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Are You Cultivating Abundance?
You know that children’s song, "Make new friends, and keep the old. One is silver and the other gold?" Well, I’d like to introduce two friends — one silver and the other gold.
Sarah Sloboda is a New York-based photographer, who also blogs at University of Sarah: The Art School of Optimism. Her recent post, "How to Use a Little Money to Create a Lot of Joy ," will delight you with its wonderfully simple ideas on how to cultivate a sense of gratitude for the abundance that is all around us. Sarah suggests taking stock of what you DO have; offering your services to someone who admires and needs you; supporting small businesses; and counting your blessings. She asks, "What would the world not have unless you bring it?" Be sure to check out the information about her upcoming free teleclass, "True Voice: How to Begin to Hear It. "
Which brings me to my dear friend of many years, writer and gardener Mare Cromwell ‘s recent posts, "Alternative Currency of Kindness and Gratitude ," and the follow-up "Further Thoughts on Alternative Banking ." Some of you may know that alternative currency is one of my (many) interests. I wrote an article on it in a past issue of the Urbanite magazine. I just love the community-building aspects of it, the idea that money is simply a convenient form of exchange and that there are others. Like time, creativity, and caring.
Both of these brilliant writers are getting at something that is dear to me — partnership . Sharing our talents, cultivation of what is best in ourselves and in others. Being of service and practicing gratitude for all that we have and all that we are. I’d love to read your reactions to these great articles.
Comment by Mare Cromwell on 26 February 2009:
Wow. Thanks, Julie!
A truism for me is whenever I start to go down that critical road in my thoughts, I try to catch myself and instead focus on what is wonderful in my life. Instantly my body relaxes and I feel lighter. Now, if I could only get the gray hairs to shift back to strawberry blonde, then I’d have it made. ;~)
(okay… I lied a little there. I’m kinda embracing the gray coming in.)
Comment by Mare Cromwell on 26 February 2009:
ps. I really think money is just energy. Nothing either positive or negative about it. The trick with energy is that it’s supposed to move, not be held back or trapped.
Comment by Julie Gabrielli on 26 February 2009:
Mare — I also appreciate the reminder that money is just a form of energy. We send it out, we receive it. The more we send out, the more we receive. . . .right?
Comment by Mare Cromwell on 27 February 2009:
julie, this is fun conversing like this. not quite as good as breakfast but fun. ;~)
the way I see it.. yes, the more we send it out the more we receive. the key is that it does not always come back to us a currency. sometimes it comes back as a gift of time, free clothes, a really warm hug when we need it… all of that is energy. when we start to see it that when then we see that all of our needs can be met in an energy exchange. some might call it love. some might call it universal abundance. some might call it life, in a positive sense. but it’s all founded on trust, and that’s not in great abundance these days (pun intended). okay, gotta run. ps, am linking my blog to goforchange right now. woo-hoo…:~)
Comment by Julie Gabrielli on 27 February 2009:
Thanks for the reminder of those other ways we can cultivate happiness — many, wonderful, and usually more effective than money. I’ll be off now for further study of Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. . . . 😉
Comment by mare cromwell on 28 February 2009:
Yeah, it’s that hierarchy of needs thing. Maslow put it rather elegantly. I need a good massage right now. ;~)