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Effectively Deprogramming Money Fears: What happens when you experience money trauma.

Artist: Josh Leidolf - @transparentartist

A lot of coaches practice and teach mindset work to heal financial and money trauma. Sure there are components of ineffective thinking at play- however, the mindset is only the surface layer of healing financial trauma. If we only focus on changing & redirecting our thoughts, we may feel okay for a little bit, things may feel lighter- but then a trigger comes a long and we tumble down again. The journey to pick ourselves up & get our “mind right” again is exhausting and feels like a never ending battle. What ends up happening is this vicious cycle of feeling empowered, getting triggered & falling back into old patterns... over & over again. And this is incredibly disempowering. From my experience, a lot of coaches I’ve worked with & things I’ve seen online don’t get to the depths of money trauma. It’s all love & light information that is not effective in the long run.

“Envision the life you want!”

“Abundance is everywhere!”

“Think positively!”

Again, I am NOT against love & light practices. I think they are p o w e r f u l- but only in the right context otherwise they become bypassing.

When someone experiences financial trauma- or any trauma for that matter- unless it is seen & processed, it stays in the nervous system & subconscious mind. When things happen that trigger that trauma, it comes alive powerfully and those are those moments where we freak tf out.

We respond in 3 ways- fight, flight or freeze. We can try to control the situation (fight), avoid the situation (flight) or just completely shut down (freeze). THIS is where the work needs to be done. This is the wound.

Have you ever tried repeating positive affirmations when you are panicking? Or tried visualizing positive/desires outcomes? Does it work?

Not always!

The medicine here is to bring the body back into a parasympathetic state (rest & digest) before doing any kind of work. Deep breathing, meditation, yoga, nature- anything that relaxes you.

When your stress response is activated- your body is under a threat. Your brain feels as though you are in DANGER and sends signals to your body. Money is a very very real threat to many peoples lives, so it’s no surprise that seeing a low bank account or unpaid bills triggers “danger! danger!” You are preparing for a fight, to run away or to die.

When someone experiences consistent high stress, their perspective tends to only be able to focus on negative outcomes. Because the animal body is constantly feeling under pressure- the mind has to always be scanning for that threat. This is why people who have experienced financial trauma have a very very very hard time seeing the abundance around them because they are very used to danger! Putting their guard down is difficult because it may potentially mean impending doom, failure or death.

This is why mindset work is not the first step in healing financial trauma. Attempting to implement these tools and techniques when the nervous system is completely under high stress will👏🏽NOT👏🏽WORK in the long run. The person will continue to fall into old cycles until the trauma is released- which could take an hour, months or years.

Any time you feel triggered around money, let your immediate reaction be to slow down, breath and get yourself out of the stress response. The stress response is what is telling you that you are in danger, that nothing is working, etc. Do not identify with those thoughts but observe them so you can see what is really there in your subconscious mind. Breath, breath through it. Remind yourself you are safe. When you feel more centered, then begin to ask questions, explore  & be curious about what happened. The time to apply affirmations is now, in mediation & a relaxed state.

Your mission is to calm down. Yes, that is it. That is the first step. There is not much else to do. Relaxing the nervous system, releasing the momentum of your triggers. Staying present & grounded. This is a very intensive time because the energy is screaming to get your attention and your job is to SEE it without attaching to it.

Like “Hi, yes I see you. I see you are afraid and nervous rent won’t get paid. I hear you. It’s okay. I know it will. I got this, I got me. I am safe.”

Eventually, with a lot of practice, commitment & compassion... the energy gets quieter & quieter. Losing its power & control. You begin to regain control of your life outside of trauma.

And you know what the amazing part is? As you begin to release this energy & trauma- you will notice that positive thinking & perspectives come naturally without needing to force them. As your body feels more relaxed- there is organically less worrying, fearing & doubting that money will come. Instead, there is a trust that begins to form, a sense of confidence & security is built. Then, money begins to come easier, and easier. Aligned opportunities begin to show their face. Things start working, without forcing or fretting.

That is the power of releasing built up trauma. That is the medicine. Trauma makes us believe that life is and we are something that isn’t true. Trauma keeps us seeing through certain filters that block out truth. Trauma keeps us stuck, afraid & small. So when we finally are able to process it, we begin to unravel our true nature. Our natural abundance, our divine, worthy selves. The parts of us that are already who we are, not something we have to “find” or “create”. We already are free, we already are wealthy & successful. The trauma is what stands in the way & tells us we aren’t.

Release the trauma, see yourself. See your truth. Who you really are. No positive affirmations required.

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