Abundance: Understanding Financial Wellness
Right now it’s time for us to look more intently at our jobs, our environment, our health, our neighbors and our world at large. This is a time of serious internal revolution.
I want to use this space to talk about our relationship to finance, it's impact on our health and some ways to shift our money mindset and stand in our worth.
This topic is of particular importance to me as someone in the wellness industry because a) this industry often ignores discussions about money b) a lot of people are struggling right now financially and c) this struggle impacts our mental and physical health and wellbeing — disproportionately affecting Black and POC might I add.
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Let's be clear, I am not going to tell you to meditate into wealth, that's what we call spiritual bypassing. There are some very REAL systematically oppressive institutions that have been set up (education, political, legal, corporate, health, fill in the blank) over hundreds of years to keep us at the margins. These systems were not created with us in mind and therefore not only excluded us, but created palatable obstacles for us.
We're talking school to prison pipeline, glass ceilings in the corporate world, subpar health systems, police violence and brutality, etc. This is all ironic because WE, Black people, built this country.
We have however, come into an interesting time with the Ronas and Revolution that have sort of created a perfect storm for us to look more intently at our jobs, our environment, our health, our neighbors and our world at large. This is a time of serious internal revolution.
It has at the same time challenged many people financially in unprecedented ways — pulling the rug right underneath people's feet and having them rethink their careers as well as the passions that have risen to the surface with the lull period of stay-at-home orders.
When we are not financially well we are not well. Financial stress is laden with worry, fear, concern and this puts a lot of pressure on our nervous system, on our mental and physical health and wellbeing.
WHAT DOES ANY OF THIS HAVE TO DO WITH YOGA AND WELLNESS?
Well, when we are not financially well we are not well. Financial stress is laden with worry, fear, concern and this puts a lot of pressure on our nervous system, on our mental and physical health and wellbeing. Therefore, our financial health contributes to both our physical and mental health and gives us space and freedom that offers a unique set of opportunities.
In addition, yoga, meaning union, is about our relationship with ourself and our ability to come into alignment with our purpose, passion and soul's calling. Many of us are doing what pays the bills and few of us are doing what fills our soul, and even when we are doing that work, we often aren't charging our worth.
I did an IG Live the other day with an amazing woman named Youmie from New York where we talked a lot about money, mindset, monetization, self-worth and value. What I know to be true, particularly for Black womxn and WOC and moreso in service oriented businesses, there is a struggle around seeing ourselves as worthy and valuable – and how could there not when the world has told us for so long that we are not worthy and that we should stay "in our place.
It's no wonder then that our mentality around money and our relationship to abundance is distorted. I know many Black people and POC have crossed that threshold, creating wealth and building generational legacy, but by and large, what I have seen are yoga teachers teaching for free (even though they invested hundreds or thousands of dollars in trainings), people who serve communities of color and feel guilty charging for services, and just a general lack of confidence in themselves to stand firmly in their worth.
There is a way to serve and still receive in an ethical and empowering way.
You are worthy and necessary.
I am worthy.
I am deserving.
I am valuable and the world needs me.
While I recognize that not everyone is having financial hardships, there are many more who are struggling, looking for direction, for guidance and for a way out in this new world we're living in.
This is one of the reasons I decided to offer scholarships to the Decolonize Your Teaching Mentorship Program. This is a 6-week experience for teachers of color who are really looking to gain clarity, build their brand, serve communities of color while standing in their worth alongside a likeminded community of aspiring entrepreneurs.
Y'all, I have graduate 68 BIPOC worldwide in this program and I have seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears how transformational this experience has been for them. It has afforded them above all, a new view of themselves and what is possible. To see that there is not one traditional route to follow and to look inwards for guidance and the vision that is theirs to live out. It's been beautiful to witness and to see so many of them flourish and elevate into a higher and more abundant version of themselves.
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I hope that whether this program is up your alley or not, that this message inspired you to consider your relationship to abundance and observe your notions around self-worth. I will definitely say, that in my many years of manifesting a myriad of things, 3 things have always kept me in abundance:
Gratitude (knowing I am already abundant in ways unrelated to money)
Trust (in myself, my intuition, my vision, God/The Universe/Source)
An Open Mind (a willingness to do things differently)
Sending much love and good vibes to each of you.
Hotep y’all,
Angie