That's why, as much as we want money because we feel
money can buy happiness or money can buy at least freedom,
but at the same times, money has abused us for so many ways.
So, as much as we want to get close to it, but if we get to close to it, we get burns
or hurt.
So, for a lot of people money is a mystery person.
I think most of us, the biggest problem I think, especially today
is that we are so afraid of money.
And so, as much as we want money, we are so scared of it.
-Why do you say that?
I think that, that hit me as very counter-intuitive.
Why do you think people are scared of money?
-It's because of a money trauma, I call it “money wounds,” that we've had since our
childhood.
We used to have some, unless your parents are perfect,
unfortunately, it's not the case in any culture.
So, we've been scolded about money.
We spend too much, we wasted the money or we denied karate lesson, or soccer lesson,
or ballet lesson, or piano lessons because it's expensive.
Some of my friends were taught, “you are not worth it!”
That's a big blow.
So, we've been denied so many times around money.
So that's why, as much as we want money because we feel
money can buy happiness or money can buy at least freedom,
but at the same time money has abused us for so many ways.
So, as much as we want to get close to it, but if we get too close to it, we get burns
or like hurt.
So, for a lot of people, money is a mystery person.
“You have to start watching your language,” my mother used to say that.
And then, around money especially, a lot of people say like, “I was ripped
off.”
So there is so many negative language around money.
My mentor Wahei said, “you have to use positive words around money,
otherwise money will not like you.”
And I really, I thought it's very cute.
And then, in my book, I talk about what if, if money were a person, who would
it be like?
Is that person a gentle person or angry person?
So just, you have to pay attention to how you relate to money.
If you just feel like money is just a thing, you don't care,
but if you don't care, you end up being in debt.
So you have to be very careful and respectful for money.
For some Japanese people, actually one of my students,
made futon, bed for wallet.
It's so cute.
To show respect.
While I rest, please money and credit cards, please rest here too.
So it's like a little cat bed and then you're supposed to put your wallet
into the bed.
So it's just a metaphor.
But unless you show respect to money and the money coming in and the money going
out, both ways, you cannot feel peaceful around money,
especially this hard time of economy, you have to really
pay close attention to your emotions.
And most of us are so controlled by anxiety and fear around money,
that's why do things which are now really true to us in order to survive.
Since we've been abused, we feel like we've been abused by this person,
we are a little scared of this person.
So, I think the first step is actually the step that my mentor Wahei Takeda taught me,
that is arigato your money.
Thank your money.
When money comes in, either in a form of government check or a salary, or a commission,
or whatever the money you receive, you say thank you, arigato, thank you money
for coming in.
Because in these days it's so rare to find you and pay you.
Somebody pays you, right?
Either could be government or your husband, wife or your clients.
There are so many other people who do the similar job that you do,
but they chose you, to pay you.
So like, there are millions of reasons to appreciate for the money.
So when money comes in, just say, “thank you” or “arigato,” or “Danke,” or
“Xie Xie,” or whatever your language, or “mercy.”
And then when you spend money, also arigato because you're getting something
for the money.
And Wahei said, “arigato in, arigato out.”
So, it's almost like a karate kid teaching, you know walks in, walks out, so he said,
“arigato in, arigato out, you do it for two months and then come back.”
So like, oh I wanted to have some stock tips or like investment tips or,
I expected something different but the thing I got is “arigato in, arigato out.”
And I practised for two months and I felt generally happier.
So, I recommend anybody, just try it at least, because it doesn't cost
you anything.
And once you start appreciating money coming in, money going out,
you start appreciating about other things, so this “arigato in, arigato out” opens
a door to a new life which is full of appreciation and I think we definitely need that.
Wahei said, “appreciation melts fear and anxiety.”
So if you start, and if you keep appreciating money coming in, going out,
you cannot worry about money at the same time, because a human mind can focus one thing at
a time.