Written by: Mikal Nielsen, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
That's a good question, if I may say so myself.
To truly answer that, we of course have to take a real close look at what we mean by prosperity. Is it different from wealth or being rich?
Being rich but still unhappy... is that prosperity?
Having all the money you need but still feeling stressed or anxious... is that prosperity?
In my own contemplation of what prosperity is, as well as discussing this with others, I see a common trend. For most people, prosperity is vastly more inclusive. It goes far beyond money, but definitely includes the financial side.
Other aspects that people mention in their definition of prosperity includes: Feeling deeply fulfilled.
Good physical health.
Great intimate relationship/marriage. Happy children.
Great spiritual connection. Deep friendships.
Opportunities for growth ‒ both personally and professionally. Work/Business that is fulfilling. And what would you add to your list of what prosperity is? For me, a sense of freedom as well as being on a positive mission (Living on Purpose) are vitally important ingredients of feeling prosperous. And of course, these are all personal interpretations, not right or wrong, simply whatever it is for you. What I have found most important, is how different words makes us feel. I have learnt over many years, that terms like money and rich more often than not, have deep negative beliefs attached to them. This in turn creates negative feelings associated with creating or attracting money, which makes it much harder to both make and hold on to money. So what if we stop focussing on creating that which our deep unconscious mindset doesn't support, say being rich, and shift our focus to something that we truly believe is good for us, say being prosperous, we would essentially have shifted to something that will bring us happiness and fulfilment. And maybe, if we achieve that, the money that are needed will naturally follow or at least become easier to make. And even if it doesn't, it doesn't matter, because we will already have achieved that which we thought money would bring. "But Mikal, I need the money" you may say. Absolutely, no doubt about it. You need to pay the bills and buy the things you need. But you don't need it to be happy. There are plenty of rich people around the world who are miserable. And having travelled to more than 50 countries, mostly poor countries, I have met lots of very happy people with very little money.
Reality is, it is not the money that makes us deeply fulfilled and happy. It is something else. What is that?
A baby or a toddler is happy or unhappy, not because of the size of it's bank account, but for a completely different reason.
Yes, it needs food and shelter at a minimum but doesn't need money for that. It is provided.
But food and shelter is not enough. It needs to feel safe, nurtured, be free to learn, grow, play and explore.
It needs to feel a sense of belonging.
And most of these things do not require much or any money.
Look for ways to meet those non material needs within yourself, and in your family first and then go and make whatever amount of money you want, not to be happy, but simply because it makes life easier.
I have clients who are wealthy and clients who are not, and I can tell you, it makes absolutely no difference to the amount of struggles and problems they have and how they feel about themselves.
Don't get me wrong, I by far prefer to have money than not having it. No doubt about it. It sucks to not be able to afford to put fuel in the car when you need it, and I have definitely experienced that.
And it sucks to lose all your savings, and I have experienced that too.
But one of the biggest leanings in my life, was learning to still feel prosperous and rich in those moments, because of the love from people close to me, my good health, my ability to learn and grow from the experience and still have a deep spiritual connection to my essence.
And that to me is prosperity. Money simply comes and goes and I have learned to trust that the money I truly need, I will always attract.
With that comes a profound sense of trust and freedom, both key ingredients for me to feel prosperous and rich.
It is your actions and who you are that you will be remembered for, not how much money you made.
Now, go and make the money you want, but make sure you are happy and fulfilled in the process.
If you want to understand this further, I can recommend the book 'Happy for no Reason' by Marci Shimoff.
If you are looking for a coach to support you with your journey, get in touch. A few complimentary coaching sessions are available each month for BRAINZ readers. You can use this link to check what days/times may be available and book it in: https://calendly.com/mikalnz/brainz-discovery-call
To Prosperity
Mikal
Mikal Nielsen, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Mikal's mission is to help high achievers awaken their natural wisdom to create profound fulfillment, deep peace of mind, and a perfect balance between everything truly important to them.
With a corporate background and starting and running 3 businesses, Mikal has spent the last 14 years coaching business founders, owners, and leaders to get more life out of life and more business out of business.
He is a mind mechanic with 35 years of experience in mindfulness, personal and spiritual growth, and 30 years of experience coaching others in these fields.
Mikal is an international speaker, certified firewalking coach, author of 5 books, and creator of Modern Meditation for busy people.
In addition to coaching entrepreneurs and business leaders, Mikal and his wife Kathy offer relationship coaching. With 30 years of living together and growing up with 3 children, they have learned and experienced a lot and have co-authored a book about their journey together.
Seeing how many relationships are struggling or have gone stagnant, they have decided to offer couples coaching
