your experiences with us here.

Start working on creating your Plan B today.

Peace and prosperity,

P.S. Subscribe to my new Financial Fitness eZine. Get the latest money tips, news and expert interviews. Simply click here and enter your name and email in the form. Thanks!

P.P.S. Click “Follow me” on the right to follow me on Twitter.

Get Rich Slowly is one of my favorite personal finance blogs. I like the way JD Roth (the admin) thinks and analyzes his financial behavior. I also like how he writes about money and finance. It takes considerable writing skill to make personal finance articles interesting and keep your audience entertained enough to read it. JD does a very good job.

As we prepare for the money management portion of the Money Attraction Bootcamp, I’ve asked my group to read this blog post. Discretionary spending bits and pieces. I’ve encouraged them to get their feet wet, and assured them that the water isn’t cold. We’ll discuss opinions and views in the Financial Fitness Academy’s new membership forum. Bootcamp members never disappoint. It should be great fun.

See how JD analyzes his 2009 restaurant spending. This is a good model of how to analyze and control your financial behavior too. See how he proactively asks IF this is the way he wants to spend his money? Look at the techniques he uses not to spend impulsively. See how he rewards himself for sticking to his spending plans. There is a lot of substance in this blog entry.

I hope you find Get Rich Slowly as interesting and informative as I do.

Judith
The Money Lady

PS  If you haven’t already done so, subscribe to my new Financial Fitness eZine. Simply click and enter your name and email in the form. Thanks!

Befriend money. Like you friend new people on Facebook and other social networking venues. Consciously welcome money into your life, world and affairs.

Think of money as an energy system with feelings. We need to respect its feelings. Invite your money to sit down, have a cup of tea and talk to you. Let your money share what is on its agenda for you. Tell your money about your hopes and dreams.

Discuss your vision of what is for your highest good in terms of how you want to live your life. Paint pictures of your goals. Think bigger. Help money see what you plan to do with it. Invite more money into your life in order to realize your plans and goals.

Share how you are respecting the flow of money. You are no longer casual with money, and you know that money won’t be casual with you. It shows up on time in time. Just like you do.

No longer are you driven by the desire or impulse to get rid of money as soon as you receive it. You no longer spend merely for the sake of spending. You found better forms of entertainment. You’ve discovered the beauty of building your savings and investment accounts. You endorse the act of saving now for future investment. You invest now for future comfort and a higher quality of living as you get older. You deserve the money you have, you attract abundantly and allow it to stay with you.

Your relationship with money is harmonious and enjoyable because at last you decided to make money your friend. What a great shift in your mindset. You let go of the stress of feeling unworthy, undeserving, and not having enough.

Yes, there is plenty of money! Yay!

On my Facebook page yesterday I posted: “I give myself permission to prosper.” Join me.

One of the reasons I like Facebook is because it’s responsive. People weigh in with their thoughts and opinions, which I value. I want to hear what my friends and fans think and feel. So I solicit their comments.

Several people said they would give themselves permission to prosper in 2010. My friend, llenar asked, why wait? Great question which gives me the space to explain a few of the benefits of participating in my Money Attraction Secrets Bootcamp.

Why Wait Until 2010?

Some people wait because s/he doesn’t know how or where to start. They want to learn the steps and receive specific direction in order to take focused action. Others wait because they desire to be part of a group-learning process. Group learning is an easier, more enjoyable and better learning model than individual coaching.

I’m teaching the steps to achieving prosperity, money attraction, and money management in my 8-week Money Attraction Secrets Bootcamp. It starts on Jan 5, 2010 at 8pm Eastern.

Prosperity is about love, success, time, joy, comfort, beauty, confidence, money and wisdom. It’s also about believing that you are worthy of having a better life. The Money Attraction Secrets Bootcamp is an opportunity to enhance your thinking around money as you prepare your 2010 Prosperity Plan!

Click to find out more and sign up for the Money Attraction Secrets Bootcamp.

Spiritual Tools

Here’s what is covered in 8-week Bootcamp. You’ll learn to use spiritual tools to jump start and keep your money flow energetic. You’ll enter a world and mindset of abundance, which is your birthright.

Money Management Skills

You’ll also discover the business skills you need to manage and grow your money effectively. You’ll design workable spending plans, estimate and balance your expenses, plan your purchases, develop a habit of saving to invest, and gain confidence using online money management and investment tools.

Your interaction with your money will be enjoyable for you’ve made money your friend. You know that you deserve the money you have, and you attract prosperity and permit it to stay with you.

Financial Fitness Academy

The Financial Fitness Academy community-building aspects of the Bootcamp are major. It’s a membership forum where you’ll mastermind and joint venture with others on the fast track to Financial Fitness. It’s where you brainstorm ideas, get support, and practice spiritual and business techniques in a secure, can’t-lose-money environment.

Give Yourself Permission to Prosper

You are worthy of having and enjoying money. Give yourself permission to prosper in 2010. You will attract more money participating in the Bootcamp than you will working alone. What are you waiting for? Sign up today. Join me!

Let me know what you think about giving yourself permission to prosper. Share your thoughts.

Peace and prosperity,

Judith Stephens, MBA
The Money Lady

PS.  Please share this with your friends and business associates. Invite them to join you in the Bootcamp.