Financial Struggles

Having been disabled since 2000, I struggle financially as I can't work. Thankfully, I have disability, but I so want to be well and work again.

That being said, TMS tension from this "worry" is not helping.

Dr. Sarno contended that you don’t always have to eliminate the tension to heal, but it certainly helps if you can. The idea in tension reduction is to change the perception of the need to fight or flee to one of surrendering, and the body will not react as strongly. It’s imperative to also change the perception of the pain itself from believing it’s doing damage to the body, to understanding that it’s only diverting awareness to the body, as well as sending a deeper message of dis-ease.

Any thoughts on how I can heal while in the midst of financial struggles.

thanks.

 

Embrace the joys of a simple and quiet life. Especially relish the way you can roll over and go back to sleep while the rat race jumps into the first traffic jam of the day.

Cloudwatch.

Listen to the birdies.

Explore the way thrift enhances creativity.

Eat lots of veggies. Get good at new ways of cooking them. Herbs too.

Join your local library and read till your eyes fall out.

Instead of viewing this time as a crappy dead-end, flip your perspective into that of a spiritual soul electing to embrace poverty, chastity and such as a means of growing and learning.

I'm not being facetious. I also struggle financially. These are things I do.

 

Every day I would look around and find things to be grateful for. After you do this for a while, it will become a habit. You will start noticing all the great things life has for you while you are recovering. You may be struggling financially but you are so rich in many other ways.

 

Great advice, Plum! And yes, I too am struggling. I suspect we're in good company -there's a LOT Of people in this boat!

My favorite thing to help me when I'm stressing is to go encourage someone. It might be a phone call or taking a moment to say something kind to a clerk in the store or someone at our gym.

I also remind myself of how little we really do need. Shelter from the elements, food in our tummies and health....wow...add some good friends to the mix and I truly feel like the wealthiest woman alive.

True story - my hubby is a CPA so we see the inside track personal finances. I can tell you that even people who are millionaires STILL worry about money. It boggles my mind. And it reminds me that the issue for me isn't money - it's a worry and control thing.

 

....or provide support to someone on this Forum. This is one of the main reasons I continue to post on this Forum. It helps me by the taking the focus off myself.

 

My hubby and I both work, and struggle financially...we garden, keep chickens, and make as many things at home as possible, to provide for our three children. As counter-intuitive as this may sound, giving things away helps to relieve some of that stress for me. We hand out fresh produce and eggs and homemade bread to neighbors and friends who struggle as well- before I know it, my worry has suddenly changed to gratefulness, for being able to help others.

 

Ah, Plum, I just always love your inspirational advice!

My hubby and I have gradually scaled back since the recession in 2008 in order to hopefully avoid financial struggle. We got rid of TV service, Internet for awhile, cell phone, buying books and utilizing library, and more and more. At first, I was absolutely resentfull and jealous of those who didn't have to scale back, jealous of what everyone else had that I didn't. But now I'm in the happiest stages of my life and working on becoming a minimalist.

Monk Ajan Braham talks about struggle...no matter WHAT you are going through, you struggle. If you are single you want to be married, but if you are married you want to be single. If you are alone and lonely you want friends, but when you have friends you want to have alone time. If you are poor you want to be rich, but when you are rich you realize you can't trust if people love you authentically so you'd rather be poor. No matter what we are going through we can "suffer."

All you can do is do the most with what you have and what you are going through. Personally I believe being "poor" has been one of the best things that's ever happened to me As @plum mentioned, I've become so much more creative by being forced to be a spendthrift...and proud of it!

One of my favorite resources is The Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyzyn.

For so long I've "suffered" because I don't know what my purpose in life is. I've always wanted to be and accomplish something grand and life changing. And here I am, 36 and a stay at home wife, somewhere I never thought in a million years I'd be. But there are so many gifts associated with this unfortunate accident...I get to enjoy all the things plum mentioned, especially my favorites birding, cloudwatching, and gardening

I often feel guilt because why should I be so fortunate to be able to experience this joy every day while others suffer at jobs they hate? Even if we struggle financially? What a gift! To be forced into enjoying the simple joys of life....

Because, otherwise, I might be a stressed-out wreck working a job I hate...

Would we trade having more money but less time to enjoy spending it or less money but more time?

 

What Plum and Homestead Hermit said .....

There are so many nuances to explore. In being financially devastated, what is left but the self and utilizing imagination and creativity in transforming our lives into something genuine and meaningful? There is so much we can learn about ourselves, and about the real nature of society. The 'throw-away' culture can only manifest when there is excess. To whittle down and diminish our impact on our planet is one of the greatest gifts. When I step through the doors of any store, my eyes see .... garbage. Truly. Garbage. The packaging that will be doing into the landfills. The poison that lurks within the packaging. The processing that went into the productions of 'things' that are disposable, built with planned obsolescence, or just plain junk that we do not really even need. The edible products that are labeled as food, yet are toxic.

To have 'less' money is the perfect, eye-opening opportunity to make a real difference to ourselves, and others. Re-using, reducing, minimizing. Trading goods and services when possible. Growing your own medicines (herbs, weeds, flowers, fruits, vegetables...). This can be done in re-used Greek yogurt containers or milk containers or any sort of packaging that might normally be tossed (if there isn't a yard available).

To breathe in the moments, listening to the Trees whisper their secrets, and the vibrant energy they share when you stand within their shelters. To watch as the magical Spiders weave their glistening webs, to laugh when a Hummingbird becomes curious about your earrings. To run your fingers through the woody brush of Thyme or Sage, releasing soothing scents.

When you fall in love with Nature, you will start to fall in love with yourself.

Being financially barren is not to be 'poor' at all. It is a starting point, an awakening.

We are taught to be afraid of being poor. We are taught to fight for jobs so we can make lots of money and spend it on 'things' that only make us happy for brief moments.

Our fears do not serve us, nor does it serve others.
Imagine saying "I can do this." And believing it.
"I can do this."
And you can.
There is a beautiful, strong Light within us all, and when we allow it to shine, we become empowered.

Breathe. Be the songs, be the colors, be the energy.
Just. Be.
You are worthy, and you are perfect as you are.

... with Love and Compassion <3

 

A few years back me and my coworkers had to relocalize due to our station closing. Most of them went to bigger cities with higher pay rates, but along with that it also came higher cost of life and rent and in many cases commuting more. I decided to do the opposite. I looked for the cheapest state to live with the same salary and moved completely so I would not have to commute. I have no cable tv(nothing really to see on tv), and have been learning how to grow food and my plans are to buy a small piece or land in the next few years, build a small house and have a big garage and big food garden, along with maybe chickens. In my area the land is still cheap, so that helps. I am planning to do this without taking any loans and start small and add as the need arises. I do fix my own cars and have fabrication equipment, so basically I can build mostly anything out of metal and wood. I only wish I had learn to think this way 20 years back and avoid many heartaches that the rat race gave me. Maybe I would not even had got TMS if I had done. But it is never late to learn and start again, so that is where I am heading. Wish you luck in your recovery and complete healing.