It’s time to purge this phrase from your vocabulary…
I don’t think it’s any secret to my family (that’s you!) that we can seriously limit ourselves with the words we choose.
Today, let's look at the phrase "I can't afford that."
How many times has that phrase escaped your lips? Have you ever noticed how disempowering it is to utter those words?
Several years ago, in a psychedelic journey, I got a powerful teaching from the plants:
"You are NOT allowed to say that phrase anymore."
Incredulous, I asked, "Okay, what do I say instead?"
The response came swiftly. "I choose to generate those resources, or I don't."
Yes my friend, deep journeywork can include profound teachings on prosperity, abundance and the nature of money.
Since then, I've deleted that phrase from my vocabulary. This practice is what I call WORD PURGE.
"Word Purging" is a distinct, intentional process of eliminating specific words, phrases, sentences, and therefore beliefs, from our psyche. It is a POWERFUL + effective practice. The deeper I travel into the realm of the voice, the more codes I unlock around the connection between our words and our reality.
I invite you to join me and PURGE the phrase "I can't afford that" from your vocabulary. What's more honest and accurate is that we CHOOSE where, when and how to gather resources. If we want something enough, we find a way to make it happen.
The first time I invested in a mentor, it was 10k. I had an emotional breakdown in a hotel room bathtub, sobbing hysterically, even as I felt my subconscious searching for ways I could source that money— I ended up putting it on a 0% APR credit card.
Since then, I've invested over 50k in mentorship. This number used to really freak me out. What's amazing is that I've paid it all off, because I'm driven, resourceful, and most of all, I have faith in my inner yes. When I feel the call to invest my heart, time and resources into something, I trust it. I know abundance is infinite. As I move closer to manifesting my future home (a big purchase indeed!) this lesson is GOLD.
I share this with you not out of pride or ego, but because there is so much shadow and misconception around prosperity.
Together, I want us to transcend the lower polarities of fear around earning, spending, asking for and mindfully managing our money.
The Truth: money is simply energy, like anything else.
What's the difference between prayer and managing our finances? Very little.
As Sri Aurobindo says in his book 'The Mother'...
"You must neither turn with an ascetic shrinking from the money power, the means it gives and the objects it brings, nor cherish an attachment to them... Regard wealth simply as a power to be won back for the Mother and placed at her service."
But wait… we’re not done yet! there’s another angle.
Because you know what? There are circumstances where I do still use that phrase.... but not in the way you might think. I stand behind what I originally said, which is that saying "I can't afford ____" in relation to what you're spending money on is both inaccurate and disempowering.
But there are things we simply cannot afford.
We cannot afford to:
⚡️ doubt ourselves, our intuition or our mission
⚡️ keep our heart closed (hold grudges, refuse forgiveness for past grievances)
⚡️ deny ourselves the opportunity to invest in our passions and soul's calling
⚡️ ignore our body's cues and needs (for rest, nourishment, pleasure, connection, play, self-care, healing)
⚡️ hold back in our leadership and stay hidden in the shadow of others
If living your soul's purpose and offering your unique, soul-seeded gifts to the world is your primary objective...
What else can you NOT AFFORD? Truly, this is worth writing down, so I offer this as some homework. Because your WORDS are POWERFUL! When you choose to omit certain phrases from your vocabulary, it's like upgrading your computer. You clean out the old operating system and clear the way for what you *actually* want to come through.
I invite you to join me and PURGE the phrase "I can't afford that" from your vocabulary when using it in the traditional sense, around money and where you choose to put your dollars. I invite you to carefully consider what actions and behaviors and patterns you truly cannot afford any longer.
Lastly friends, a final word on this phrase:
I stand by everything that I’ve said thus far. Yes, our words shape our lives. Yes, scarcity starts with mindset and often we do have the resources… our language paints a picture where we are a victim of scarcity and not responsible for that scarcity.
AND i would be remiss to not mention the very real factors of power and privilege when it comes to wealth. As I stand by everything I’ve said, I also stand in the complexity of this dual-reality, where our words do indeed shape our reality, and everyone’s access to resources is simply not equal. I come with my human identities as a white-bodied, English-speaking, American-born citizen, cishetero, affluent woman who has a lot of relative power and privilege.
This invitation into word purging the phrase “I can’t afford that” needs care and mindfulness, because I don’t want to speak this invitation or have it received as a spiritual bypass. I fully acknowledge there are many people on the planet right now who do not have nearly the position, power and privilege that I hold. I cannot speak for them and I won’t try. I will acknowledge that my mission in the world is to hold the exquisite tension between duality and non-duality. The non-dual truth with a capital T is that our words do create our reality. The dual truth is we live in a world where the law of attraction only goes so far and certainly works better and faster for people who are already privileged.
it’s a big conversation and there’s more to say. This is where another language hack, both/and, feels very relevant. CEO Rachel Rodgers, founder of Hello7 (as in 7 figures) and author of ‘We Should All Be Millionaires’ is rocking my world right now. I highly recommend her book and her podcast. She said something that I love, which is that “It’s patriarchal to make assumptions about what your ideal client can afford.” In other words, don’t make assumptions about what people can or will spend money on. And this from a black woman who specifically markets her work to people on the margins- women, black, indigenous, poc, queer, trans, neurodiverse and on. I love to see her, a self-made millionaire, hold the same exquisite tension I’m holding. Take care and be real with access to resources. It would be blind to do anything else. And, work on your money blocks, friends! Both, and. The more resources you have to invest in the things you care about, the better off we’ll be as a spiritual community doing good work in the world.
So, are you ready to purge “I can’t afford that?” It’s a serious invitation. Let me know. And, what can you NOT afford? Also, share this podcast out with a friend who needs to hear this message.
The dual truth is we live in a world where the law of attraction only goes so far and certainly works better and faster for people who are already privileged.
It’s a big conversation and there’s more to say. This is where another language hack, both/and, feels very relevant. CEO Rachel Rodgers, founder of Hello7 (as in 7 figures) and author of ‘We Should All Be Millionaires’ is rocking my world right now. I highly recommend her book and her podcast. She said something that I love, which is that “It’s patriarchal to make assumptions about what your ideal client can afford.” In other words, don’t make assumptions about what people can or will spend money on. And this from a black woman who specifically markets her work to people on the margins- women, black, indigenous, poc, queer, trans, neurodiverse and on. I love to see her, a self-made millionaire, hold the same exquisite tension I’m holding. Take care and be real with access to resources. It would be blind to do anything else. And, work on your money blocks, friends! Both, and. The more resources you have to invest in the things you care about, the better off we’ll be as a spiritual community doing good work in the world.
So, are you ready to purge “I can’t afford that?” It’s a serious invitation. Let me know. And, what can you NOT afford? Also, share this podcast out with a friend who needs to hear this message.
