Is it time to transform your money mindset or rewrite your money story? Appreciating Money is the third chapter of the book, Midlife, New Life: Living Consciously in Midlife and Beyond. Living consciously requires us to be increasingly conscious about our money: making it, saving it, managing it, spending it, and leaving it behind. Read about what is in the chapter and watch my video introduction at the end of this blog post.
The opening principle is deceptively simple: “what we appreciate, appreciates.” This concept, championed by Lynn Twist, founder of the Pachamama Alliance and author of “The Soul of Money,” invites us to shift from scarcity thinking to sufficiency consciousness. A scarcity mindset keeps us trapped in fear, mistrust, and constant striving for control. We’re perpetually busy, focused on survival, never quite feeling we have enough. In contrast, a sufficiency mindset cultivates gratitude, fulfillment, trust, and resilience. It’s not about having less—it’s about recognizing what’s already present and valuable in our lives.
Rewriting Your Money Story
Our financial beliefs are deeply rooted in childhood experiences. One of our research participants shared experiences about growing up during post-war rationing, which instilled a sense of frugality and debt aversion. These early imprints shape how we handle money throughout our lives and may leave us with long-lasting limiting beliefs about money.
Common limiting beliefs about money include, “I’m too old to get rich” or “There is never enough money to go around.” Transforming these limiting beliefs opens new possibilities: you can make money at any age, and money can enable meaningful contributions to family and humanitarian causes we care about.
Relationships with Money
Our relationship with money reflects and affects every area of our lives: our friendships, intimate relationships, self-worth, career, health, and spirituality. Money conversations often trigger discomfort, but what if we could fundamentally shift our relationship with our finances? Recognizing whether we’re careful, controlling, generous, or reckless with money helps identify where we need to change and grow.
Money is a critical yet often overlooked aspect of living consciously, but by appreciating money, doing the inner work of shifting our beliefs and mindsets, and the outer work of implementing practical money management philosophies, we can create financial confidence, strengthen relationships, and build a legacy that reflects our deepest values. The journey may begin with a simple question: What does “enough” mean to you?
Participants in the Midlife, New Life wisdom exchange have continued to meet monthly on Zoom to share our wisdom and experiences of midlife and beyond. If you are interested in joining these conversation circles, please contact me via the link on the Conscious Conversation Circles page of this website.
Watch the video to learn more about Appreciating Money:
