WOW Word-Of-the-Week #476: Reserves

September 18, 2013 by  

Reserves something saved for future use or a special purpose.

Do you have money set aside for a special event or experience? Do you feel guilty spending money on yourself? Are your spending habits driven from your childhood experiences?

Once again I received another S T E V E ‘ S….3 – M I N U T E…. C O A C H I N G that totally hit home for me!

Steve writes, Today’s Topic – PRINCIPLE: Order What You Want
            (Principles are basic truths that, when applied,
            cause success to come to you easier and quicker.

Growing up in a family with modest financial means and being children of parents who experienced the Depression my brother and I were shaped by several unspoken ‘rules’ about money. One which was spoken, a lot, was to “not order anything too expensive” on the rare occasions when the family went to a restaurant.

What we wanted came in a distant second to what was financially ‘appropriate.’ a reserve

You may be thinking that was a useful approach to money and at one level it was. Obviously, if you only have a dollar, ordering two dollars of food is not a good idea. However, our family awareness of the cost of food…no, not awareness…obsession, led to a self-imposed price prison. It carried over to other areas and took years to catch and then correct.

 You may want to revisit your money spending beliefs. Money limitations can be resolved simply by choosing to create reserves and then live from that place.

Limitations in areas besides money can be resolved by creating reserves in each. Energy/vitality, ideas/creativity, love/relationships, time and space, all benefit from having reserves. Reserves help transcend limitations.

 When you order what you want without first looking at the price to see if you can ‘afford it’ you experience a delightful freedom. If it feels too scary to do so, don’t go into that restaurant!

 Coaching Point: Do you have the freedom to order what you want?

— Copyright 2010 Steve Straus. All rights reserved. —

I too come from “Depression” parents. We just had a heat wave (with humidity) in San Diego and we didn’t turn on the AC because it cost so much money. My brother (just as cheap as me) said, “You have it. You can afford it. Turn it on.” So I did and because we switched to LED bulbs last month it wasn’t as big a bill as I expected. Still a big one though. Ouch! For those of you who know me well know my motto: I LOVE spending money and I hate wasting it – you can’t wear utilities or a room upgrade!

This week’s focus is on reserves. Do you have unspoken rules about money? Have you placed limitations on your life? When was the last time you experienced a “delightful freedom.”

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