Money is a taboo topic in our culture; it’s something we use every day that we don’t talk about often. As a result, some of us may struggle with a negative money mindset, where even though we always want more of it, we struggle with subconscious beliefs that may prevent us from actually seeing more money in our pockets.
Just as your mindset around your freelance work affects the clients and projects that come your way, your mindset about money (and what it means to have money) also plays a huge part in your success as a freelancer.
What is money mindset?
At a simple level, our beliefs about money influence how we feel and what decisions, choices, and actions we take each day. If your subconscious perspective on money is along the lines of, “I’ll never make that much money,” or “I’m not capable of making enough money,” or even “Money = greed,” your daily actions and reactions will perpetuate that.
For example, if you believe that money is the root of all evil and that only greedy and selfish people make a lot of money, then it’ll be tough to ever put yourself in a position where you can make a lot of money and feel good about it.
Similarly, if you feel that you will never have enough money or that you’re not capable of financially supporting yourself through your freelance work, then these subconscious beliefs will continue to pop up and create limiting patterns and behaviors in your day-to-day life. You’ll push away opportunities to earn money because your subconscious belief system views it as dangerous, greedy, selfish, or impossible.
It might seem confusing at first, but when you start to see how your subconscious beliefs lead to thoughts, feelings, actions, and results, you can begin to reverse the pattern. If you aren’t happy with your money situation, trace it back to the root by looking at your underlying beliefs about money in the first place.
How can you change your money mindset?
To change your beliefs about money, start with acknowledging any currently limiting beliefs and work your way forward. Here are four ways to get your money mindset to work in your favor:
- Write down your current perspective on money. This usually comes from your childhood and can have a lot to do with your family’s point of view on money. What did your parents teach you (directly or indirectly) about money? What beliefs did you take away from your early life that are still in your adult life? Write down whatever beliefs you have about money that might be holding you back from creating more of it.
- For each belief, ask the following questions: Is this belief true? Is this something I want to continue to believe? If the answer to either of those questions is ‘no,’ ask yourself: Am I willing to see this differently? Being willing to change is a key step in rewriting our beliefs. If you’re willing to see things differently, you can move forward in releasing the subconscious belief that’s keeping you stuck and move forward in creating a new, positive belief instead. Ask yourself, How does this belief hold me back from what I want in my work/life? Seeing the ways this belief is limiting you will help your subconscious brain get on board with rewriting it.
- For each negative, limiting belief, replace it with a more positive and empowering statement. Here are a few examples:
- “Artists will never make a lot of money” can become, “My work as an artist brings me financial abundance and freedom.”
- “Money is a limited resource” can become, “Money is a limitless resource, and I am open to receiving, spending, and investing my money freely.”
- “It’s dangerous to make a lot of money and be successful” can become, “It’s safe for me to make money from my creative skills and abilities.”
- Put these new empowering beliefs somewhere you’ll see them every day to remind yourself of your new perspective. Read the new beliefs out loud to yourself every day until they feel true to you. Remember that you’re rewriting beliefs that you’ve likely been carrying since childhood, so it might take time to see the benefits! Be patient, and know that just by becoming aware of these beliefs, you’re taking a huge step toward rewriting them.
It may take some time, but reframing your beliefs about money will make you feel more empowered and capable of receiving payment for your freelance work. Remember that it’s OK to want to make money (we all need it to survive!) and you can choose beliefs that support you in achieving your financial, personal, and professional goals.
Lauren Madden is a Mindset and Wellness Coach and Yoga Teacher in Phoenix, AZ with a background in advertising and marketing. She helps women break through fears and limiting beliefs that are holding them back from living their best lives. To find out more, visit this.
As a soon-to-be college grad, I really needed this. Thank you for giving me a great perspective on what a freelance job might look like for me because I often stray away from the idea of freelance jobs because of money. Understanding what money means to me in my life currently and reframing the idea is incredibly helpful!