Financial Freedom…Personal Cash Flow Management for a Brighter Future!

Debbie Peterson, Personal Cash Flow Specialist and Founder of Money Counts, was one of our featured
speakers at the P3 Power Boost for Professional and Executive Women which was held on May 29th in
Charlotte NC. This month we have asked Debbie to summarize the message that she delivered to our
attendees. Her topic was Emotions and Money - Tips for Better Decision Making. To learn more about
improving your financial potential, please visit her website - www.moneycounts.biz, and take advantage
of her offer for four free individual consultation sessions.

Emotions and Money - or - Money and Emotions , are you able to think about one without the
other? When our financial situation is stable and we have enough money to keep our bills paid, and the needs of ourselves and our family’s are under control, we feel less stressed and more optimistic about the future. It is one less thing to worry about. We can focus our attention on other matters without feeling guilty. We can plan for fun or travel and truly relax and enjoy the situation. Take a minute and think about how good that feels! But what happens to our emotions when money is tight? We tend to worry over every decision - big and small. Our stress can affect our health and our attitude. We can become irrational and blame others for our problems. We feel out of control. We feel helpless. Sometimes, we feel hopeless. What a dreadful state of mind! Wait a minute! Did I just say "state of mind"? Let’s think about that for a minute. Money does not even really exist. It is simply something that man made up to keep score. It does not grow or shrink by itself. It is everywhere around us. It is an idea. That means our minds can shape our perception of money and how much is enough. How could we accomplish that? I recommend that when you evaluate your life, your happiness, and your feelings of success, you look at all of your blessings and resources, not just on one. What do I mean by other resources? Health, time, intelligence, personal relationships (family, friends, and colleagues), skills, courage, determination, your values and spiritual beliefs are just a few. When one of your resources is diminished, the others become more valuable. Therefore, you can control your state
of mind by how you perceive your situation. Here are some suggestions:

Take some deep breaths and try to reduce the physical symptoms of concern
List your strengths and envision how they can help you to resolve your financial issues
Do not feel guilty and do not apologize to others for your situation
Look for options and keep your focus on the future
Resist the temptation to place blame. That increases negative feelings.
Be pro-active. Not re-active.
Find people to help you. Most people like to help others.

Life is full of lessons. Without learning, we do not grow intellectually. If you can get out of the emotional
rut of stress, blame, doubt, and defensiveness, your mind can open up to new possibilities and resolve even the most complex problems. If your emotions about money are causing stress in your life, please challenge yourself to become the master of your state of mind. Don’t let your thoughts run, or ruin, your life. Consciously choose to see the future and the opportunities in your life. If you can learn to use all of your resources and appreciate their value, money should become a very minor factor in your future decisions, and not be a threat to your emotional well being or your health. If you don’t know where, or how, to start, please contact me and I will be glad to teach you.

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