I remember being six years old and opening the gate to our driveway for my Dad when he returned home from work each day. As 5:30 approached I would look out the window with eager anticipation.

Then I’d walk out and wait for him to pull into the driveway to open the gate for him. He would give me pennies, nickels and on a really good day a quarter or two for doing this.

I skipped home with excitement and the jingling of coins in my pocket. Then I would quickly put them in my piggy bank, only to dump them out again later to count them. My Mom and Dad would ask what I was going to do with all my money. And always my answer was the same, "I’m saving for college." I don’t know where I got that idea but somehow, even at that young age I was already making plans to save for my college education!

I was always fascinated by money. Growing up I never really considered how it was that my family acquired it- it just always seemed to be there. Not that my parents didn’t struggle … because they certainly did from time to time. Thankfully, I always had a sense of being provided for. But as I got older and graduated from college that sense of being provided for by some external source completely disappeared and was replaced by an inner sense of pure panic.

I didn’t have a clue as to how I was going to succeed with money

How was I going to make it in the world anyway? I remember thinking that I would never be able to create a lot of money so I had better learn how to invest whatever I earned and make it grow, or learn how to manage it extra carefully while living frugally so I would somehow get by. My survival strategy was to deprive myself at times, forgoing groceries or new clothes to ensure that I would have enough money. I held the belief that money wasn’t meant to be enjoyed, it was meant only to provide security – which always came at a cost.

This limiting belief stayed with me through most of my adult life. Eventually I took a leap of faith and reluctantly gave up my stable and secure job working and ventured to start my own coaching/consulting practice. That’s when I really began to freak out! It was now entirely up to me to make my money. I remember waking up in the middle of night anxious and wondering how I was going to pay the bills and make it through another month.

I soon realized that I needed to get my beliefs about money sorted out – somehow I knew it didn’t have to be such a struggle and effort. Somehow there had to be a better way. For a while though I still discounted the "internal work" because I didn’t think it would make a difference.

I thought learning the practical aspects of making and managing money was the path. However, after years of struggling with my huge, larger than life self-doubts I knew I had to look within for the answers.

At first it was incredibly challenging to see the forest through the trees because my beliefs about my inability to create money appeared to be THE TRUTH. As long as I was unable to discern my beliefs from reality they just continued to hold me back and contaminate my financial future.

With so much information out there now on personal development it’s really easy to tune it out and say, "Oh, that inner stuff, I already heard about that, I know all about that." But here’s what’s at stake, if you are feeling held back in any way with money then you’re being called to go on an inner journey. Until your hidden thoughts and beliefs are in perfect alignment you’ll never create the external financial results that you desire.

For me the reason money is so fun and exciting is because it’s like a game — constantly reflecting back "who you’re being and how you’re showing up in the world."

If you’re struggling to make more, if you run our own business and don’t have the clients or projects that you desire or need, if no one seems to be responding to your offers, you’re overloaded with credit card debt, if you’re getting late fees, not paying your bills on time or if you’re unmotivated to gain clarity around how much you’re spending, or to stay on track with a budget or spending plan, or save enough for the future … then I invite you look at this as an imperative examine your limiting beliefs and shift your inner money mindset.

With money you always have opportunity to gain deep personal insights and to really grow in an inspired way. That is, if you choose to view your financial growth as a direct reflection of your personal growth and finally create the financial freedom and security that you desire.