I grew up with scarcity. My family struggled to get by and many times I was unaware of it until I wanted something and my parents could not afford it. My father gave us a real sense of the value of money when he told us if we wanted the extras we had to find a way to earn it. Babysitting, housecleaning, mowing yards and doing any and all odd jobs was the only way to do it if you are a kid. Whatever we bought with our hard earned money was cherished and taken care of because we knew the value of a dollar. Mom used to refer to us as the poor relations as if we had some kind of disease that was contagious. I do know that when we were with families that were better off they treated us differently. It made me feel as if my very presence was tainted somehow. I always felt shame and was not certain why. Was God punishing us for something? I wanted to know God so much but felt like a sinner because we were poor.
What does it mean to be a Spiritual Achiever? Is it truly possible to be both spiritual and be a high achiever? So many of the teachings many of us have learned growing up (and continue to learn today) are that to be spiritual, you need to put God above all else. In fact, many suggest that you should forsake all other pursuits and focus only on your relationship with God. I was taught, that "you can’t serve two masters," and that "money is the root of all evil." I learned that it was "easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven." If taken literally, it would seem that pursuing a life of financial abundance would prevent you from being spiritual. And to be spiritual, you need to be, at most, in the financial middle class.
But is it possible that despite these teachings that almost every one has heard, that it is not only possible to be rich and spiritual, but that being wealthy is an avenue towards even greater spirituality? Despite my many years of hearing about the dangers and evils of money, I firmly believe that the road to true spirituality is the same road to financial abundance.
Let me begin with my Six Tenants of my belief before going into details about why I am certain that money is not the root of any evil, let alone being the root of all evil.
God Exists
We have access to God, for we were made in the image of God. Meaning, our true source, is God.
Our thoughts are sources of energy and have extraordinary creative powers when in alignment with our Core Beliefs.
All change occurs outside of our comfort zone. To grow, we must expand our knowledge and our lives.
The Law of Attraction does not just bring you what you think about, but it brings to you what you think you are.
We can all accomplish anything, for we are connected to God. And with God, all things are possible.
Holding these beliefs is critical for succeeding spiritually. Without adhering to any one of these will create conflicts of belief and derail your progress. I feel it is also important to list the commonly held beliefs that are taught to many of us and explain briefly why they only serve to hold us back.
God exists and is the judge of our lives- If we accept this belief, then God is someone to be feared and cautious of, instead of a powerful loving force to whom we should strive to have a relationship with. God loves all, and wants all to fully experience their lives to the fullest. With the gift of life does come responsibility, but living in fear and in guilt is not a responsible way to appreciate the gift.
Money, and the quest for worldly success, will steal away your soul and will lead to evil- I have spent time in a third world country and have seen first hand what poverty looks like. The crime, the violence, and desperation and the absence of hope are everywhere. Though I never advocate making the accumulation of wealth the only or even the top priority in anyone’s life, I know that money is not the root of anything evil, but that poverty is! I have seen poverty and I have been there. It is a lonely sad place to be. Survival is the only thing you think about.
We are limited, human, mortal beings and deserve nothing because we are sinners. It is only through God that we can receive and only receive those things that He/She feels we are worthy of- We are not just physical beings but are spiritual beings having a physical experience. We are sinners only if we label ourselves as such, and do so out of guilt and past conditioning. You and I deserve a fully abundant life; filled with empowering relationships, excellent health, abundant financial resources, and a truly fulfilled life. Anything less than a magnificent life is a waste of the precious gift of life. If there is sin (and I am certain that there is) it is in not fully enjoying life and living it, instead, chained by guilt and not developing your highest and best potential. When you are the highest and best you that you can be you are adding to and not subtracting from the world.
Our lives are predestined- Though God lives only in the now, without a past or present, we experience the passage of time. And through this experience, we make choices and decisions. Our free will to design our lives allows us to decide our own destiny. God created us out of love and through His/Her unlimited and perfect intelligence. Why would a creator create life whose only intention was to play out a scripted series of events? This would mean you have no choice and therefore no free will! That would mean that we are just pieces on a chess board waiting for destiny to move us around and we have no say in the matter at all.
I do not to pretend to understand God, for God is so far beyond my limited ability to think. What I do know, however, is that the humanized God of most religions places limitations of that which cannot be limited or contained. It is only by making direct contact with God that we can begin to grasp what God is in our lives. And it is by having a direct relationship with God that our lives can truly be fulfilled through guidance and in the co-creation process that we are a part of. God delights in us when we are pro-active in our life.
All things are made up of energy. The energy that is the base of a piece of ice in one of Saturn’s rings is the same energy that makes our bodies, minds, and thoughts. We are all connected by this energy of intelligence and intention, and, when our thoughts vibrate at the same energy level as this energy, we are one with God. I am one with God and I know this but I do slip into a negative thinking mode every now and then. When this happens everything around me seems to fall apart until I remember that all I have to do is change my thoughts to change my world. After all it is me that created the negative thoughts and emotions and it is me that can change it in an instant.
All things being equal…abundance and prosperity is different for everyone. I don’t have to be wealthy in terms of millions of dollars in the bank.
What I consider wealth is true friends, bills paid, good food on the table that I can share with others and health. You might ask yourself what you consider wealth and if what you have chosen to believe is making you happy, fulfilled and closer with God.
I had the privilege of speaking with Paula Shoup from Phoenix, Arizona this month – what an incredible woman! She’s certainly a P3 Pearl making great strides transforming lives and empowering others to follow their passion.
Paula candidly spoke about being in a very lucrative position as Director of Strategic Sourcing. She traveled to multiple geographical locations and explored many opportunities. And, while she was doing an exceptional job she wasn’t being true to her purpose or her passion.
I was particularly interested in Paula’s story because she’s a woman who’s very analytical and is driven by knowing and gathering information; as most analytical people are. For any individual, the analytical world can be a tricky one to navigate. It’s often a source of dissatisfaction for the more analytical types due to their drive to know and analyze everything. Paula talked about the challenges of being analytical and the power that came from embracing that side of who she is. She offers solutions to those like her who may find themselves frustrated by the inability to move beyond their own limitations.
Paula also reveals some solid secrets to moving forward when it appears that everything points to giving up on your dreams, visions or goals. How does one move past the fear, the frustration and the unknown to produce the unimaginable? That’s the question Paula gave answers to during our time together.
This dialogue with Paula is one that you’ll want to listen to again and again. There are real jewels and diamonds throughout the entire conversation. While it was an easy flowing exchange among kindred spirits, one must listen to every word to get the true value of this powerful woman’s insights. Paula is filled with many gifts, but most of all she’s a wonderfully spirited woman with more passion to give than most dream of having.
Paula shares what she knows for sure and two of her favorite quotes. I invite you to sit back, take notes and come back and listen again to absorb all that Paula has to offer.
On May 11, 2009, I became a mom for the fifth time!
Ariana, Alana, Alston, Ayden, and Avary (the newborn) all call me "Mom". And yes everybody’s name begins with an "A", which can be cute and confusing at the same time. To add to the madness, my name is Annika, and my husband’s name is Arnold, thus the reason I have this "A" team.
Never in a million years would I have dreamed I would be the mother of five. I am an only child, so imagine the shock of my parents with the announcements of each pregnancy. My husband is the youngest of 8, so we wanted more than one, but 5 is another story. We are approaching our 12th year of marriage with an 8-year old, 6-year old, 3-year old, 20-month old, and 2-month old.
Enough about me, let me introduce the kids:
ARIANA, age 8-"The Standard bearer"
Ariana my oldest daughter sets the standard for the others. She is well behaved and aims to please us, almost to a fault. I must admit that my expectations for her are extremely high, but she is up for the challenge. She is highly intelligent (of course every parent says that, but really it is the truth), obedient and kind. She tries to keep the others in line and gets very upset (ok she whines and cries) when the others won’t listen. All in all she wants to do the right thing and thinks others should feel the same way.
ALANA, almost 7-"The free spirit"
Alana and Ariana are polar opposites and that is saying it lightly. Alana is a go with the flow kind of girl who does things at her own pace. She is outgoing and prefers to find her own way of doing things. For her, rules are meant to be flexible and she will eventually obey them. Overall she is sweet and always willing to help with the little ones. She is a little momma.
ALSTON, almost 4-"Superboy"
Alston, my firstborn son is 100% boy. When he was born a whole lot of testosterone entered my home. He loves annoying his big sisters by copying what they say and do. His favorite act is to destroy their freshly cleaned bedroom. He and Alana have similar personalities because they like to do things their way and on their own time. I think they could be twins born 3 yrs apart.
AYDEN, 20 months old-"Baby Brother"
Ayden is referred to as the girls’ baby brother. They just love him. He is particularly attached to Alana. Ayden is a sweet little boy. His eyes and smile are magnetic. I anticipate having lots of trouble with girls once he gets in school. As the "knee baby" I was concerned about how he would respond to a new sibling. He is totally unmoved and very secure of his place in our home and his place with his Mommy. That my little "Aydie".
AVARY, 2 months old-"Surprise Gift"
Avary is the last one. She makes the house complete. I think she has been here before. She is alert and attentive to all that goes on in our active household. She has managed to blend right into the organized chaos we call family.
Annika will be sharing the chaos, the challenge and some of the cherished memories of raising a family of five.
I think I’ve done pretty well for myself for being here a month. I’m still a newbie in town but I’ve been fortunate enough to land a job; it’s part time and in retail, but at least its downtown. Also, I’ve attained a library card and mail at my family’s house; I’m so on my way to being a Chicagoan, but I haven’t left the South behind.
My fellow Southerners have always thought of me as an urban transplant. For one, I don’t have a distinct accent, but it appears miraculously when home is the topic of discussion. Now that I have come to the city, I seem to fit right in … sort of. I must admit that I’ve gone out of my way to blend in. I have exchanged my courtesy greetings to strangers for the blank and determined look to make the 4:45 train home. I pull it off pretty well. But you can take the girl out of the South but not the South out of the girl. No matter how crazy I look (to the typical Northerner) I have to smile and say hello if my eyes meet with a stranger. I do it everyday and sometimes I get a stone face, a faint smile, and maybe every other day a smile. I have yet to receive a ‘hello, how are you doing?’
On my first day as a residential tourist, I missed my bus stop for my job interview. I didn’t miss it by a couple of blocks, but the expressway at 45 mph for about 10 min. No worries, I walked across the street and took a bus back the way I came. Nice save.
As a tired and real Chicago commuter taking the Metra home after working all day, I tried to catch up with a friend of a friend (it didn’t work out) after work. I hop the last train for the night. It was really sketchy because it was 12:30 a.m. (I missed the earlier train so I had to wait). Alright so I make it on the train and bike riders get on. The doors to the train only open for a few seconds (it’s late and who knows who’ll hop on). I get to my stop and the bike riders are in the way. Why didn’t I walk around? Well, one of them was wheeling their bike at an unacceptable pace. I get to the door and it slams in my face. I push buttons hoping the door would open because I needed a key. The other bike rider, a guy, suggests that I pull the doors. At that moment I’m thinking ‘he should be the one pulling the door, not me.’ I look back at him and all he could mutter was ‘Sorry.’ So now I have a vendetta against bike riders on the Metra. Ride your bike home, thanks.
So what really makes me a tourist? On my way to the bus stop and after work I constantly stare up at the buildings. I don’t know the names of over half the ones I walk by, but I’m just as in awe as the middle aged woman with the fanny pack.
As a resident, I still don’t know where the local hot spots are, but that doesn’t matter when you’re new in the city. What matters is that you’re enjoying something brand new to you and no one else. Also, you get to find things you’re truly interested in.
What’s a tourist? A person who is visiting a place they do not live and participate in events to explore their surroundings. And a residential tourist is someone who lives in the city and is going to enjoy everything it has to offer.
Lauren Wilder is a native North Carolinian and recent college graduate making her way through the big city for the first time and sharing her experiences with P3 readers.
Paula Shoup is passionate about helping businesses and individuals navigate their way to success more quickly with less stress. She has been a leader in multiple fortune 100 & 500 companies and worked with suppliers across many cultures. Her passion to help others succeed led her to create internalGPS.
Paula spent the last 22 years navigating several large corporate cultures. She successfully moved up from an individual contributor to the Director of Strategic Sourcing at Medtronic with staff located across multiple states and an annual spend responsibility of over $400M. She also led the creation of the Supply Chain organization in Puerto Rico for Medtronic. At United Technologies Hamilton Standard she was part of a unique self-directed team that established a start-up “Greenfield” manufacturing facility. She has also held various individual and leadership positions in Sourcing, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing Operations at Honeywell and Motorola.
Paula volunteers as the Director of Great Minds for the Alliance of Technology and Women, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering women in technology, increasing the number of women in executive roles and encouraging women and girls to enter technology fields. She is also on the curriculum advisory board for the ITT Technical Institute.
