Money Can Make You Happy, If You Change the Way You Think About It

How to cultivate a more positive relationship with your finances

Ken Honda
Forge

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Illustration: Andrea Chronopoulos

SoSo many of us think of money as the enemy, this dark force that is keeping us from living the life we’re supposed to have or doing the things we love. So few of us see the potential that money has to bring us joy, gratitude, and happiness — especially when we give it away freely and with the same positive energy as we received it.

There are several ways to create a happy flow of money, including donating to a charity, giving money to friends, and sending gifts. Here are some other unusual ways to interact with your money in a way that will make your relationship to your finances more positive.

Give something extra — always

If you give something — anything — always give something extra. When we are in a situation where we need to ask for help or to borrow something, we usually ask for less than what we really need because we feel shame in “not having.” So when someone comes to you and asks for something, try to understand where their need is coming from and respond by giving more than they asked for. If someone asks to borrow a pen from you, give them a notebook, too. If you are a boss hiring a new employee, give them a bit more…

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