The Value of Money Part II

[Disclaimer: Due to the seriousness of the content of this entry I kinda sorta went over my 350 word limit, but I felt it was warranted for such an important subject]

What a dynamic response to Part I of this post. Thanks to everyone for your profound insight. I can see this is a subject that definitely warrants a chapter in my book. Everyone who commented on Part I dropped some major jewels and I don’t think I could have written Part II without your input. Thanks so much!

So we’ve heard from the masses and everyone weighed in with some extremely profound insight on whether or not money had the ability to make us happy.

Some of us have been trained all our lives to believe that money is evil; that it’s “of the devil.”

We’ve been told that greed is one of the 7 Deadly Sins and we instinctively associate greed with those who have excessive amounts of money.

As I write this blog I can visualize the shocking looks I receive from some people when I mention the mere fact that I want to be “rich.”

There are plenty of situations that would lead us to believe that money is evil and therefore conclude that it cannot make us happy. With America being in its current economic state, one can see where such a stigma evolves from.

Just yesterday the news headline read Police investigating death of Freddie Mac official. Cause of death, suicide. “David Kellermann, 41, apparently hanged himself in his suburban Washington home.”

Then there was the man in California who killed himself and his family citing "after a horrendous ordeal, my wife felt it better to end our lives; and why leave our children in someone else's hands ... we have no job and 5 children under 8 years with no place to go. So here we are."

There are even preachers who misappropriate church funds because of greed and a lack of moral conscience.

So is it true? Is money truly evil and if so, how can something so evil make us happy?

The truth about money is this:

Money only has as much power over our lives and our happiness as we give it. If we allow it to be the driving force for our existence or base our self-worth and happiness on it, then we are playing a very dangerous game.

It’s not money that is evil; rather it is the love of money that turns the all mighty dollar into a distasteful unit.

Still we must remember that our attitudes towards money can very much be a double edge sword. On one hand if you chase it too hard, you can lose yourself in the process; become possessed by it even.

On the other hand, if you disdain it, you will drive it away and it is this thought pattern that has been ingrained in our minds by outside influences and, as pointed out by many successful people, is one of the main reasons some people never attain the wealth they truly desire.

So what do we do?

Well let’s be realistic, unless we’re living in la-la land, we need money to maintain our current lifestyles and live comfortably. In order to claim our human right to be happy (as you will find in the book) we must master the art of “balance.” We should also learn to re-train our internal mind-set and take control of how we allow external situations affect our happiness.

In my book, The Human Right of Happiness I share that we should embrace and even welcome the luxuries and benefits we can receive from money.

It is okay to have money as long as we don’t let money “have” us.

Whether we’re as rich as Oprah or as poor as Ned the Wino on Good Times we should always remember that money (or anything else for that matter) can’t make us happy. Happiness is something that only you alone can attain and it starts with making a conscious decision to be happy despite your economic status.

But let us not act as if we don’t have a need for it (regardless of the amount) because realistically, we do.

So go forth, my fellow friends, and receive all the riches the Universe has to offer you. Just be sure you are careful about the amount of “value” you place on money and how you allow it affects your happiness.

xoxo

Ms. Hite

P.S.
You all were such an inspiration I’ve decided to use some of your quotes in my upcoming book…

Enjoy


“Let anyone say how they can do without money and you have found someone that is such a good story teller that they have fooled themselves. – Phillip D. Goolsby

“A lot of “life’s problems can be rectified with a lil cashola!”
– Akono Hite

“[Money] may spice and facilitate happiness but not earn it. Happiness is a state of mind, one can earn it with or without money.” – Mohammed Adamu

“…those who already have money find other reasons to be unhappy since money has always been abundant.” – N’neka Hite

“…happiness has to be a state of being” – Le Roy Cooper

“I would agree that money is essential, however we should not let it have us, or depend solely on it for our happiness.” – Patricia Hite

Thanks Fam!