Women & Power
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Why Wealth Matters

I dream of the day when every woman knows, deep down, that she has the capacity to create wealth and the confidence to actually do it. 

I suspect for some of you, however, the mere mention of the “W” word feels wrong, bad, like ‘how can I be rich when so many are poor?’ 

But consider the words of Abraham Lincoln: “If you want to help a poor person, do not be one.” 

Besides, creating wealth is about far more than amassing riches. It’s about waking up to the truth of who you are and the power you have, the enormous power, to not only create wealth but to use it as a tool to help others.

I love how Rev. Michael Beckwith put it: “You can’t be light of the world if you can’t pay light bills.” 

Sure, I want you to be able to pay your bills.  But my deepest desire is to see you shining your light at maximum wattage, without the distraction of insufficient funds or unhealthy financial habits. 

No more dimming yourself down to please others or refraining from rocking the boat so you don’t make waves.  It’s time for you to make waves. Big ones. I want to see a tsunami of women shaking up the world, shining their light, eradicating the darkness that’s so pervasive on this planet.

How do you feel about creating wealth for yourself? I’d love to know. Share below.


Do you know that women learn better in community? Try my new virtual community, The Wealth Connection and learn to Grow Your Wealth!

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The Caterpillar Story

Two caterpillars spy a butterfly overhead. One turns to the other and says “You’ll never get me up in one of those things.”

Do you ever feel like that caterpillar?  Part of you wants to fly. Another part clearly doesn’t.

That’s precisely what’s going on when you feel stuck–an internal conflict. Part wants to. Part doesn’t.

The trick to getting unstuck isn’t by denying or disputing your resistance. What you ignore, you empower. What you resist, persists.

I speak from experience. After my divorce, I tried hard to learn about money. But nothing worked. I’d pick up a book, attend a class only to fog up, glaze over, give up. Until one day, a therapist challenged me. 

“You know Barbara,” he said bluntly, “you really don’t want to get smart about money.”

I couldn’t argue. In that moment, I met the part of me that desperately wanted to stay ignorant. The part that was terrified of angering her parents, losing everything, and most of all, afraid no man would love a financially savvy woman. 

I spent months getting to know this part. But I also did something quite smart. I kept repeating affirmations in an effort to fortify the other part. I AM smart about money. I AM excited to learn. I AM a great role model for my kids. I AM attracting a man who loves a powerful woman.

I now realize I was literally rewiring my brain. Instead of dwelling on what scared me, I focused on what I wanted to create, how I wanted to feel…even if it seemed impossible.  As neuroscientists tell us, what flows through the mind creates pathways that wires the brain 

Slowly the fog lifted. I actually began enjoying the learning process, seeing results, relishing how powerful I felt. Those feelings haven’t changed in over 30 years. 

How do you focus on the change you want to create? Leave a comment below.


Do you struggle to understand investing? Men and women view wealth & power through very different lenses. Join me for this FREE call: Women & Wealth: We’re Different than Men & Why that Matters and I’ll help you become a Savvy Investor and begin to build Wealth, as a womanRegister Now!

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Lifting Heavier Weights

Have you noticed, in gyms, when guys are lifting really heavy weights, they ask someone, often a perfect stranger, to spot them?    

How many times have you seen a woman do that?  Hardly ever! We’ll hire trainers. But ask another to spot us? Unthinkable.

I always thought this scenario was a perfect metaphor for how many women tend to approach life.  Here’s why:

1st, we rarely lift very heavy weights. 

2nd, we don’t want to bother anyone. 

3rd, we’re determined to do it alone.

Yet, to achieve success, in anything, requires us to lift heavier weights. This is how we build up confidence and strength to climb to greater heights.

And we can’t do it alone. We need spotters—people we trust to have our backs, to encourage us when the going gets tough or high-five us when we finally lift that heavy weight.

Seven years ago, I shared my gym observation with a friend, Suzy Carroll, who, being the leader she is, formed a spotters group with four of us. What a remarkable experience it’s been.

Once a month, we gather after work, or lately, on the weekends, at someone’s house. Each one takes her turn, sharing what’s on her mind, be it a troublesome situation or a thrilling victory. The others offer loving support, candid feedback, often relating their own similar experiences.

Our meetings usually last about two hours. We don’t leave without setting another date when we’re all available. Not an easy task for busy women, but we’ve made it work.

It’s been incredible to witness how each of us has grown, in ways we could never have imagined at the outset. And we know, with utter certainty, we would’ve never progressed this far alone.

I heartily encourage you to form your own spotters group. I swear…it’s truly life changing.

Do you have a support group you’re part of? Tell me about it below.


Looking for support? I created my virtual community, The Wealth Connection to support women in their financial journey. Join today and hop on my Live Office Hours Call! www.husonwealthconnection.com

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The Myth of the Massive Leap

I recently got a message on Facebook: “I want to make a quantum leap. Tell me, Barbara, how do I do that?”

 

My answer: “Take lots of tiny steps.”

If her lack of response was any indication, I don’t think she liked my reply.

 

But the truth is, that’s precisely how quantum leaps, colossal successes, radical transformations occur…one small step at a time.

 

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better description of this process than a quote by one of my favorite actresses, Julianne Moore. 

“You don’t start out thinking, I’m going to be a star!

You think, I hope I get an agent.

Then, I hope I get an audition.

Then, I hope I get a job. 

If you think too far ahead, it’s just overwhelming.

It’s better to just keep on going, bit by bit, one foot in front of the other.”

Amen to that! The most dazzling dreams start with the most trivial activities—looking up a phone number, making an appointment, writing an email.

 

What small step will you make in the direction of your dreams? Leave a comment below.


Want to learn how to go From Consumer to Wealth Builder…even during the holidays? Join me November 13th for a FREE call. Register here!

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Is It Just Me? Or Are You Angry Too?

Excuse me while I vent. My insides are seething with rage and frustration. I write this to make sense of it all.

My fury was fostered during the 2016 election with the alarming rise of blatant misogyny, which despite #MeToo, continues to intensify.

It’s certainly not all men. But reading the news is both infuriating and deeply painful. I feel like my heart is being ripped from my chest every time I witness another woman being belittled, harassed, marginalized or disparaged.

As one who’s devoted my entire career to women’s liberation and empowerment, I feel inexpressibly sad. And deeply disturbed by what I see. Even Lean In author Sheryl Sandberg recently announced that women’s progress has essentially “dragged to a halt.”

And she issued a dire warning, reported in the Wall Street Journal: “We’re at a really critical moment. Women are entering the US workforce in the highest numbers in decades, but gender parity isn’t improving.”

Yes, we’re “liberated.” We’re free to work…or not. But alas (heavy sigh) we have yet to be respected, valued or treated as equals.

If, as Sheryl cautioned, this is a critical moment, what can I, what can we do?

The instant I asked that question, I heard Gandhi’s guidance. What if we, as individuals, intensify our efforts to become the change we want to see in the world?

What if we each focus on strengthening our own sense of self-respect by ceasing to belittle, marginalize, or disparage our self?

What if you and I genuinely valued all that we bring to the table, especially those gifts we take for granted? What if each of us commits to reaching our fullest potential, despite the obstacles and fears?

Is that the solution for transforming our divisive culture into one of mutual respect? I have no idea. But it’s a place to start. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this issue. Leave me a comment below.


If you enjoyed this Words of Wealth, click here to receive a copy in your inbox every week.

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Figuring Out ‘Financialese’

Have you ever met with a financial advisor and wished you had a translator?  I know I did a few years ago when my sisters and I spent months interviewing various advisors for some family trusts.

Nice people, all of them. But once they got started, they were speaking in a foreign tongue.

I thought I knew this language. After all, I’ve written 6 books about money, including Finding a Financial Advisor You Can Trust.

But these folks, at various points in the discussion, had my head reeling. Then it hit me.

No wonder so many women aren’t getting the financial help they need. One conversation with an advisor and their heads are reeling too. And their first reaction is often to put their reeling heads right back in the sand.

Consider this blog, in part, a Plea to Professionals.  C’mon, you people. Speak in plain English. And then  check in with clients at frequent intervals to make sure they understand what you are telling them..  

Even as I write that I know that the truth is, the onus is on us.

I am a Big Believer in working with professionals…be it for a root canal or retirement plan.  And sometimes the latter can be as painful as the former! But it doesn’t need to be.

Not if we’re willing to speak up, ask for clarification, and keep asking until we understand.   Which is exactly what I had to do in those meetings. And you know what? Every expert was happy to explain. And I actually learned a lot.

It all boils down to this. If we don’t understand  ‘Financialese,’ it doesn’t mean we’re stupid. It’s simply a sign to ask more questions.  

The payoff is clarity. But, I’m here to tell you, the real reward is how powerful you’ll feel for standing up for yourself.

Have you ever found your head reeling while talking to a financial professional ? Leave a comment below to tell me what you did.


If you enjoyed this Words of Wealth, click here to receive a copy in your inbox every week.

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Joint vs Separate Accounts

If you’re married, or about to be, I have a question for you.  Do you have money in your own name?

Even if you’re blissfully in love with each other, even if (s)he’s filthy rich or a financial genius, it’s critical to have your own economic identity a bank account and credit card in your own name.

In part, it’s a matter of self-protection. If anything happens to your Prince(ss) Charming, you could be in big trouble. Oh, the horror stories I’ve heard from women who couldn’t get credit or had all kinds of legal problems after losing a spouse through death or divorce because everything was listed under their spouse’s name.

Also, since money is the #1 source of marital spats, having separate accounts could minimize arguments. As Stephanie Sarkis pointed out in Psychology Today, “the less you argue about money, the closer you will feel to your partner.”

But there’s also a psychological component. A separate financial identity, even while maintaining shared accounts, makes a major personal statement. It has nothing to do with the relationship. It has everything to do with your self-concept and sense of autonomy.

Putting money in your name is about growing up, becoming an adult, claiming your sovereignty over your own life.

I’d love to hear if money is a source of strife or harmony in your relationship? Leave a comment below.


Are you in search of a safe place to talk money with other women? My brand new virtual community, The Wealth Connection, is that safe place. Click here for more info.

If you enjoyed this Words of Wealth, click here to receive a copy in your inbox every week.

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I Really Want To…But I’m So Damn Scared!

dedicate this to the women in my ReWIRE Mentorship Program—and all of you—who are on the verge of taking a big leap.] 

Maybe you’re ready to open your own business. Or your gut’s saying ‘slow down, spend time in stillness.’ Or it’s become quite clear—you’ve got to start setting stronger boundaries.

You really want to take the next step. But you can’t. Fear, like a colossal boulder, stands in your way.

Of course you’re afraid. Fear is normal, inevitable, whenever you leave the comfort of the familiar and venture into the unknown.

The goal is not to eliminate fear. Because you can’t. The goal is to act in spite of it. 

The best advice I’ve ever read was in an interview with writer Ray Bradbury. “Just jump off the cliff and build your wings on the way down,” he said, later adding, “If you’re too cautious, you’ll miss life.”

There’s no way around it. If you’re going for Greatness, there’s only one path: feel the fear, endure the discomfort, observe the resistance, and go for it anyway. (On the other side of fear you’ll find your power.)

But hear this! You don’t have to do it alone. The best antidote to fear, for us women, is surrounding yourself with a supportive community. 

That’s why I’m starting a brand new virtual community for financially aspiring women, The Wealth Connection. (Details coming soon! Get priority notification here.)

As high earner Karen Page once told me:“Success is a social activity.  You can’t do it alone. You just can’t.”  Amen to that!!!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on how a supportive community (of lack of one) has impacted you. Leave me a comment below.


If you enjoyed this Words of Wealth, click here to receive a copy in your inbox every week.

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The Hidden Danger of High Earnings

I recently attended an event where I was surrounded by incredibly successful women.  Every participant earned a high six or seven figures…more than 90% of the population.  

But as our conversations went deeper, I noticed a disturbing theme. There’s a dark side to high earnings. Whopping wages can be deceptive and dangerous. I call it the Illusion of Affluence. 

I saw it at that conference. I see it repeatedly with clients. High earners spending too much, saving too little, or plowing all profits back into their business. Their ample earnings gives them the fantasy, but not the security, of affluence.  

Even if they can easily make a bundle whenever they want, high earners are as vulnerable to hard times and sudden change as anyone else.  

Absolutely, women making big money are to be applauded. But the real measure of success isn’t what comes to you…it’s what stays with you. In other words, your net worth—the sum total of what you own minus the sum total of what you owe.   

Very few high earners I meet have a net worth over a million dollars. Far fewer if the value of their home wasn’t counted. Fewer still could afford to stop working, even years down the road.  

If you’re a successful high earner, or on course to becoming one, ask yourself this question: Isn’t it time my money works as hard for me as I do for it?   

I promise, wealth building doesn’t need to be overwhelming or time consuming if you start following these 3 steps: 

  1. Delegate—find financial professionals to help you create a plan and keep you on track
  2. Automateevery month automatically have a specific sum of money transferred to a savings account and also your brokerage firm.
  3. Educateeveryday, read something about money (peruse the headlines of the business section of the paper or browse through a financial magazine). I call it the Osmosis School of Learning.  

All it takes is a few minutes of daily reading, the support of trusted advisors and the habit of consistent savings to become a truly affluent woman…regardless of how much (or how little) you earn.

Leave a comment below and tell me how you make your money work for you.


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The Miraculous Power of Taking Responsibility

I clearly remember when I was in the depth of despair, unable to restrain my gambling husband. He had depleted our bank account, putting me and our daughters at terrible risk.

I turned to A Course in Miracles for solace. Instead of the solace I sought, I opened to a passage that shook me to the core.

The Course told me, in no uncertain terms: “I am responsible for what I see. I choose the feelings I experience and I decide upon the goal I achieve. And everything else that seems to happen to me, I ask for and receive as I have asked.”  

In other words, the Course said, “You are doing this unto yourself.” Quite a harsh pill to swallow…even from my beloved Course.

At first I was furious. How dare anyone even suggest I’m responsible for my husband’s recklessness. He lost my money. Not me.

But as my anger subsided, those words—no one did this to me; I [was] doing it to myself—began to make sense. I finally understood what the Course promised—taking responsibility would be “my salvation.” 

This mess wasn’t solely my husband’s fault. I was as culpable as he. He may have gambled away my inheritance, but I was the one who gave him the keys to the kingdom by abdicating control.

Regardless of my husband’s actions, my choice to be a passive victim, was the real culprit. Once I realized my role in this disaster, once I started taking responsibility, everything changed rather quickly. 

Over time, I was able to not only forgive, but to actually thank my ex for losing my inheritance and my father for not bailing me out. After all, it was because of them that I discovered my calling.

Once I assumed personal responsibility, my passage to financial empowerment shifted into high gear. Sometimes, the best financial advice comes from the most unexpected sources.

I’d love to hear if miracles have occurred for you when you’ve taken responsibility…which isn’t always easy, is it? Share your story below.


If you enjoyed this Words of Wealth, click here to receive a copy in your inbox every week.

Meet Barbara Huson

When a devastating financial crisis rocked her world, Barbara Huson knew she had to get smart about money… and she did. Now, she wants to empower every women to take charge of their money and take charge of their lives! She’s doing just that with her best-selling books, life changing retreats and private financial coaching.

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