Written by Wendy Franklin Muhammad, The Authenticity Coach ^TM

In honor of my upcoming Blog Talk Radio Show on the Economic Crisis with world renowned financial expert, Bro. Bedford, I decided that it would be a good idea to rattle your cage a bit about money. (I encourage you to click the link to the right of this website, entitled, Millionaire Entrepreneurs, and sign up for Bro. Bedford's enlightening newsletter.) Ok now, let me rattle your cage a bit.

They say that an estimated 2% of the world's population controls approximately 96% of the material wealth in the entire world. What keeps all of us from being in that 2%? Well I realized that what's stopping us is our Po-Mouth Mentality.

Let's talk about money for a minute. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to discover that in our society, money is very important. Moreover, money is one of the main focuses and topics of discussion in our world today. Most of our entire lives revolve around making and acquiring money. I was studying this subject and wrote down this statement from a thesis paper called Abundance and Happiness, written by one of my coaching colleagues:

"Money is merely a tool, a medium of exchange for things that you need and desire, and by no means a cure all or the answer to achieving "real" happiness or contentment in life. True success comes from having achieved a harmonious balance in the three all encompassing life areas of money, health and relationships, as well as having the time available to enjoy them all. Happiness and fulfillment is an "inside game". Money and financial freedom are simply tools that we use to play the outside game."

In case you are wondering what it means to have a po-mouth mentality, think of it as "poverty consciousness" (which of course, is the opposite of wealth consciousness). The po-mouth mentality ensures that our actions and views about money are connected to the poverty consciousness with which we identify. "Money doesn't grow on trees." "Money is hard to come by." "You gotta work hard if you want anything in life." "They don't want us to have money." "I hate my job." "I can't afford this." "I can't afford that." Many of us go around po-mouthin' about what we don't have and give much less thought (or spiritual energy) to what we DO have.

Sure, we are in a so-called economic crisis, but are we going to just lie down and die as a result? Would shifting our mindset a bit be the end of the world? In fact, a collective mind shift may end the crisis. We can survive this. Now is a good time for us to shift from consumerism to creatism. I realized that if I continued to believe that it takes hard work (as opposed to smart work) to make money then I'd be working hard for the rest of my life. I knew that if I continued to believe that money was hard to come by then my goal of financial freedom would likely never come. (Try this affirmation: Money comes frequently and easily.) I knew that no matter how smart or attractive I was that if I didn't change my mindset, I would never live up to my potential. I knew I wanted to earn my wealth the honest way so I had to get the formula right or else my po-mouth mentality would attract po-mouth circumstances. My mantra became, "As you believe you WILL receive."

Let me take you a little deeper into my mind shift. I used to worry constantly about money. I didn't believe in get rich quick schemes or taking something that didn't belong to me, so I knew I'd be in jeopardy of not becoming financially free if I didn't change my belief system. I used to make statements like, "I don't have any problems other than money so I'm just going to continue to work hard so that I can get over my money problems." And guess what started to happen? The harder I worked the more money problems my po-mouth mindset attracted. I don't think I need to explain further. You get the picture.

Then I shifted my mindset and started to focus on all that I had been able to acquire and accomplish with the money that I attracted thus far in my life. I realized that signs of the abundance I dreamed of were all around me. I walked around my house and gave thanks to everything that I saw. I was grateful for the curtains on the window, loose change, the sheets on the bed, the oatmeal in the cabinet (even if it was the only thing in the cabinet), my train pass, the couch in the living room, the heat, the junk in the drawer, the ink pens in my office; all of which were acquired out of my ability to attract money into my life. Even when I took out the garbage, I said a prayer of thanks. Would I have garbage to take out if I didn't have any money to buy crap that I eventually throw away? Even if I got a phone call from someone I really didn't want to talk to, I was thankful for having a telephone. I'd watch television and hear the devastating news and was grateful for the television, electricity and even Freedom of Speech. I began to pray that if there was ever a food shortage that I'd be in a position to pass out food and to help others. I began to accept my tremendous ability to attract goodness, money and overall abundance.

When I stopped looking at my life from a position of lack, money and abundance began to flow more frequently and easily. The Universe is always flowing. Something is always being created or exchanged, effortlessly. But by going against this natural flow (subconsciously) I began to experience results that were in contradiction to what I consciously desired. My beliefs were not in harmony with the universe. The universe is always giving and flowing but if we don't believe that we can align ourselves with that flow then we experience the result of disharmony. Disharmonious beliefs about money and financial freedom that are established (usually in childhood or by painful experiences) and held at a conscious or subconscious level ultimately affect our choices and our overall consciousness.

See, I am convinced that this economic crisis will benefit me beyond measure and I want you to be convinced that it will benefit you, as well. Let's think outside the box and shift our mindset. Here is our chance to embrace change. We must accept and understand how thoughts, beliefs and Universal Laws operate in order to free ourselves of the limiting mindset that is preventing us to reach our potential. Sure, we may be doing well. In fact, we may be doing extremely well and quite better than the next person, but are we walking in purpose and living up to our potential. Anything and everything that exists in our world and in our personal life exists as a result of consciousness that is determined by a mindset. A lack of attaining financial freedom is the result of a mindset just like attaining financial freedom is the result of a mindset.

Let's stop po-mouthing and living in poverty consciousness. You can be wealthy beyond measure. You're likely working hard anyway, so why not work from a consciousness of wealth, gratitude and abundance? Let's unite to help change the mindset and end the economic crisis that is plaguing the world.