In my coaching group, I shared this message with the group:
“Oh my goodness y’all. I’m reading Tony Robbins new book, Unshakable and this quote jumped out at me and is so freaking true.
“Is it really money you’re chasing, or is it the feelings that you think money can create? Many of us believe – or fantasize – that money will bring us to a point where we finally feel free, secure, excited, empowered, alive, and joyful. But the truth is, you can achieve that beautiful state right now, regardless of your level of material wealth. So why wait to be happy?”
Yes! Why wait to be happy? I know that I’ve fallen into this trap numerous times – after all, my spending trigger is emotional spending, and it’s NEVER easy to pull myself out of this trap but it’s so worth it.
Money isn’t the answer to financial freedom – contentment is.
If you’re discontent, then it won’t matter how much money you have because your heart isn’t in the right place. You’re chasing the wrong things. When you’re content, then it doesn’t matter how much money you have because your heart is in the RIGHT place and you’re enjoying the life you have – not chasing the things you don’t have.”
The Key to Financial Freedom
And that’s it. That’s the key to finding financial freedom – contentment. Because it’s true, when you’re content with what you have, it won’t matter if you don’t “make enough money” or if “you can’t afford this” because your heart is in the right place and you aren’t caught up in a vicious cycle of “have nots”.
Because guess what?
We ALL have needs and wants – there is always going to be something that want and can’t have right now. No matter how wealthy you become it will still happen. As the old saying goes, “new level, new devil”. There is always a new challenge and obstacle to overcome at every level. So don’t kid yourself into thinking that “once I make six-figures a year, then I’ll have the money to do this and that with and I can’t finally feel free”.
Because guess what? You will never feel free until you feel content with where you are right now.
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I don’t want you to spend the rest of your life struggling “to make it” when you can “make it” right now. Sure, there may be things that you desperately want and even need that you just can’t make happen right now, but that’s okay. You can find a way.
Discontentment and Envy go hand-in-hand
Discontentment is a funny thing. I remember long, long ago, feeling this intense surge of envy when one of my best friends was given a brand new Dooney and Burke handbag for Christmas. Now here’s the thing you need to know about me – I’m a sucker for a gorgeous handbag but I like only a select few styles of handbags. Like, you’ll never see wearing a “backpack” handbag because that’s not my style and the “hobo” i.e. “no-structure” bag makes feel like an insane person when I have to dig to the bottom of it to find my chap stick.
And guess what, my friend’s new handbag was not my style at all. And if I’m being really honest, I’m not a fan of D&B’s bags. But nevertheless, I was soooooo envious. I mean, I could barely control my facial expression as she showed me her Christmas present.
But you know what the real problem was? It wasn’t that my friend got a brand new, expensive handbag that I would never in million years pick up off the shelf of a store. It was the fact that I was upset that she got such an expensive Christmas present from her boyfriend and I didn’t get that kind of gift from my then boyfriend.
I was discontent because 1) I knew my boyfriend couldn’t afford a gift like that and 2) I was unhappy in my relationship with that boyfriend so this “lack of gift” just gave me an excuse to be passively aggressively mad at him (which was totally unfair) and 3) I knew that I couldn’t afford to go and buy myself a handbag that was that expensive.
But you know what happened after this though? I went and opened up another store charge card and bought myself a $450 Coach bag and paraded that thing around like I was a princess wearing a tiara.
But then you know what happened only a few months after that shopping spree? I finally went broke. I was facing eviction and having to file bankruptcy. And after making my first budget as an adult and realizing that I was running nearly a $1,000 deficit every month, I sold that $450 Coach bag for $200 along with a ton of the other things I bought while wallowing in my discontentment.
Funny how that purse wasn’t so important when it really mattered…
But after a few months of hustle, I regained control over my finances and started making positive changes and finally found peace. Not because I all-of-a-sudden had money. No, quite the opposite actually, I still didn’t have any money left over every month, but I did have contentment.
I was finally at peace with where I was and was working towards digging myself out of my financial mess. And I want that for you too. I want you find that peace – but the truth is, I can’t give it to you – no one can. You have to dig deep and find that inner peace for yourself.
It won’t be easy, but if you force yourself to choose contentment over discontentment you’ll change your life – all aspects of it, not just financially.
What advice can you give someone who is struggling to find contentment?
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I whole-heartedly agree with this! My number one money rule is being content. It’s amazing how peaceful I felt when I realized I had enough and did not need to shop to make myself happy. 🙂