(TI k ^lortlaub ©bseruer Focus Boùvp Mirto & Spirit TAe M oney M ystique is an infinite supply of success, and success attracts success. If you study people who create wealth for themselves, you will dis cover they share several traits: ■They believe they can live the life they want; ■They feel deserving of money; ■They practice integrity around money every day; and They don’t give up. B y K aren S heridan C ontributing W riter y mantra is short and simple: If we create, spend and invest our money consciously, and with in tegrity, we will enjoy our money and our lives. It’s that simple. So where do we begin? M Spend It Karen Sheridan, founder of The Mystique in Portland Create It K E Y S T O cess of others? ■Do I forgive myself for my mis takes, misjudgments and intolerance? ■Do I feel genuine gratitude every day for my gifts and for the miracle of making money? •Do I have the courage to say “no”? ■Do I trust I can create all the money I need to express myself fully? M O N E Y • Give the customer more than she expects. • Keep track of income and expenses. • Focus initially on tasks that will generate money immediately. • Separate it-would-be-nice-to-do from the this-must-be-done. • Trust your instincts. • Believe you deserve money and charge what you are worth. • Be focused. • Pay attention to how you use your time. • Remember, vision without action is hallucination. If you answer “yes” to these ques tions, you probably enjoy your money and your life. Congratulations! I believe that self-ex If you answer “no” to any of these pression is the key to cre questions, you may want to read some ating a life you love. In or of the numerous books about prosper der to do this, you have to ity, analyze where your blocks are and spend your money con pay attention to where you are not sciously. comfortable around money. Set an in Money makes magic tention to change your relationship w hen you spend it for thing s you tru ly love, with money. If you make prosperity thinking a daily practice, you will grow things that resonate with in ways you can’t even imagine. your goals, dreams and values. You use your life energy to create money. W hen you spend co n sciously and with integ rity, you honor yourself. When you spend uncon Money sciously, o u t of h ab it rather than choice, you dishonor and drain you own life energy. Notice where you spend money. Do you use your money to move into the life you want, or do you unconsciously let money “slip through your fingers?" What would it be like to stay in touch with your goals as you make your spending choices? Make a daily prac tice of spending your money with con scious intention, rather than uncon scious abandon. I talk about creating money rather than earning money. The word “earn" assumes that a person either has to work hard for money, or they some how have to deserve money. I believe we all deserve to live a good life, and that usually takes money. I also believe there is enough money for everyone. Someone asked Deepak Chopra where the money was going to come from for a big project. His answer was simple: “From where it is right now.” We all have assum ptions about money that operate in the back of our minds. They are the unconscious ideas or stories about money that we tell ourselves over and over. Some people’s money stories are quite limiting. By far, the most common theme I hear is “There is never enough.” I also hear people speak disparagingly of others who have created wealth in their lives. Their story says that people who have money don’t have good values -as if there were valor in poverty. Even A braham Lincoln said, “T he best thing you can do for poor people is not be one of them.” When someone else accomplishes something great, celebrate that suc cess! Try thinking of it this way: There The 41st Annual EBONY FASHION FAIR Presents .fashùtnA owe Sponsored by Portland Chapter of The Links, Inc. Benefit of Links Educational Scholarship Fund Invest It There is only one thing you can do with money, spend it. You can spend it all for things you want right now, or you can spend some for now and some for later. The money you put away for later is the money that will support you when you no longer want to be a road warrior. Invest now for tomorrow. Friday, April 16,1999, 8:00 pm Doubletree Hotel, Jantzcn Beach Portland, Oregon Ticket Price: $30.00 Tickets Available At Enjoy It Transform ing your relationship with money is a daily practice. I en courage you to pay attention. Ask your self: ■Do I take 100 percent responsibil ity for myself and my money? ■Do 1 p ractice daily in te g rity around money? ■Do I genuinely celebrate the suc- I M rs. C's Wigs 707 NF. Fremont 281-6525 O ne Stop Record Shop 1615 NF- K illing sw orth 284-2435 House o f Sound 3620 N W illiam s 287- 1960 Sylvan Learn in g Center 4300 N E Fremont Suite 150 249-2855 Reflections C offee & Books 446 N E Killingsw orth 288- 6942 Tondalayera Designers Salon 5401 N E C u lIv Blvd 284-0712 Tickets are also available at all T icketM aster O utlets or charge-by-phone: (503) 224-4400. Or From Any l.mk Member (Includes 1 yr. subscription to EBONY or b-month subscription to IETI