A money mantra to try out
Shifting how I feel about money in my business + a workshop for paid subscribers
» I’ve currently got two spots for 1:1 mentoring starting this Summer. Are you craving a slow, gentle and profitable business that truly supports you, your needs and desires? Let’s make it happen.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about money in my business is that making money is only a small part of it. A much bigger part is how I feel and think about money: the stories I carry with me and tell myself, the fears and worries that might be holding me back.
In this post, I share the money mantra I’ve been trying out, and invite you to shift your business money mindset through a workshop for paid subscribers.
A few months back, J and I spent a blissful long weekend in Berlin, wandering around, having good food and visiting as many bookstores as possible. I collected a lovely big stack of books that I’m still making my way through.
I’m a reader from a family of readers, so I sent a picture of my new stack of books in our family group chat. My Dad replied along the lines of “aren’t you spending too much money?”.
I immediately fell into old patterns and stories. I know my Dad means well, but I’m also a thoroughly financially independent forty-year-old woman. And as well as he means, my spending is none of his business.
Instead, I replied that books make me happier than any other object in the world and that I gladly spend my money on them. He then said the phrase that I’ve been hearing all my life, “You can only spend your money once”.
Right there, scarcity in seven words.
Then I surprised myself. I typed back, “There will always be more money”. And this has become a bit of a mantra for me as I’m getting ready to take a big step in my business.
There will always be more money
The sceptic in me wants nothing to do with the phrase “there will always be more money”.
The sceptic tells me money doesn’t grow on trees, that believing there will always be more money is magical thinking and a privilege to believe at all (and I already carry a chunk of business because of where I was born, where I grew up and where I live).
Nonetheless I’ve been returning to this phrase again and again.
“There will always be more money” goes against the scarcity thinking that I was raised with.
“There will always be more money” feels empowering.
“There will always be more money” helps me trust my future self. It reminds me that I am capable of dealing with whatever comes my way.
“There will always be more money” feels good because I might as well think positive about the future. Because while I have no evidence to trust that things will work out, I also have zero evidence to the contrary.
“There will always be more money” is reassuring me that even as I spend money in life and in my business, the money I need will also be coming my way.
How I’m experimenting with this mantra in my business
2024 is a big year for my business.
For the past couple of years, I’ve been running my business next to my part-time job in higher education.
As of September 1st, I’ll be putting a lot more financial pressure on my business, as I’m scaling down to just two days a week at my part-time teaching job.
This feels amazing and empowering. This is what I’ve been working towards for the past couple of years.
Taking this step also reminds me that as business owners, we don’t make a steady income each month. That some months new clients and customers will appear seemingly out of nowhere, and other months they will not. I am confronted with a lack of control and at the same time reminded that the only way to do this business-thing is to deeply trust.
I don’t need a six-figure business. What I need is whatever is enough for me (if you’re curious, I discuss the exact number and how I’m working towards it in my 2024 goals posts).
“There will always be more money” is reassuring me that even as I spend money in life and in my business, the money I need will also be coming my way.
What I’m really proud of is my scarcity-thoughts are decreasing—and part of that is because I confront my own stories again and again.
Paradoxically, running my own business and taking on more financial insecurity seems to have made me feel better about money. More secure.
How do you feel about earning and spending money, in business and in life? What money stories come up for you, and what phrases or mantras feel empowering to you? Leave a comment and join the conversation.
Workshop: shifting your business money mindset
Making money is only a part of money in our business.
A much bigger part is how we feel and think about money. About our capacity to make money. About the extent we can be trusted with money. How “good” or “bad” we are with money.
That voice in your head that tells you that you won’t make money in your business? That’s rooted in money mindset.
That feeling in your stomach when you sit down to do your accounts (or, when you avoid doing so)? That’s rooted in money mindset.
The fear that keeps you from even checking your bank balance? That’s rooted in money mindset, too.
None of this, by the way, is your fault. But we can, slowly and gently, shift these emotions, feelings and thoughts.
Shifting our money mindset makes such a huge difference to how we experience our own capabilities, our own trust and our own joy in our business.
The workshop
I’ve created a 25-minute workshop in which I walk you through the work I’ve done myself, and do with my clients: seeing, confronting and reframing our money stories, and developing new stories and mantras that are more supportive to you and your business.
» Paid subscribers: you have immediate access to this workshop right here «
At the end of this workshop you will have reframed your money stories and have started to shift your money mindset. I’ve also included worksheets that you can use to dig deeper, further resources to explore and a money ritual to try out as a bonus.
Take a preview at the workshop 📽️
📌 Watch the workshop by becoming a paid subscriber of Female Owned for €6/month or €60/year, or buy the individual workshop here for €20.
Not yet a paid subscriber? Upgrade your subscription to a monthly (€6/month) or annual (€60) paid subscription and dive into the workshop. You’ll also become part of our lovely gentle community with the monthly Accountability Club, the quarterly mini-mastermind and seasonal behind-the-scenes posts.
As always, thank you for being here, for reading and commenting. Have a beautiful rest of your month! I’ll be back in your inbox towards the end of July ✨ x
Thanks! I really appreciated this one today. Those money messages have deep roots.
This really resonates with me. I've been working on shifting old money stories and building money confidence over the past few years and have made a great deal of progress. Today I had my eyes checked and got a new eyeglass prescription requiring me to get new eyeglasses. Eyeglass frames and lenses can be very expensive in the US and the last time I needed them I was in a much more precarious financial situation which limited my choices and made me fretful and anxious. Today when I went to choose new frames I was able to choose what I liked and even though I had a budget limit in mind the feeling of choice rather than limitation was enormous and very much on my mind. I found myself congratulating myself for having come to this point and it felt great. When I read this piece about your "mantra" I found myself nodding and smiling.
I really enjoy your writing and frame of mind around business and money. I first "met" you when you were a guest in Alice Sheridan's Connected Artists Club and you introduced me to Substack where I am exploring the writing side of my creative practice and have followed your writing ever since. So I thought I'd say hello and thanks!