What’s Emotion Got to Do With It? Everything!!!

Written by Barbara Huson

I call it the Secret Shame of Successful Women. And I see it all the time. Bright, sophisticated professionals, making ample incomes, who have little (if anything) to show for it.

Their problem isn’t lack of money. That’s merely a symptom. The real problem is that money is a far more emotional subject than the financial industry recognizes…which does a huge disservice to women.

After decades in this business, I’m convinced that the major reason smart, capable women struggle financially is because of Unresolved Emotions. Emotions of fear, grief, anger and shame, incurred during their lifetime or passed down from earlier generations.

Think about it. What better way to keep painful feelings at bay than by unconsciously creating financial turmoil—forgetting to pay bills, splurging on gifts, maxing out credit cards.

Power-From-Within

Written by Barbara Huson

If you’re not where you want to be financially, consider this. Your difficulties may have little, if anything, to do with money, but your fear of or ambivalence about power…because you don’t understand true power.

Basically, there are 3 kinds of power:

Power Over (Domination)
Power With (Collaboration)
Power-From-Within (Dominion)

The drawback with the first two is that exercising power depends on others cooperating.

True, authentic power derives from the 3rd—Power-From-Within (a term coined by feminist author, Starhawk)—which comes from your mind.

When you understand how to control your thoughts (vs trying to control other people), you’ll discover the immense power you have, regardless of what’s going on ‘out there.’

Willpower Won’t Work! Rewire to Spend Less

Written by Barbara Huson

You swear, starting today, you’re going to curb your spending. And you really mean it. Until….

You spy an online ad for this adorable summer dress that’s to die for. Later, you flip through the Costco catalogue and that Vitamix Blender you’ve been eyeing is on sale.

Without thinking, you whip out your card, make your purchase and you feel great. Until the bill comes. Then you remember your vow and beat yourself up for not having more will-power.

BUT WAIT! According to the latest research, all the will power in the world may not be enough. Blame it on your brain.

Advice for Financial Advisors—Part II

Written by Barbara Huson

I truly believe the best way for women to create wealth is by working with financial professionals. But, according to the Wall Street Journal, “fewer than one in five women currently has an advisor.”

Why? Because women can’t find anyone who understands them.

Advisors are talking to women just like they do men. Big mistake. True, money knows no gender. Women, however, are very different from men. Yet the financial world is based on the male model of communication.

Last week I offered 2 pointers answering the question: What would you like to tell the financial industry about how, specifically, they can better serve women?

Here are 3 more.

Advice for Financial Advisors

Written by Barbara Huson

Here’s a question I was recently asked during a podcast.

What would you like to tell the financial industry about how, specifically, they can better serve women?

Oh boy. So much to tell. So little space.

But I’d start with this:

Women are NOT Men!

Obvious, right? But clearly, the financial industry hasn’t gotten that memo.

I’m a big fan of financial professionals. I’ve had the same advisor for many years (after going through nine others that didn’t get the memo either). I even wrote a booklet; Finding a Financial Advisor You Can Trust.

Sadly, the bulk of advisors (I’m including both sexes here) still live in the dark ages when it comes to female clients.

The Truth Will Set You Free…And Here’s Why.

Written by Barbara Huson

“ I really want to make more money, but where do I start?” I get this question a lot. My answer is always the same.

Start by telling the truth about what’s not working in your life…without having a solution in sight.

Simply telling the truth has tremendous power. Problems have a purpose. They’re trying to get your attention.

As I’ve witnessed countless times, financial success is often preceded by acknowledging a financial challenge.

Your particular challenge could be as subtle as a nagging sense that you’re not happy to the agonizing awareness that you can’t pay your rent, yet again.

Facing a challenge does not mean rushing ahead with possible solutions or passively accepting the situation as “That’s just the way it is.”

Facing a challenge means telling the truth about why it’s there in the first place.

That’s when you’ll come to realize that every difficulty you experience stems from the choices you’ve made, choices based on erroneous information, faulty beliefs, prior conditioning, unfounded fear.

Once you tell the truth—without criticism or judgement but with compassion and a commitment to change—you will, inevitably, start identifying and making healthier choices.

Then something magical may occur…if you have the courage to go deeper. You will recognize a profound truth you’ve likely been long avoiding, what I call The Defining Truth. It goes like this:

No one is doing this to me. I am doing it to myself. Therefore, I have the ability to change it.

The moment you fully grasp The Defining Truth, life as you know it will never be the same. You move from being a victim to owning your power.

Your authentic voice will begin to emerge louder, more clearly than ever before. And you’ll free yourself to make wiser, more productive choices.

As one former underearner admitted: “I won’t tell anyone it’s easy looking at what you’ve been avoiding forever. It’s really hard. But it won’t kill you. And you know, it wasn’t as bad as I thought. It actually feels a lot better than saying ‘I don’t want to look at it.’”

Where are you hiding the truth from yourself? Tell me in the comments below.

Getting Past Guilt

Written by Barbara Huson

There’s an old joke: What do you call a woman who feels no guilt? A man.

You may laugh. But sadly, it’s true. Studies have confirmed that indeed women suffer significantly more guilt than men.

Guilt, simply put, is feeling as if you’ve done something wrong or bad.

Every time you deviate from the norm, from what you ‘should’ do, your Ego goes berserk, using guilt, like a whip, to keep you in check, warning of dreadful consequences if you disobey its rules.

Guilt is self-destructive, immobilizing, a short cut to unhappiness, a hindrance to healing. You know you’re acting from guilt whenever you hear yourself saying I should….

Impatience vs Acceptance

Written by Barbara Huson

There’s nothing like a burning goal to inspire you to go for it, full throttle. You’re excited to write a book. You’re eager to grow your savings. You yearn to start a business.

But what happens when you run into the inevitable speed bumps and road blocks? The fire in your belly can rage out of control. Your drive turns to desperation.

You become convinced that if you don’t make it happen right now, it never will. Impatience is the enemy of success, the death knell to higher aspirations, a sure-fire path to mediocrity.

Your Ego, like an angry parent, is shrieking “hurry up or you’ll fall behind.”

These bogus threats are guaranteed to sap creativity, drain energy, delay progress.

The Link Between Wealth and Power

Written by Barbara Huson

I once heard it explained that when you have more money than you need, that’s wealth. When you use your money to make a difference, that’s power. In my experience, wealth and power are inextricably intertwined.

Once a woman becomes financially secure, her motivation shifts from making more money to leaving a legacy, to giving back to others in ways that fill her with meaning and pleasure, while imbuing her with the power and the ability to make an impact.

I am convinced that successful women offer our greatest hope for healing the planet. And I believe you are meant to be one of them—if you aren’t already.

So, I ask you: What will your legacy be?

This question cuts right to the core of why you’re here and the mark you wish to make after you’re gone. Your desired legacy serves as an internal compass, guiding your daily decisions in the direction of your optimal future.

Please…Stop Settling for Less When You Deserve More!

Written by Barbara Huson

Here’s a question for you. When are you going to stop settling for less and start opting for more?

Believe me, this isn’t just about money. When you decide to raise your sights financially, you’ll notice something profound will occur.

You’ll not only increase your income, but you’ll unearth your true essence. That’s what happened for me, and I’ve repeatedly heard the same from others.

The successful woman I’ve interviewed often spoke more animatedly about their private awakening than their financial advancement, about breaking through the boundaries that had limited not only their livelihood, but their entire existence.

Women & Wealth

What’s Emotion Got to Do With It? Everything!!!

Power-From-Within

Willpower Won’t Work! Rewire to Spend Less

Advice for Financial Advisors—Part II

Advice for Financial Advisors

The Truth Will Set You Free…And Here’s Why.

Getting Past Guilt

Impatience vs Acceptance

The Link Between Wealth and Power

Please…Stop Settling for Less When You Deserve More!

Meet Barbara Huson

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