This post is a series of posts that begins with an introduction titled “Develop a New Relationship with Money”.  This is step 4 of a 5 part process to stimulate wealth and eliminate financial stress:

Step 4:  Beware of “Lack-Triggers”: You won’t be able to enhance your financial picture if you over expose yourself to lack-triggers.  “Lack-triggers” is my term for any person, place or thing that takes your focus off prosperity and places it on lack.  Lack-triggers produce small doses of fear that chip away at your joy and cause you to start doubting your prosperity birthright!  Believe me; you know when you are exposed to lack-triggers, because there is no mistaking the feeling.  You’ll notice a dip in your mood.  You’ll sense the tension in your body.  You’ll feel the rain on your parade!  I’ll paint a picture for you of some of the lack-triggers you probably expose yourself to daily.  The following is an excerpt of a book I’m in the midst of writing:

“Each morning you start the day with a cup of coffee and a batch of local TV news reporters who anxiously fill you in on “the failing economy, latest unemployment statistics, housing market decline, plummeting stock market”, and other calamities involving the dollar.  You reach outside to grab your morning paper.  Front page headline reads, “Buckle up your wallet, gas prices up 82 cents per gallon just in time for the holidays”.  You get in your car and turn on your radio on the way to the office.  What a surprise - more “good” news!  (Okay, I’m being sarcastic).  How do you think these lack-triggers affect your peace of mind?  How do they alter your belief system?  If you think it has no affect, as your co-workers!  You’ll probably find them in the coffee room or around the water-cooler complaining about what they just paid at the pump; or trying to top each other by comparing their electric bills.  Still think it doesn’t affect you?  Don’t worry, you’ll get more opportunities to find out when you go to the gym, the golf course, the hair salon, the waiting room at the doctor’s office, and even your cousin’s baby shower!

The fact is lack-triggers are everywhere and while I’m not suggesting that you should barricade yourself in your home with no TV, radio or people contact, I am recommending you become aware of all the lack-triggers in your life and monitor the affect it has on you.  Do you get physical sensations like a pit in the stomach, lump in the throat, bouncing knee, grinding teeth, and crimp in your neck?  Do you sense emotional changes?  Do you get irritable or depressed?  Feel less like going out to that new Sushi restaurant for dinner?  Feel less motivated to shop for that new plasma TV?  Do you start counting your pennies and reevaluate your spending decisions by discontinuing certain services you’ve been use to?  Do you ditch the cleaning woman and start coloring your own hair?

Understanding the incredibly ill affect that lack-triggers can have on you and your prosperity is the biggest step!  So congratulate yourself for becoming aware of them.  The rest is easy!  Decide which triggers you can minimize or eliminate completely.  I rarely watch the news.  My friends know that the only thing I like about the local 6:00 AM news is “Baby’s First Birthday!”  The rest of the TV news goes unheard in my house.  I select the news I want through scanning the newspaper and internet.  That way I don’t have to “hear” sensationalistic facts that go against my healthy belief system.  If I’m in places that insist on blasting their TV’s (like doctors offices, hair salons, pizza parlors), I either take a “feel good” book to read or an IPod of my favorite music or an inspirational audio book.  These are simple steps that make a big overall difference in protecting a prosperity mind-set.

When lack-triggers are in the form of people, like co-workers, neighbors or even family members, determine how much contact is healthy for you and make adjustments!  Certain people will always be part of your life but if you find their conversations begin to conjure up images of “lack”, don’t allow yourself to get involved!  Listen, smile and nod if you must, but don’t engage in the conversation!  The worst think you can do to your prosperity-conscious mind is to contribute to the quagmire of despair by adding your own complaints or topping someone else’s experience! This behavior promotes a prosperity blockage!  Protect yourself!  Your wallet is counting on you!

You will find in time, while the majority is complaining about the economy, you will remain completely unaffected, letting the whole conversation (or the latest news) just roll off your back without a care in the world.  That is when you know you have overcome a lack-consciousness.  I have trained my belief system to tune out news commentaries involving a harsh economy as well as any negative remarks or complaint-sessions with friends, family or business associates.  I may subtly offer my philosophy about prosperity, but I never engage in the drama or get pulled into an argument involving “bad economy” or lack.  I shield myself from the low energy of the conversation so it doesn’t linger with me. And that way it doesn’t hamper my outlook or make me want to change any of my plans or goals”.

A final thought about lack-triggers:  You may find that even the most positive, abundant, caring people can still set off your internal alarm (”Lack-trigger! Lack-trigger!”), and fill you with fear!  Especially financial or business consultants.  Yes- some of the best, most successful and well known financial advisors can lend information that startles or triggers an emotional response that changes your prosperity-conscious thinking to lack-conscious thinking.  If you sense the internal alarm, shield yourself and remember your birthright!

Stay tuned for Step 5 of 5!