Have you ever asked yourself the question, what is enough? Many of us struggle with the concept of living a prosperous and abundant life. Julia Cameron’s new book, The Prosperous Heart addresses the issue of what is enough. Cameron says, “I think prosperity is about having “enough” – having a life beyond need and worry. It’s about more than prosperity in financial terms. It’s more about being satisfied, about having a prosperous heart.” Many of our beliefs and attitudes about money come from how we were raised. Understanding where our beliefs come from can help us to change or at least make peace with them. In her book Cameron states “the opposite of prosperity is not poverty. It is anxiety. I agree with her. When I am worrying, fretting or feeling anxious about money, I am not in touch with the prosperity and abundance in my life. Cameron refers to the Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh who counsels his students to make a practice of “going home to the home in themselves.” “He believes that every being has within him a tranquil oasis free from anxiety. Anxiety and tranquility cannot coexist.”
For me living in prosperity means many things and has little to do with money. Here are a few examples of how prosperity is present in my life.
- a walk in nature
- doing work which I am passionate about
- working with fabulous clients
- networking with a group of creative, sensitive, inspired women
- reading a good book
- planting flowers with my six year old granddaughter
- cooking a healthy meal for my family
- walking in the Rose Garden at Lake Harriet and stopping to smell the roses
- hiking in the woods
- listening to the birds singing each morning
What about you? Are you living a prosperous life? If yes, how does prosperity manifest in your life? If no, what is one small action step you can take today toward living in prosperity? What would a life of enough look like for you?
I invite you to join me in September for my newest class, “Living in Prosperity and Creating a Life of Enough.” Details are on my website.
Hi Nancy,
We spent the weekend with my husband’s family. I found myself saying, a couple of times, how fortunate I am. Yes, it is truly a good state of mind to be in. I feel grateful for our freedom during this holiday as well!