Taking Action

Taking action grows out of knowing what is important to you and deciding how you will use your means toward the ends you truly desire. The actions you decide to take may not be big ones. What I am talking about is a consciousness of what you have and what you care about.

For example, I don't think I need another sheet or towel in my life. But each time I see those "white sales" advertised, I want to run out and buy more, at half price. It's a habit, it's something my family and friends often do. And maybe they need the sheets, but I don't. Instead, I can stop and decide whether that $50, $75, $100 could be used with far more satisfaction. What if I were to give it as a gift to someone who needs it? Or contribute it to a community activity? Or invest it in another share of stock? Or buy a theater ticket to a play I wanted to see but felt I couldn't afford?

You may be wondering, "Do I have to put my economic needs aside for the sake of compassion for others ?" I think you have to take care of yourself in order to take care of others. Using your money consciously can resolve the conflicts in your heart as well as in your pocketbook.

Clues to Creativity

One of my joys is to send greeting cards. Even when I was divorced with five kids, three of whom were in college, I used to come home some days with S20 worth of greeting cards. It was a real eye-opener to me when I learned how to create my own cards at far less expense. I could still send a message of love, sympathy, or congratulations -- but at far less cost. This kind of shift has happened over and over in my life, thanks to a growing awareness of acting out of what is important to me.

I now use the library more rather than buying books; I get together with friends without the expense of entertaining or restaurants and have the fun of potluck suppers instead.

Alignment

When we act out of misalignment, we're left with a feeling that there is never enough money. I think satisfaction eludes us because we don't even know where satisfaction comes from, and so we try to satisfy the dictates of other influences. Satisfaction comes from tapping into our core -- spirit, soul, psyche, heart, intention -- and from knowing our material resources and using them wisely and intentionally.

The thrilling part of acting out of financial and spiritual alignment is that, rather than putting a painful restriction on spending, it is a liberating experience of reaching for what you want by using what you have.

I believe that the way we spend money does make a difference. The very act of using money is a vote, a voice creating a powerful vibration in our own lives and beyond. It reaches the political arena, the manufacturing and service sectors, our houses of worship, schools and universities, and the direction of our family life and our communities.

By adding our vision as women, we are completing what, until now in many societies, has been mainly a male-oriented vision. Our voice, our choices, our actions, and yes, our money, is needed for the fullness of the world. How much we as women can contribute!

Salespeople, advertisers, product designers, market researchers all know about the power of the woman as consumer, and they are hard at work redirecting our money to their ends. They serve as a wake-up call to remind us that there is plenty of competition for our dollars.

The materialistic focus of our society simply makes it that much harder to make choices that are in line with who we really are and what we want to create. With all the noise of the external communicators, it can be almost impossible at times to hear the still, small voice of our inner messenger.

Bringing our financial values and our spiritual vision together means understanding our resources and being intentional about our choices. It allows us to operate from a place of fulfillment so we have the energy not just to make our own lives hum, but to contribute to the possibilities of others.

Reflection Questions:

• What are some specific things that are important to you at this time in our life?
• What actions could you tape to make these things begin to happen?

Rosemary Williams is the Executive Director of the Women's Perspective of the Ministry of Money. She is a financial planner living in Fairfield CT.