How to stop worrying about money

Returning to London has been both exhilarating and stressful for me.

It is deeply fulfilling, because I now get to do coaching work in person, we’ve also started running workshops with my husband, and got speaking engagements on topics around fulfilment, confidence and mindfulness. Hilarious fun!

At the same time – I was sick to my stomach (literally) on a few occasions – from the financial stress it brought about.

Having lived around the world for the past 3 years, I got used to paying no or little rent for being in great places!

This stress is not helpful when your job is to be fully present with people.

I live in a great flat in Marylebone with a wonderful man , I love being back in touch with old friends and back to my usual yoga studio, I get to nap in the afternoon !

What else can I wish for??

And yet – I noticed that as I walk around London – I look at everything with this thin veneer of financial worry.

I notice that money worry is not exclusive to freelancers & recent business owners like me. I work with some very wealthy clients – the money concern is also present in full force:

“What if I loose it?”, “My peers have more than me!”, “What will Brexit do to my job/wealth?!” etc.

For me – this worry prevents from fully appreciating my awesome lifestyle.

After a major melt-down a few weeks ago, I’ve tried out different ways of dealing with it, and I’m now in a calmer and more centred space – long may it last!

Here’s what I’ve tried, in case it may be useful to some of you. And please share your stories and tips too!

-WORRY-FREE DAY

I nominated a day in a week to be my recurring ‘money-worry-free holiday’. I don’t go crazy on spending, I just allow myself not to think about finances at all. Funnily enough, that’s when I usually get major down-payments on my coaching programs… weird.

-BILLIONAIRE’S MINDSET

I ask myself – how would I show up in this coaching session if I had a £bn in assets and never had to work for money again? This helps me to relax and focus fully on service, helping the client how I know best. I feel like I’m doing work because I love it, not because I have to.

Even in a yoga class – this mindset helps me to be laser-present and fully enjoy the movement. I bet even billionaires don’t get that luxury of being worry-free for a full hour a day!

-MONEY BLUEPRINT

The way our parents or peers worried about money in the past affects our relationship with it today, whether we have a lot or not. Again – I know many wealthy people who earn a million a year, then spend it till they’re in debt and have to start all over again!

It’s useful to uncover where your money blueprint comes from, and decide if it needs updating to a more objective and supportive one. As well as decide what you can do practically to reflect your upgraded relationship with wealth.

-TRUST

You’re somehow always taken care of by… [dunno what…] but you are!

Remembering that I have always always always had all that I needed (maybe not ‘wanted’ – but that could be bottomless!).

Even in the darkest hour in the crazy 90’s in Russia – when I was a little girl and my dad disappeared for 6 months. There was no one to support me & mum financially – a stranger knocked on our door and gave us cash to last until dad got back. We still don’t know who that was…

-TURN STRESS INTO AN OPPORTUNITY

What if being limited in financial resources is the Universe’s way of focusing your energy on what is important for your life’s journey right now?

A few years ago I got myself into a major financial distress. I spent hours pacing through a park brainstorming ways of how I could turn this mess into a career opportunity. I ended up landing a job with one of the coolest financial services companies I’ve come across. Not only it was a major professional upgrade, and I also got to work with really cool people and experienced major personal growth.

If you’re one of my former GLG colleagues – wink wink, you know what I’m talking about!

-WHAT DOES MONEY GET YOU?

We’re never after money, but what it gets us and allows us to do. What do you believe extra cash will give you? How can you make space for more of that in your life right now?

I thought that having more right now would allow me to take the winter off and go back to the magical yoga-paradise island of Koh Phangan, practice yoga every day, spend time with fellow nomads and go to ecstatic dance parties a couple of times a week.

So I decided to prioritise going to my yoga studio at least every other day (even if it’s a chilled yin yoga class), make more time to see friends, and finally check out the London’s ecstatic dance scene.

-GRATITUDE

Whether you have a lot or not – being grateful for what you have attracts more abundance in your life, in financial and all sorts of other ways!

I packed a lot here – what was useful for you? What will you try?