If you’ve ever felt the thrill of receiving a financial windfall in your business such as signing on a high-end client, launching a program, or receiving an unexpected commission check — only to see the money disappear by the end of the month — then you’ve probably wondered, “What just HAPPENED?!”
Experiencing a financial windfall can trigger old patterns of not good enough, guilt, shame or deservability.
And it doesn’t matter how much you “need” the money; unless you know what to do, these feelings unconsciously take over, causing the money to slip through your fingers and putting you right back to where you started.
And while it can easily cause you to feel like you don’t have any control, trust me, despite what it looks like on the outside, money does not control you.
You are more in control of money than you realize or give yourself credit for. The trick is in mastering a few simple steps so you stay in control and so that you keep more of the money you have flowing in.
Here are 3 simple steps you can take today to stay in control and keep more money:
Step #1. Get Wise To Your Money Leak Pattern
If you’re aware of which money leak pattern you may have, you’re already a step ahead.
Examples of money leak patterns are:
Do you swing from overwork to exhaustion, creating wide gaps in your income?
Do you slip into “generously” giving money away to make up for feeling guilty?
Do you avoid discussing money to avoid conflict?
Do you keep money secret because you’re either afraid others will ‘take’ your money from you, or you don’t want to be seen as having more than others?
We ALL have our money leak patterns. When I first started making 7-figures in my coaching business my tendency was to generously overpay for things, overpay team, and not let anyone else pick up the check when going out.
Whether your money leak pattern is one of these listed above or a different one, the more honest you are with yourself, the faster you’ll feel empowered to take control and get into aligned financial action.
Step #2. Give (or Get) Permission to Have More
I’ve had more women ask me to “give” them permission to make and keep money than I can count. Behind the request is a desire to feel safe, loved and accepted by someone they trust, so they can feel free to create greater income.
Why? Because of the thousands of women I’ve coached on money, every single one has had someone in their life they have concerns about upsetting, making angry, disappointing, hurting or disempowering in some way.
Most women need to consciously give themselves permission that it’s safe to make more money, to keep more money, to let themselves shine, to feel empowered, to make more than others around them, to make more than their spouse/partner…the list goes on. Acknowledging where you may have a concern about being successful and wealthy and explicitly giving yourself permission that it’s safe to make and keep more money is a simple action you can take that instantly gives you the control you’re seeking.
Your desire to be financial successful does not disempower anyone! Will a few people in your life feel threatened as you start to have more money? Possibly. But that’s their choice, not yours. Remember that your playing small does not help anyone else feel big.
Step #3. Let Money Stick To You
One of the exercises I coach my clients to do when they receive a financial windfall of any size is to let the money just sit in their bank account for a minimum of 2 weeks.
Having that money just sitting there is going to illuminate for you where you’re uncomfortable and where you may want to get rid of it fast as a way of avoiding uncomfortable feelings.
As I became a high income earner in my business and became aware of my money leak of overpaying and being overly generous, I knew what I had to do: allow the money to sit in my bank account so that I could experience and process through feelings of guilt, success shame, having more than others, etc. Giving myself that time allowed me to get to the other side of those feelings and make empowered choices that supported me in continuing to grow my business, reach and influence.
Keeping more money is an empowering action that will give you confidence in yourself, and I promise that by taking these 3 simple actions, you’ll start to own your worth!
