Authentic Wealth: Getting into Right Relationship with Money

If you’re reading this, odds are you didn’t decide to work for yourself to get rich. Instead, you probably based your choice on wanting:

• Flexible hours

• Autonomy; be your own boss

• More time for family

• The opportunity to be more creative

• To express yourself

• And even the desire to do some good.

So why do 40% of my ezine readers say that money worries keep them up at night? Like you, they put their humanity before their bank accounts. They aren't in business for the money, but they need money to stay in business.

Sometimes it seems like you can't get along with money and you can't get along without it. Money problems are a lot like marital problems. Money can push buttons you didn't even know you had. And when your buttons are being pushed, it's hard to come from a warm, humane, and confident place.

The secret to having a great relationship with money

A great relationship is a safe haven where can you be yourself. It's also a source of inspiration and encouragement. And a great relationship keeps you honest, invites you to grow in wisdom, effectiveness, and compassion.

Building a great relationship takes three things:

1. Romance
Romance brings relationships to life and keeps them fresh. You probably don't associate balancing your checkbook or making a list of your bills with romance. But when your relationship to money stems from what you really care about, it's a lot easier to do the day-to-day things that keep the relationship healthy. When you do routine tasks for the sake of a meaningful relationship, it blossoms.

2. Safety
If you treated your friends like you treat your money, how would they feel? Probably not very good. But beating yourself up for not taking care of business doesn't help. What helps is having a safe place to take stock, rebuild, and recommit to a healthy financial life.

3. Healthy Models
Have you ever known someone who wanted a serious relationship, but dated all the wrong people? Maybe after a year or two, they just gave up, deciding they'd rather stay single than experience another dead-end relationship. It's the same way with money. It's no wonder you've had a hard time relating to money when you've been working with images of money and role models that are confusing, unrealistic, or downright cheesy.

This could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship...

It's no accident that money is harder to talk about than sex, politics, or religion. Your relationship with money is private, and when it's not going well, privacy can get confused with secrecy. The result is that no matter how much you earn, you feel isolated, embarrassed, and frustrated around money.

Introducing: The Authentic Wealth Tele-Retreat, Getting into Right Relationship with Money

Authentic Wealth is a confidential, highly interactive, "tele-retreat" designed to reshape your relationship with money from the inside out.

Think of it as couples counseling for your financial life. You'll learn where money problems come from (get ready to be surprised) and what works to bring clarity, humanity, and vision to your dealings with money. Most of all, you'll connect with money on all levels: spiritual, emotional, material, and mental, laying the groundwork for a vibrant and meaningful relationship.

Here's what you can expect to gain from the eight modules of the Authentic Wealth Tele-Retreat:

• Clarity about what money is, how it enters your life, and how you can use it with dignity, humanity, and grace.
  
  
• A personal vision of lifelong wealth that you can believe in and be committed to.
  
  
• Simple tools to get and keep your financial life in order no matter what side of your brain you use.
  
  
• A feeling of happy anticipation about money matters.
  

• The ability to talk about money with loved ones, clients, and vendors with confidence and ease.

What you'll learn in Authentic Wealth, Getting into Right Relationship with Money

Module One: The Origins and Purpose of Money

• A brief history of money. Where did money come from, anyway?
  
  
• Your personal money history. You'll be guided through a respectful process of getting your money story on paper where you can work with it instead of being controlled by it.
  
  
• Authentic Wealth. What would it be to feel good about money? How money can express your life purpose, enrich your human interactions, and nurture living systems.
  
  
• Reclaiming the dream of wealth. You'll make a guided vision quest and open to wider sources of inspiration, support, and opportunity.
  
  
• Partnering. Throughout the program you'll participate in structured fieldwork that you'll carry out with a partner from the group. We'll talk about how to get the most from this and how to ensure that it feels safe.

Module Two: How Money Works, Really

Money problems can leave you feeling marginalized and "less than." This module helps you restore the balance of power in your financial life so you'll be able to take action with confidence (and even enthusiasm).

• Abundace thinking. Why abundance thinking hasn't solved your money problems (no, it's not your fault).
  
  
• The four ways money comes into your life. You can stop guessing about why some people have it and some don't.
  
  
• The four roles and shadow roles that may be sabotaging your finances. Understanding these is the key to trusting yourself in money matters.
  
  
• The ethics of money. Learn how your relationship with money affects your ability to do good.
  
  
• What money can and cannot do. Simplify your financial life and breathe easier.
  
  
• Skillful means. Experience how practicing gratitude lays the foundation for miracles to happen.

Module 3: Taking Stock

Have you ever thought you're just the wrong kind of person to understand money? In this module, you will learn ways to understand and manage money no matter which side of your brain you use.

• Five dead-end money dramas. Learn to identify the dramas that keep you unsatisfied or afraid and find out how to break the pattern.
  
  
• Dear diary. Use a money diary to uncover hidden assets and liabilities in your financial life.
  
  
• Your money inventory. You'll receive compassionate, capable support to complete this simple financial inventory. When it's done, you'll experience a greater degree of integrity and freedom around money than you may have thought possible.
  
  
• The money breath. Okay. It won't make you rich. (It might, however, put an end to being poor.) This one-minute physical/spiritual practice can have a profoundly grounding effect when you feel panicked, seduced, or confused by money.

Module 4: Conscious Relationship

How long would your friends hand around if you treated them like you treat money? Find out how to have a conscious relationship with money so you can make skillful decisions and build authentic wealth without losing your moral compass, your good taste, or your self-respect.

• Money Awareness Practice. Wake up to the money that wants to enter your life.
  
  
• Conscious goodbyes. Learn how to spend money without getting stressed  out, resentful, or going unconscious.
  
  
• Conscious conversations. Stay connected with yourself and others when you talk about money; using money to enhance rather than diminish your humanity.
  
  
• The body of conscious relationship. Your money history is stored in your body. Recognize and gently reshape old patterns.
  
  
• Morning practice. Open, Accept, Wonder! Start your day with a new orientation to the wealth that is abundant in your life.

Module 5: Viva Romance!

Stretch your romantic muscles. What would a fabulous relationship with money look like?

• The spiritual function of desire. When you understand this, you will be free to acknowledge your desires and move toward them in good conscience.
  
  
• What to do when you don't know which way to go. When you have a model for making good decisions with limited input, you can act boldly without betraying your values or your financial well being.
  
  
• How to work with greed, envy, and fear. We all experience these feelings. What matters is learning to keep them from sabotaging your higher purpose. You don't have to be perfect to be wise.
  
  
• The four elements of an effective vision. You know you're supposed to visualize success. Sometimes it works; sometimes not. Find out why.
  

Module 6: Complaints, Commitments, and Healthy Conflict

The best relationships have ups and downs. How do you handle money conflicts so that they make your relationships stronger?

• How to handle disputes and criticism about money with equanimity. You'll love this simple way to find both wins in "win-win"
  
  
• The 10-minute financial detox. This can prepare you for even the most difficult money conversations (including apologies, complaints, and refusals).
  
  
• Undoing the dreaded drama triangle. Learn how to step out of the roles of victim, persecutor, or rescuer in your money dealings.
  
  
• Working with painful money thoughts. Find out how you can dissolve painful thoughts without calling the thought police.
  
  
• Nightly practice. Review, Acknowledge, Let Go! Everybody has tough days. Make up before the sun goes down.

Module 7: After the Honeymoon

It takes more than falling in love and one good fight to build a long term relationship. Learn to apply life skills (many you already know) to your financial dealings so you and money stay (or get back) on good terms.

• How to ask for money. It's possible to ask for money and feel good about it no matter what answer you get.
  
  
• How to decline requests for money (and mean it). Learn how to decline the request without rejecting the requestor.
  
  
• Building trust. Learn how to build and rebuild trust when money is at issue.
  
  
• The weekly money date. Making time for each other keeps the lines of communication open and the romance alive.

Module 8: Happily Ever After

Have you ever gotten all fired up at a workshop only to lose focus and momentum after a few weeks? Every relationship needs a source of renewal. This module shows you how to build renewal into your financial life.

• It takes a village. Money literally has no meaning outside of community. Strategies for growing a warm, supportive network around your money relationship.
  
  
• The Money Spa:. Find out how to keep your money life looking and feeling spiffy.
  
  
• Oops! The most important apology you'll ever make and how to make it.
  
  
• Asking for help. Knowing where you will go and whom you will ask makes it much more likely that you'll reach out sooner rather than later.
  
  
• The Last Word. Gratitude is the key to your financial future.

Now you can feel good about money.

You don't have to become a penny pincher or a number cruncher. You can change your relationship with money in a safe, confidential group of like-minded individuals by exercising your imagination, learning new behaviors, and clearing up the clutter of unexamined thoughts that have made money matters so painful.

This retreat will bring clarity and humor to the toughest money problem: how to feel good about having it, spending, and asking for money. 

How Does it Work?

The Authentic Wealth Retreat takes place in eight teleconferences over four months. During this time, you also receive my personal support in an online forum, a place where you can go to ask questions, request help, and talk about the changes you are making as a result of the class. As anyone who reads my e-zine knows, I love to support people through the written word, and you can count on me to be active in the forum.

You'll receive a complete workbook before each session. It will explain what we will be covering in the next session, provide examples, and outline the fieldwork for partner learning.

Is your relationship with money getting better over time?

By the time some people come to me for coaching, their relationship with money is so troubled that I have to turn them away. I don't want them to go into debt in a frantic effort to turn their business around. It's not that I don't believe in them, but no matter how talented and committed they are, nothing will increase their bottom line until they address their relationship with money.

The problem is, by the time you are running out of money, you need instant results. You can't afford to spend four months healing your relationship (let along $3500 for individual coaching). So you muddle through, until fear and resentment steal all the life from your business. You get a job or get sick, or both. (I wish I were making that up.)

I've walked this road. I never made a profit in my first business. I had a flair for getting publicity, and my work was recognized all over the country, yet in eight years I never paid myself.

Now I earn six figures, reliably. And you know what's really cool? I'm making a real difference in thousands of lives, lives I never touched when I was in denial about my relationship with money.

If you are truly committed to working for yourself, please take care of your relationship with money. I know it can be tempting to sweep money issues under the rug, especially when you are starting out, but that's exactly when cleaning up your relationship can do the most good.

And, if it feels right, I'd love for you to take care of your relationship with money by attending the Authentic Wealth Tele-retreat.

I would consider taking the course again in order to digest the material more deeply.
Elisabeth Condon, USA, www.elisabethcondon.com

Here's what's included in the Authentic Wealth Tele-Retreat.

Eight 90-minute group retreat calls in four months, Value: $1280

The tele-retreat format affords an unusual degree of privacy. Many people tell me that they open up faster and go deeper because they are not worried about how they look to others. You can enjoy the benefits of a supportive community without needing to leave your home or office.

The length and pace of the retreat ensure that you have time to put what you learn into practice. That way, at the end of the retreat, you can be confident about your new relationship with money.

Partner exercises between the group calls, Value: around $800
In a partner exercise, you get to be teacher, student, and study partner – and each role adds to your understanding. You'll also be building a community of support that you can turn to for encouragement, inspiration, and thoughtful feedback.

130-page Workbook, Value: $89
Prior to the retreat, you will be invited to download a detailed workbook including individual and partner exercises to develop your skills and awareness and explanations of the principles and practices you will be learning.

Bonus: Tele-retreat recordings! Value: $312
Every retreat will be recorded, and you will be able to download the recordings or listen to them online. You'll will have 24x7 access to the presentations, discussions, and guided exercises. You'll love the sound quality, too. I've made every mistake in the book when it comes to recording tele-conferences, and, with a little help from my friends, I've finally worked the bugs out.

Bonus: Personal coaching and support, Value: $1200.00
How do you put a price on 24/7 access to personal coaching through the group's private online forum? My private coaching clients pay up to $5,000 for 6 months of support. If you can surf the Web, you can use the forum. With a single click you can post questions, feedback, and inspirations to the whole group. The forum is set up to protect your privacy so you can can feel safe sharing your process.

Premium Bonus: The Art of Giving Wisely (mp3) Value: $69
Interviews with philanthropists from different walks of life and different income levels, each with a unique perspective on giving wisely.

Premium Bonus: Doing the Work of Byron Katie on Money Issues (mp3) Value: $69
The Work of Byron Katie dissolves stressful thoughts so that you can be free to develop a conscious, healthy relationship with money and experience authentic wealth. 

Premium Bonus: Embodying Grace, guided movement (mp3) Value: $69
Grace comes from the Latin, "gratis," which means "free" or "unearned." Learn to experience and embody authentic wealth regardless of the state of your bank account.

Premium Bonus: Three months of follow-up personal coaching in a private forum, Value: $750.00
Have you ever completed a retreat on a high only to collapse back into old patterns within a few weeks? With the premium retreat, you get three additional  months of personal coaching and support in a follow-up forum exclusively for retreatants. Here you can get all the help you need to keep your new relationship with money healthy. 

How many people will be in a group?

What's Included  in the Authentic Wealth Tele-Retreat

8 expertly facilitated 90-minute retreat sessions
Value: $1280

Eight part workbook
Value: $89

Download recordings of retreat. Never miss a retreat!
Value: $312

Eight guided partner exercises
Value: $800

Personalized coaching and Online discussion forum
Value: $1200

The Art of Giving Wisely (mp3)
Value: $69

Doing the Work of Byron Katie on Money Issues (mp3)
Value: $69

Embodying Grace (mp3)
Value: $69

Courage to Succeed ebook (pdf)
Value: $14

It takes money to keep the channel open, and it makes me nuts to think of all the good people who will go out of business this year for lack of a good relationship to money.

I want everyone who takes this class to complete it with confidence that they can have a great relationship with money.

Obviously, I can't make that happen. But you can, and to support you in making the most of this investment of your time and energy, I’m offering you this guarantee.

 The Shaboom Dream Guarantee

Do dreams come true? I believe that they do, when they are in alignment with your true self and you take modest, purposeful, ongoing action to bring them into reality. In other words, making a dream come true requires commitment to the dream and follow through.

I guarantee that this retreat will help you realize your dream relationship with money, provided you do three things.

• You attend at least 6 of the 8 teleconference sessions.
• You complete at least 6 of the partner exercises.
• You complete the assignments.

If you do these things and do not have a vastly improved relationship with money at the conclusion of the retreat, I will refund 100% of your investment.

You can start working on your relationship with money today. Fill out the application below, and as soon as your application is accepted, I will send you a a link to register followed by material to get you started.

Application

Why Authentic Wealth?

What does a money retreat have to do with building a business that fits just-right?

Everything. 

A few years ago I asked readers of my ezine what kept them awake at night. 40% of them said it was money.

If money is keeping you awake at night, how can you have the energy and confidence to build a successful business?

Authentic Wealth exists so you can experience and apply the insights, tools, and practices that transformed my relationship from frustrated co-existence to creative cooperation. 

That’s how I know it works.

~Molly