The joy of paying your bills: How gratitude will transform your relationship with money and make you rich
When the carpet knife cut into my thigh I didn’t think that I would need stitches the next day. I almost didn’t feel it, I guess that’s the benefit of a sharp blade… I noticed it only after a while because my right leg was getting warm in a really weird way. When I took off my jeans I saw that the blood had run down my entire leg and was only stopped by my sock, which was getting a nice burgundy recoloring.
You are probably wondering why I cut myself. Well, when I was around 16 or 17 years old, I still went to high school and didn’t make any money. There weren’t any jobs available in the region where I grew up, so we had to be inventive to earn something on the side. That’s why we started stealing collecting old wires and freed them of their insulation with - you guessed it - carpet knives. The remaining copper could then be brought to the scrapyard in exchange for money, well… some money... more like pocket money - but hey, we made do with what we had. One night I wasn’t too careful and the knife slipped from the wire into my leg. It made quite a mess in the night because it didn’t want to stop bleeding so I had to go and get stitches in the morning.
Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to know that I didn’t come from money, and still, I managed to implement the following mind shift, and that’s why you can too.
Be happy when you pay your bills.
For the most part of my adult life, I was trying to save as much money as possible, which is understandable, now that you know my background. Whenever I got a bill that was not on my radar I got slightly annoyed, because it felt like someone was reaching into my wallet and taking out my hard-earned cash. Over time, my relationship with money eased, and I got more and more comfortable spending it on things that brought me joy. Still, whenever I looked at my bank statement and saw something I didn’t recall or forgot about, I got slightly annoyed.
If you know the feeling, this next part is for you. I realized that this source of annoyance was completely unfounded. I have enough money now to cover all my expenses, and to save a good chunk of it each month. Even if it weren’t the case, why let something as little as a number on a piece of paper or in my banking app annoy me? That’s when I transformed my thinking:
Whenever I pay for something, I slow down. I reflect on what had to happen in order for me to get the goods or services I paid for.
Let me expand on that with some examples; Take your monthly electricity bill, thousands of inventions and billions spent on infrastructure so that you could power everything in your home with the press of a button 24/7. This is a miracle that you get to enjoy in exchange for a monthly electricity bill. So why get mad at that? It should be a reason for great pleasure.
You went out for dinner and the check is a little bit higher than expected. Be thankful for the food, the occasion, and the break you got from the ordinary daily dinner. Be thankful, that tonight you won’t have to do the dishes.
How great is it that for virtually no money you can invest in an ETF, that for example, includes the 500 most successful companies in America? Just imagine how difficult it was 100 years ago, to find a way to do this. Stop complaining about bank fees, and start enjoying the conveniences that come with it.
Be thankful when you pay for something, it will transform your relationship with money.
It will make money your slave, and not your master. You will not only think about expenses differently but also investments, and most importantly - investments in yourself.
When you think about money in that way you are opening up a new path for your personal growth. Suddenly a highly focused course with an expert for a hundred dollars doesn’t seem much, in fact, it looks like a steal.
Change your relationship with money so you can truly become rich.
If you have any questions, feel free to use the comment section below, or answer this email. I read every email myself and try to respond quickly.
Have a successful day
GNF
Thank you for this framework of thinking! It outs the mind a state of thankfulness vs negativity...love it!