F told me a story.
I upstairs doing laundry or folding laundry or having a shower or something.
Sophie and Lola were talking Money.
Sophie announced that she was rich.
Apparently, Lola is rich too and she owned it, loudly.
So Sophie showed Lola (and F) her bowl o’ money.
Lola said that she was still richer than Sophie.
Sophie was offended. Deeply. If she had a book of grievous injuries, this slight would have been recorded.
Lola, when you say you’re richer than me, you hurt my feelings!
Lola ran upstairs…and returned with two quarters.
She put one quarter in Sophie’s bowl o’ money.
She stood in front of Sophie with downturned eyes and “I’m sorry” written right through her body.
Sophie wrapped her arms around Lola and said, “I know you’re sorry for hurting my feelings. I know you didn’t mean it.”
And Lola said, “Thank you for forgiving me, Sophie.”
—————
Money is love, or maybe we conflate the two.
We offer our coins to the bowl of forgiveness.
Women – even “independent” women – sometimes surrender their finances to their men, because that feels like “being taken care of.”
Men adorn their exoskeletons with lures of green and silver to hook lovers and partners. (So do women. Don’t ask me how I know.)
We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t know.
We spend to feel rich.
And rich is a beautiful thing, but feeling rich is a high.
Being rich, on the other hand, cannot be bought. It is an investment. It must be lived and shared.
When I share my gifts and invest in others and myself – with time, with money, with opportunity – I’m doing rich. I am rich.
Opportunities can be purchased. Access to information, experience, and even inspiration can be purchased (just ask any ass-kicking coach or consultant or firestarter, or better yet, listen to their delighted, living-big clients who rave “life-changing!”).
But true learning and knowledge and action all comes from you. From doing it. Living it.
You’re rich when you give yourself the things you need to succeed…and then go make love to the world with them.
—————
Two announcements:
1. From now on, on Tuesdays, I write about money.
2. As of Friday, June 18, Dave Doolin and I are raising the prices for our League of Extraordinary Bloggers Sessions to $300.
(So yes, if you book and pay before then, we’ll honour the $150 offer.)
We know that $300 is still a screaming good value, because every single one of our clients so far has told us that we are wildly undercharging. ($500 is the figure that gets bandied about.)
And even at $300 we know we’re undercharging – and we’re pretty cool with that – because we’re irrationally committed to perfection. I won’t even tell you how much research we do on our clients and their sites because you would sigh and shake your head. (Unless you’re a client, in which case you’ll love us with an unholy passion.)
Basically, we care, passionately, about our people – and between the two of us, we Know Some Serious Shit about blogging.
(Even though we both have The Issues with the word blogging.)
We want you to have the best blog and business you can (umm, and so do you, right?), so we look at every single aspect of your work and your niche and tell you how to position yourself to get better and to win. Every day. Day in and day out.
and pssssst…we tell you our secrets. And we’re not even charging extra for profanity (any more).
I prefer the word “blobbing” myself (credit: Abby Kerr’s grandmother, who is so cool because that’s how grandmothers are).
Blogging, blobbing, whatever. When you’re ready to get it on, we’re here for you.
[Reply]
Gurl
replied:
on June 15th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
@Dave Doolin, So we mere serfs of Blogistan can get it one with queen and evil overlord?!?!? Sweet! (and I meant that both ways
)
[Reply]
Abby Kerr
replied:
on June 15th, 2010 at 2:48 pm
@Dave Doolin, I must get in on this conversation. If only my crazy Italian grandma could know what she started by refusing hearing aids!
Kelly, I’m psyched to hear you’ll be writing about money on Tuesdays. Yay. Most of us need it. The indie retail industry I just came out of was wrought was silence over the monies. {How do stores get funded? How should they budget? Can a shop owner ever get rich? Who knows! I’M not gonna ask!} One of my biggest aims in my new venture is to get the money right — not just on an accounting level, but on a spiritual level. So YES to Money Tuesdays!
And it’s always a good sign when people raise their rates. For so many reasons. Happy for everybody you two are gonna help!
[Reply]
I love that you’re going to talk about money on a regular basis! I’m tired of people ignoring it – it’s time we all had the conversation!
And I love that you’re raising your rates for consulting. You guys are worth more than every penny I’ve spent!
[Reply]
One of the most frustrating things in life is knowing a smack-happy amazing deal when you see it, and not have the resources to take advantage of it.
I trust that you’ll still be offering your services when I am once again flush with cash. I hope this day will be soon.
In the meantime, off I go to spread the word about the blorgy that is about to commence…
H&B
~T~
[Reply]
Gurl
replied:
on June 15th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
@PicsieChick, Nice.. I love the word Blorgy… must keep that one in mind for future use!
[Reply]
damn straight. money is about spreading the wealth. the more you give the more you get. sure, it’s cliche – but aren’t most cliches true most of the time?!
and oh god – having MONEY and doing GOOD stuff with it feels SO good. like someone scratching an itch you just couldn’t reach good.
and right on for you guys getting more for BLOWING people’s minds with your greatness.
[Reply]
I think we often get a demented view of money. Does having a thousand dollars make you rich? How about a million? In this day, a million isn’t that much so maybe two.
It seems you have a grand example of riches right here.
Sophie, having a bowl of money declared she was rich. Lola, even when confronted with the evidence that Sophie had quite a bit, still claimed to be richer. She had two quarters, one of which she gave to Sophie. I have the feeling she still felt richer.
Rich is a state of mind. Sure we need money to pay the bills and buy the crap that we don’t really need, but some one with two quarters can feel richer that the one with a bowl o’ money.
Would I like to have more money than Bill Gates? I suppose to be honest yes. What I really want, however, is to feel rich with just my two quarters!
[Reply]
Oh my goodness, how adorable are Lola and Sophie? I want to give them both bear hugs, and I don’t even know them.
Good on you for recognizing your fantabulous worth, and demanding it (or, not even close to it, but getting there…). I dream of hiring you both to whip me and my (still to come) site into shape, once said site has been officially born.
[Reply]
K, I’m gonna figure out a way to give you my money. : )
[Reply]
Okay, you sold me!
See how persuasive you are already? (But you knew that, right?)
Looking forward to working with you guys.
Oh yeah, check out Andrea Hess and her Money Manifesting Mastery (www.andreahess.com) – very light on the woo-woo and heavy on the practical aspect of it. I am doing this every month and so far, I’ve reached my dollar goals *when I put her words into action* –> that’s key. Might be a good interview for you to do. She knows her stuff and is a great teacher who walks her talk.
[Reply]
It’s just gone 7pm California time on June 18 and I was totally going to get into the League of Extraordinary Bloggers, but the Paypal link isn’t working. Boo hoo, am I too late? (That’s what I get for not stopping by every day.)
[Reply]
Elle B.
replied:
on June 18th, 2010 at 7:12 pm
@Elle B., Ignore that. I just reread the deadline. “As of June 18″ not “Until June 18.” Wishful reading on my part.
[Reply]