Marcia Wieder - Living a Rich Life

In selected anecdotes in this book, names and identifying characteristics have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals.

Copyright 2005

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Living a Rich Life

Introduction

Does money really buy happiness? How do you define rich? Do you have enough money to make your dreams come true? These are a few of the questions I explore in this book, which Ive titled Living a Rich Life. Because all of us are rich, in many different ways, but sadly some of us dont even know it. It is my hope that through this book you will learn how to take a fresh look at yourself, your relationships and the world around you. I am confident you will see that you truly are surrounded by more riches than you could imagine in your wildest dreams.

Marcia Wieder

Do you think that what stands between you and your hearts desire is cash? Often it seems so real that we give up on our dreams, thinking we cant afford them. I know we believe if we could just win the lottery collect a big inheritance or win the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes, life would be different. Of course money buys us all kinds of wonderful things, but what is it ultimately we are after?

Arent you going for a certain quality of life? How do you want to live and have your life be? What is it that truly matters to you most? For many of us the answer is freedom. We want to be able to do what we want, when we want to do it.

We may think making lots of money will give us security, and ultimately that will give us the freedom we dream of. But sometimes security or possessions can actually cost us our freedom. Life can become about making more and more and having less and less time to enjoy it.

I recently spoke to a group of lawyers. I felt a heaviness in the room, so I decided to ask how many of them were tired of being lawyers. Their hands flew up and about 90 percent said they wanted out. When I asked what was keeping them in, they told me they had to keep paying for their expensive toys, homes, cars and boats that they have no time to play with.

We live in a society submerged in myths about money. In her book Money Harmony, my friend Olivia Mellan lists the most common myths as Money will buy us: happiness, love, power, freedom, self-worth and security. She suggests we explore our most prevalent money myths and see how they influence our life and our relationships. Olivia also recommends we see which of these beliefs and attitudes need to be modified. How does money affect how you live and the choices you make?

I often hear the lament of money as a no-win scenario. If you have too little, youre always struggling to get more, afraid there wont be enough. On the other hand, if you have a lot of money, its painful because youre always afraid youre going to lose it. Theres never enough, and whether too much or too little, most of us never feel secure with how much we do have.

Yoko Ono said, I saw that nothing was permanent. You dont want to possess anything that is dear to you because you might lose it. I can vouch for this. One time, all my good jewelry was stolen out of my home, including my most prized possession: my grandmothers ring. This may be hard to believe, but as sad as I was about my loss, I actually experienced this incredible feeling of freedom.

I learned that I wasnt as attached to that stuff as I thought I was. I saw that my rings were just things, and at a certain level, things have no real value. What I mean is, the love and heart connection that I had with my grandmother was unscathed. I completely surrendered to my loss and let it go. Three days later, all my jewelry was returned to me. It felt like a miracle, although the process wasnt so magical. It included a police report, search warrants and pawn shops. The amazing part was having the actual experience that there is another way of dealing with lifes so-called dramas. Throughout the entire incident, I maintained calm and dignity. And I learned so much.

My ring is in the shape of a pyramid and was a symbol to me of passion and power. After this episode, which included calling and having an unbelievable meeting with the woman who took the jewelry, my ring now reminds me to practice compassion and forgiveness. I experienced evidence that at a certain level we are all very rich and very free. And life can be much more simple than we know and often allow.

There is an old story about a modest man who was sitting and meditating in a cave. One day a visitor came and, feeling sorry for the man for being all alone, gave him a cat. The man loved his new cat and soon realized he needed milk for his furry friend. So he went and got a cow. The cow needed a pasture, so the man got a farm. The farm needed farmhands, and next came a family and many worldly possessions. One day the man finally remembered that all he wanted to do was sit in his cave and meditate.

If freedom is what you seek, how can you have it now? Notice where you are free and start there. And if being rich is what you want, begin by recognizing the riches you already have.

Shirley MacLaine said, Perhaps the tragedy of the human race was that we had forgotten we were each Divine. Every one of us is a Divine human being. We have access to riches beyond our wildest dreams, and yet many of us measure our wealth only by our bank accounts and wallets. How limiting. Where are some other places to recognize wealth?

Money is energy, and if you are in the flow of life, you are in the flow of abundance. But like so many things, if you dont recognize it, you wont experience it.

This is a real-world conversation. Im not talking about an esoteric concept or fantasizing about another dimension where you can acquire your dream yacht and live happily ever after. I am talking about knowing and experiencing yourself as a rich person so that the money and other resources will show up here, where you need them. I want you to know and experience yourself as a rich person so you can be a magnet for wealth and opportunity.

This is about doing the work in order to open yourself up to the magic and the riches that are everywhere. This is about reaping the rewards so money does not ever stop you from having what you want. Can you imagine this?