Why do we view losing money as "bad" ????

Name the things you can do without money that allow a mindset of abundance...

 

In our not too distant past simian days all other things being equal the apes with the most resources available found it easier to survive. Not too different today really if you view money as a resource..

 

Thanks for taking the time to answer. I'm using this thread to inspire a new project I am working on. Just FYI - I have lost millions of dollars in real estate

I did feel robbed, and sad about it at one point, but now I'm grateful that it happened, even though Im not through it yet ... and I certainly wouldn't see it as a waste of time.

Do you think that something good could come from losing money or losing that holiday? Or is there really no benefit to it from your viewpoint?

If thats the case, why do we do something we hate so much (e.g. a job) to make money when there is a chance that we might lose it (in life you win and lose). Would it be more worthwhile doing something where you are unattached to the results and enjoy the journey instead?

Thanks for your input in advance!

 

I feel like a mini version of Kate. We lost a large amount of money about thirty years ago and now three times that amount on the sale of the house in Gladstone. Once upon a time I would have been hysterical about it, but after the first time, and all the other c rappy things that we have gone through, this is a tiny blimp on my radar. Bizarre, isn't it.

I could write a book about my misadventures, but these days I really don't care diddly squat about what has passed. Working in a bank has taught me that money is nothing more than numbers on a piece of paper. How many people can be positioned at the top of Maslow's hierarchy, lose a fistful of dollars and at least five years off their retirement age, and be grinning from ear to ear about how "rich" they are on paper.

I have a life of abundance mindset. My healing came from my spirituality, other people's experiences are just as valid to them. There were other things that have hurt me a lot more than the loss of a few denari ever did.

John 10:10 "The devil comes to kill, steal and destroy. But I (Jesus speaking) come to give you life, and that life in abundance."

 

Not sure if Mother Theresa is the best example

The fanatic, fraudulent Mother Teresa.
Why Mother Teresa is still no saint to many of her critics

But back on subject. Wealth gives us choices that poverty cannot. For example., difficult to pay for expensive medical treatment with 'meaning' or 'experiences' or 'enlightenment'.

 

Interesting view point which is a fairly typical viewpoint in humanity.

What I'm wondering though is are we giving money too much power .... or should we be placing the power on ourselves .... e.g. finding security and trust within ourselves to create a life we love.

 

Losing money is the observable outcome or the downside risk. When you invest, you make yourself aware of the risks, you assess the risks & either accept or reject the investment proposition based on your risk/return profile.

We cross busy roads every day. If you choose to cross at an uncontrolled location, you run a high risk of being killed by a speeding vehicle. To reduce our risk we might cross at the lights. Being old and frail, you decide to reduce your risk even further by using the overhead bridge. You have a heart attack on the ramp climbing the bridge. Although you took the path of least risk, there was still a very small risk & you were unlucky. So it doesn't always have to be a negative it is just one of many possibilities.

 

Prices going down means plenty of opportunity for those with the resources to buy.

 

Oh, I'm not saying she was a saint or perfect. Her power came from other places, not from money, which is what I'm pointing out. There are plenty of other such examples in humanity of people who derive their power from sources other than money.

Regarding your second statement, thats really fascinating! Do you believe, directly or indirectly that money can lead to enlightenment ?

 

Angel you should write a book if you feel called too. Society needs to have this myth about money debunked. Then people could learn how to get over this quicker .... and move forward with their lives. I see so many people clinging onto their losses (in their minds) and it will hold them back for years.....

Good on you for your great attitude too. I applaud you for letting it make you into who you are today. I agree, spirituality and cleaning up my mindset and beliefs is what created genuine happiness.

 

I believe that seeking your external world to create a mindset of abundance is disempowering. You are not in charge of your life then. Abundance is a mindset you must create within you first, then it will be shown to you in your outer world..... thats just my belief.

 

Money has no meaning.
Money is linked to survival and self identified as a survival instinct.

Losing money is low survival as there was a time when people's survival would be reduced if money was lost so a strong meaning of scarcity and fear has been linked to money.

People that are able to detach put no meaning into money at all - losing money just means losing money nothing else.

It is not a reduction in survival or self worth or good or bad. It is what it is.

The truth is that in today's society, a loss of money means nothing, you can still survive and make it back again. One good year in business can make back 10 years of lost wealth. There is no scarcity.

The other truth is that you cannot make money in a fear zone where money is scarce and precious. There is no growth there. You cannot be growing and in fear at the same time.

 

why would anyone want to lose money!!!!??

the only thing humans can do when this happens to make ourselves feel better is to say things like 'at least we learnt something', or 'at least I have my health/family'

I doubt there are many situations where someone is better off losing money then not, eg they lost $5k on a bad OTP deal which disallowed them to buy another 10 more

 

You can argue that the experience you gain from it is good but it doesn't change that losing the money itself is bad. Obviously you want to try and get something out of it, so you learn a lesson and try not to make that mistake again but that doesn't make losing the money good, if you had the choice between losing the money to learn that lesson or being able to read it in a book, which would you take?

It's like a sports team... the teams that lose finals all say "it will make us stronger, we'll come back next year better", that's nice but winning the final is so much better. Sure you can try and find positives after the fact in the loss but that doesn't change that the loss was entirely bad and you're just making the most of that bad experience (which is a good approach).

I love the saying... "Money can't buy happiness... but it sure does help". What things can you do without money that you couldn't do with money? Now flip that question.

 

Completely agree with all that.

 

You never lose anything it only transforms. last night my husband said he is thankful we lost millions of dollars in property, He said, if we didn't, he would have had his head stuck up his assss and not liked himself as a person.

Not saying that having money is a bad thing, or that we judge those with money..... its just the way we made it that was out of alignment with our truth (hence the ego at the time). There is always a gain in every loss. You just have to look for it. Sometimes it takes time to get that perspective.

 

I learnt that you never lose anything, it only transforms. And that nothing is ever good or bad, it just is ..... good or bad is just a meaning we put on it.

You learn a lot more from experience than reading it in a book. Experience gives you a depth of character ... and the reality is we are always going to make mistakes no matter how much education we get.

I do wonder about your winning comments. Is it possible to feel good during a financial F#ck up ?

And if you believe that money can help you buy your happiness, is that disempowering for you? Or would a more empowering belief be that you can always create money / abundance ? That you don't need money.... you just need you to create a life you desire?

And regarding your final question are you saying that you need money to do everything you want to do in your life?

 

fascinating thread guys, thank you so much for your input. Am learning a lot from you all ....

 

Seriously go and talk to people who are struggling on the pension about feeling abundant and all will be OK as money is nothing.

Ok with respect to others POW, I'm out. Too delusional are some of those beliefs for me.

 

No one said anything about wanting to lose money. Rather, that we do not define ourselves by how much money we have. Something for the younger posters to think about.