Overcoming money blocks

Money is often a topic most clients feel uncomfortable about. But additionally is a theme that keeps popping out of sessions- either because clients want more of it, feel afraid of it, or don't want to think much of it.

The reality is that for most of my clients, in their process of making art, there is an interdependence with their process of making money. Either because they make money from their art or because they make art but have another job that they make money out of. Either way, often their sense of self value and their definition of how successful their art is, may often be related with how and how much money they make.

This relationship can be quite tricky to navigate. Deeply connected with how much money and how money is made are our individual money blocks, and so part of my work with clients is to clearly identify and overcome some of these blocks.

Personally, I had to do a long deep dive on my own money blocks and am consistently having to recalibrate and remind myself of the abundant possibilities that come with money. I have always been quite straightforward with money. If I want more of it, I just create it. But I have had to overcome different blocks to now be at a place where I see money as a result of my creativity, an exciting, fun side to life and an exchange of energy that I welcome and invite as much as give and invest.

But to get myself to where I am at, I worked with coaches and mentors, in fact, I invested money on learning how to create money, which looking back is quite ironic. Sometimes you do have to give, in order to receive.

If you want to look at identifying some of your money blocks, start by looking at your money story- your money lineage- what did your parents, family, and history tells you about money. If you are a woman, there will certainly be an inherited shame around spending money, without the need for anything directly having happened to you- but just because historically women did not have their own money, so this sense of ownership has been hard to come by, and we are wired to hide the money we make for fear of being judged.

Also, how do you feel about receiving money? Sometimes clients have received money from parents or partners, and they feel somehow guilty or bad about this. But if you don’t bless money that comes to you via someone else (parents/ partner) you will be blocking more money from coming towards you.

So taking full responsibility for what you have, including your debt and your financial future are part of the process of creating further abundance in your life.

Now here are some of the most commons blocks I encounter in clients. See if any of these apply to you:

1. Unworthiness

You might feel there’s something wrong with you and think your work is not worth much money. When we talk figures, you might keep to very low figures as your annual desired earnings. If I challenge you to aim for more, you might think "How could you possibly make so much money? Me?"

2. Terrified of being too successful, too shiny

You might associate money with something others have which isn't very positive. Perhaps you see money as the source of evil in the world. And something others have, not you. You might think those who have it are different and you might judge them. You might think that part of who you are is defined by having a simple life, where money doesn't matter. And finally, that if you suddenly made lots of money others will judge you too, abandon you and think you are a greedy snob.

3. The fear of leaving people behind- what gives me the right to earn money if there are women struggling to have money to feed their children? How can I reconcile my caring values, my concerns with the vulnerable if I earn or aim to earn so much money? Am I a hypocrite then?

4. Fear of responsibility- This is big one- if I have too much money, I have too much work, I will be overwhelmed, I will burn out. There is no way I can make more money without working my butt off and completely sacrificing my personal life.

Do any of these sound familiar? Do you feel like working through some of these?

If yes, consider having a community and surround yourself with people who are on the same journey, get a coach who has overcome this issue, hire someone who is earning more than you who can get you in the energetic loop of having money, lean in to interdependence and combined earnings, tune into your numbers to really know what you want to earn, and take responsibility for your bank account. You are not a victim.

The freedom that comes with responsibility is unprecedented.

When you take responsibility, you gain visibility.