Limiting Beliefs About Money

[Minimabs]

I have some issues around money. I spend what I make and can't seem to save anything. Even though I live a reasonably comfortable lifestyle - I still have a bit of a poor man's mentality.

I want to save for the future etc but everytime I set goals and make plans I then self sabotage until I am back where I feel comfortable again.

I have done some NLP change work with limiting beliefs and managed to get to the core of where they came from and worked through some perceptual issues etc - with great and lasting results.

I know for me, that unless I can get to the root cause of an issue then behavioural changes aren't long lasting.

With the money, I cannot go back far enough to understand where these limiting beliefs I have come from.

Has anyone any ideas of how I can access where these limiting beliefs around money and a poor man's mentality come from?

Thanks
Mabs

[marinik]

I found mine in talking to my father. It's like a computer program you pick up while growing up.

[upgradereality]

I really suggest EFT (emofree.com). reset your whole belief system about money. Works like a charm

[Minimabs]

Originally Posted by marinik

I found mine in talking to my father. It's like a computer program you pick up while growing up.

Could you elaborate a bit more on this?

Thanks!

[marinik]

Well my father made some serious money in his career. But he lost it on the stock market and he likes to gamble from time to time. When I asked him about what his parents thought about money he repeated what he has projected onto me... money does not bring happiness, rich people have looser/problematic kids... "I will never be rich..." "if i had only had this chance..." stuff like that. He came from a very poor family and he could never keep the money.

I am very well of, make a lot of money but never have enough! but it is changing because I have changed - or my limiting beliefs have about money. Now money comes easily and it stays

[Minimabs]

Originally Posted by marinik

I am very well of, make a lot of money but never have enough! but it is changing because I have changed - or my limiting beliefs have about money. Now money comes easily and it stays

Thanks for this - very helpful.

I guess I was thinking in terms of a big instance when the seed was planted, rather than a succession of small messages - drip fed over a period of time.

Thanks
Mabs

[marinik]

Yes some of our behaviour is not a "revolutionary" thing but an "evolutionary"... it is a set of messages we receive not something that happened once a shock or a turning point, single event. Like parenting.. you find yourself repeating a model not situations.

[James81]

Originally Posted by Minimabs

Has anyone any ideas of how I can access where these limiting beliefs around money and a poor man's mentality come from?

Think of the stuff that activates you and gets you extremely emotional, and then ask yourself what your beliefs about money mean about you.

[marinik]

Originally Posted by James81

Think of the stuff that activates you and gets you extremely emotional, and then ask yourself what your beliefs about money mean about you.

Hmmm you made me think very hard about this! Thanks James!

[James81]

Originally Posted by marinik

Hmmm you made me think very hard about this! Thanks James!

No problemo.

You're going to be so surprised what surfaces.

[Minimabs]

Originally Posted by James81

Think of the stuff that activates you and gets you extremely emotional, and then ask yourself what your beliefs about money mean about you.

I don't seem to have any extreme emotional feelings about money itself be it spending it or saving it. Maybe a few beliefs around those that save all their money and live frugal lives and those that flash their cash etc - but even those wouldn't bring any intense feelings if I thought about them deeply.

I do wonder on a much deeper level as to whether it is about wanting to be looked after and as a woman - it may be wrong to be financially savy etc. I don't go into debt and pay everything I need to each month - but the longer term stuff like savings and investments etc always seem to elude me and or I self sabotage what I set in place.

Hopelessness and helplessness deeply ingrained maybe? I can make do in the moment but secretly want someone to do it longer term?

[GhostGoat]

I have the same problem as the OP. I make a solid income, but can't seem to break out living in the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle.

I don't think my problem stems so much from my views towards money so much as my addiction to 'stuff'. My dad grew up in the depression, and has always stressed to me the importance of saving, and he has never had a problem in that area.

I spend way too much on dvds, cds, art books, musical equipment, etc. I already have more dvds than I'll ever have time to watch, but that doesn't stop me from buying another stack every week....same goes for books, music, and whatever my latest collecting interest is.

I've come to realize that extra money in the bank gives you a lot of extra peace of mind, especially when emergencies such as car repairs or vet bills arise, etc. (not to mention my hopeful retirement in about 20 years).

Fortunately I do have some valuable collectibles, which I consider to be my 'retirement fund'. I need to quit acquiring so much stuff though, I really don't need it, and don't have room for much more - but part of my self-image has always been the guy who has all the mind-blowing cool art books and music. I really need to reprogram myself...mentally I have accepted this, but I haven't really modified my behavior any.