Guest post by licensed Right-Brain Business Plan® Facilitator Cass Mullane

“Every time I think about money I hit a brick wall.”

Let’s take a look at that sentence. On the surface it sounds familiar, like it’s a feeling shared among the masses. Lots of people think the same thing about money and express it the same way. But hitting a brick wall? That means suddenly coming to a screeching halt, slamming into the bricks and it probably involves a good deal of pain. I don’t know about you, but I really don’t want to be in pain. Especially when I’m just sitting here thinking!

So, maybe we can revise the internal image a little and make thinking about money more productive. After all, money is just a thing, a tool, like a hammer. And hammers break down brick walls, right? And you’re strong, right? So grab that hammer out of the toolbox and break through that brick wall!

Does that image inspire you to action? Will it sustain you through the challenges? If so, great!

Then make a point of imagining money as a hammer and breaking through that wall. If you think of this image with some regularity it can become your new normal train of thought… you think about money and you think about breaking through that wall and landing on the other side. If you do it consistently, pretty soon you’ll find that the old brick wall crumbles into dust at the mere idea that you might open your toolbox.

That’s the positive power of our thoughts!

Another way to improve your thinking about money involves the languaging in your thoughts. Look at the actual words used in your old thinking about money, then change them and substitute something more appealing to you. How about this:

“Every time I think about money, I’m wrapped in a soft fleece.”

Instead of hitting a brick wall, which is pretty unforgiving, you’re wrapped in a soft fleece. That simple word substitution takes you from something painful to something that’s strong, yet forgiving.

Pretty yummy, right? Wouldn’t you like to associate thinking about money with something yummy?

Our minds are so powerful. Tap into that power and put your brain to work to overcome limiting thinking about money. We can imagine anything, we can envision many variations on a given scenario.

Why not make those imagingings productive and inspiring.

Here’s one of my favorite quotes from Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.:

“A man’s mind is stretched by a new idea or sensation and never shrinks back to its former dimension.”

The next time you run into that brick wall in your thinking about money, try substituting a new image or better words to reframe your thinking and stretch your mind. Who says thinking about money can’t be yummy? Not me!

Cass Mullane’s calm, comfortable approach consistently yields positive results for clients. Her business and personal coaching practice, www.ProsperCreatively.com, specializes in delivering solid left brain business skills to right brainers and creatives in a fun, visual way. Cass is one of our licensed Right-Brain Business Plan® Facilitators.

Note from Jenn: If you want more ideas about how to change the way you think about money, check out the “Releasing Mental Money-Baggage” section (pages 101-104) of the Managing the Moola chapter in The Right-Brain Business Plan.