Money and Yoga

Being single and on my own for really the first time in my life is HARD!!!! Really just the money part is hard. I'm struggling to make ends meet right now but I keep saying I have yet to miss a meal so I'm doing okay. I was a stay-at-home mom for 5 years before my husband and I separated. I've only been working since January of this year and I love earning my own money and being in control of my destiny but the anxiety money brings is not so lovely. In full disclosure I haven't made the absolute best decisions. Maybe I 've gone out to eat when I should have stayed in or maybe I went shopping when the clothes in my closet were fine. But I think these are the things you learn as you go. I'm reading a great book right now, It's Not About the Money by Brent Kessel. The subtitle is Unlock Your Money Type to Achieve Spiritual Abundance. From my studies on Buddhism I've realized a lot of the times my wanting mind is desiring to be satisfied because my emotional self is sad or lonely and thinks that if I just treated myself to dinner or had a new dress I would feel better. I usually do feel better for all of 5 minutes and then I go back to being sad or lonely or whatever. Anyway, money, emotions, spirituality it is all connected. One of the best things about yoga is that it brings awareness. As I deepen my yoga practice and studies I also can tap deeper into my own relationship with money. I know I also have to appreciate my own worth as a yoga teacher and even though I love yoga doesn't mean I don't deserve to be paid for my time and efforts. I think sometimes when you are in a service industry people expect you to provide a service just out of the goodness of your heart. I'm very happy to do that at the appropriate times but at the same time I have children to feed and rent to pay. What are your thoughts yoga teachers of the world? If you too are struggling to get a grip on your own relationship to money I highly recommend Mr. Kessel's book. In the spirit of frugality, look for it at your local library!! Until next time, love and lollipops.