How to Juggle a 9-to-5 While Running Your Business

Ahhhhhhhh... Jobs. They serve a purpose and fill a need. Like a waterproof goose down jacket when you're snowboarding the Southern Alps. When we're in the first stages of building our business, 9 times out of 10 we're still going to be working in our jobs. The tricky part is juggling both of them when you're not making enough from your business to leave and are needing the income from your job to live and function on. This, if done right, can be really easy and in fact enjoyable!

My part time job had hours that really suited me. It allowed me to work for two to three hours in the morning and two to three hours in the afternoon. I'd wake up early, get my morning routine done and then work on my business. It kept me excited throughout my day knowing that I could return to it once I finished work. A year or two before that I was using my job as an excuse of why I wasn't putting the time into my business. The truth is I had major limiting beliefs and money blocks. I just didn't think I was good enough to do it.

If you're one of those people who says they can't find the time to work on their business, don't have enough energy after working all day or busy doing other things. Here's three examples of multi-million dollar entrepreneurs who built their businesses while working in a job. Leonie Dawson worked a full-time government job while hustling on her business. Marie Forleo did bartending while building her life coaching business. Denise Duffield-Thomas had a corporate job but decided to go out on a limb and ask her husband to support her for 6 months while she tried to build her business.

Whatever your excuse is for not working on your dreams yet, it's costing you more than you know. So get over yourself - lovingly so - and get your butt working!

LIGHTEN YOUR WORK LOAD

If you're working 40 hours a week and you're finding it's too much for you to be able to do that and work on your business, have a chat with your boss at the possibility of lessening your hours down to 30 or 20. Yes the income decreases a little bit, but you're opening yourself up to more time, energy and creative space to put into your business to make double your income!

LOOK FOR A BRIDGING POSITION

If you're unable to lighten your workload without pissing off your boss, another thing to try would be looking for a bridging position. Something that doesn't take up as much of your time or energy that will allow you to be able to work on your business. This could be a part time role working as a Nanny for a few hours a day, or maybe check out if there are any Virtual Assistant roles up for grabs in your network. There's always a way, don't forget that!


SET SPECIFIC TIMES TO WORK ON YOUR BUSINESS

To truly live in alignment with the rich, fearless and free lifestyle, you need to be responsible in your business from Day 1, and that means living your life the way you would once you were successful. You need to stay as balanced as you can. Of course you'll overindulge when it comes to working on your business, when it's something that excites you that you love and you're passionate about who wouldn't want to immerse themselves in it 24/7!? But try as hard as possible to live your life and enjoy it. Keep up your date nights, your coffee dates and family catch ups. Without these your life will be just that little less sparkly. And I said it once and I'll say it again, you don't need to suffer in order to live your dreams.

Let us know your personal tips! How are you juggling your 9-to-5 while working on your business?

Elise xo

How We Manifested Our $2.1 Million Dollar Home

In celebration of some incredible people manifesting some amazing things in The $100k Experiment (hint: 50 pounds, a $1200 trip to Fiji and a load of great money making opportunities!) I want to share with you how we manifested our $2.1 million dollar rental home earlier this year. Yes that's the view from our bedroom!

It all began with the viewing on New Years Eve.

Who views a house on New Years Eve you ask?

No one.

Except the people bonkers enough to do it.. AKA us.

We knew that January was a busy time for people looking for rentals, with new students starting their semesters and newcomers moving into the city wanting to give the 'big smoke' a try still drunk on the idea of new possibilities.

But New Years Eve wasn't a busy time. In fact it was a deserted buffet with an abundance of delicacies ready for the taking!

We knew we loved it the minute we walked down the foyer to the entrance. And as we moved through the house, it wasn't about what we liked about it, it was about what we were going to do in this room and that room, and what we'll put here and decorate there. And then it was the view. The view that enraptured us all.

The house was ours in our minds.

And two months later, it was ours.

Here is what we did:

How We Manifested Our $2.1 Million Dollar Home

• Wrote in my gratitude journal how much I loved living in the house, If I didn't journal I'd say what I was grateful for about it when I went on my daily walks.
• I visualized myself in the house, pottering around, cooking, working, just regular day to day stuff that I already did anyway.
• Talked in detail about the house with my partner and our friend living with us.
• Drove by the house at least three times a week so I could soak in the view, and imagine myself in the house once again. Yeah I was getting borderline stalker around about now.
• When friends came to visit, I'd say "Let's go see our new house!" and then I'd drive them to the area and we'd marvel at it's beauty for a few minutes or so.
• Scott and I went for a few walks around the neighbourhood to suss out the vibe and people. 
• We went to every viewing of the house. Just to get a few more minutes of good visualizing juju in.
• We also started buying up furniture for the new house. I found a killer 3-piece lounge suite for a steal!
• We frequented the local shopping centre and bought groceries at the supermarket.
• I got my finances in order ready to pay for the bond.
• Started to appreciate where I was because I knew the house was ours.

Simple practical steps right? 

When you add them all up, throw in repetition and almost no resistance. It can happen that quickly.

In saying this, I think it's important to note that some things will manifest quicker than others, easier than others and with less effort than others. And some things will just take longer no matter how hard or little you try.

I didn't plan to do any of the things above, they just happened naturally. And yes, we even had a bit of resistance and freaked out that maybe it wasn't going to happen. But overall our vibe stayed positive.

The biggest thing is to get out of your way and not be attached to the outcome. If you can do that, then you've won the battle!

So to send you off, I'll leave you with a quick sunset snap from our deck that I sent my friends last night.

A video posted by Elise McDowell (@elisemcdowell) on Aug 28, 2015 at 1:26am PDT

Your turn! What's something 'big' that you have manifested with quite a bit of ease?


Elise xo


P.S - If you're on Periscope, tomorrow I'm going to share the 3 things I do each day that have helped me manifest more abundance in my life! My addy is @elisemcdowell - see you there!

How Marie Forleo "Humiliated" Me

It was the lowest point in my life.

I was broke, jobless and living at home with my Mother.

Scarcity had wriggled it's way into the depths of my subconscious and I could feel it's claws tightening it's grip.

I didn't know what to do. I was helpless. I felt like less of a person because I had no purpose, no income, no connection to anyone, nothing. I was making mini droplets of income through my blog at the time - $20 here, $80 there - but even then it seemed like everyone around me had wrapped a scarcity bag around their heads too.

There was one day I remember fondly where I needed a haircut - a simple $20 haircut - and I couldn't afford it.

And something in me snapped.

I was furious.

Was this really all there was to my life?

Was this it?

I needed help. I needed an answer. And I needed it now.

I couldn't afford to work with a coach or buy any books, so out of sheer gall (and suffering) all I could think of to do was ask Marie Forleo.

And she came back with this..

I remember that fateful day like it was yesterday. I had just woken, dried drool on my cheek, hair like I'd combed it with a cactus.

Opening the email I remember thinking "Oh, a money post from Marie yuss!".  I clicked through to the post and let the video play.

As per usual she had her quirky little intro, which what makes me (and I'm sure everyone else) connect with her so much more. And then moved into the readers question.

And that's when I heard my name.

My heart stopped.

"It's.. my.. question." I said, dumbfounded.

Marie continued reading.

I slinked further and further under my duvet, eyes bulging, heart in my throat.

I felt like this.

As she moved through the video with her advice - which by the way I did NOT pay any attention to because HOLY SHIT MARIE FORLEO ANSWERED MY QUESTION!!!!!! - a sudden wave of humiliation washed over me.

I felt seen.

Exposed.

Vulnerable.

Like I'd just lead myself to a public slaughtering of some sort. GoT style.

"What are people going to think of me? What if my ex from 8 years ago sees this!? What if my horrid maths teacher from 6th form sees this? Oh god, what if my friends see this!? WHAT IF MY FAMILY SEES THIS!?!?! IDIOT! The entire world now knows about my 'situation'! How stupid were you to ask this question publicly! This is worse than that time you fell off stage at the school assembly!"

I was a goner to my "victim mode".

But there was nothing I could do, it was already done. I cringed. I squirmed. I felt like this guy at 2:20. And yet there was still nothing I could do. Nothing but accept it and move forward.. somehow.

Eventually I was able to watch the whole video through and actually retain the information that Marie had given - which I use a lot of in my day to day practice!

And now? I go back to that video every now and then to check in with where I'm at. I still cringe at moments, but each time I do watch it I feel better and better about it. And amazingly (and ironically) enough Marie was able to help me realize something extremely important after I'd actually posted this post..

How amazing is that?

Many, many lessons have come from this one small act of courage (and pain). And yes, I still feel seen. Yes, it still makes me squirm. But if this has helped at least one person change their relationship with money in a positive way, at the sake of my "ego", then that is worth the world to me.

Elise xo

P.S - Getting some mega facebook love over here!

An Amusing Lesson on Defining My Ideal Day

She looked me up and down as if I had emerged out of the eighteenth century a orphaned pick-pocket.



"Are you wanting to eat here?" she asked, with a puzzled expression and a hint of condescension in her tone.


After three three hours of hiking around the island, with chunks of clay stuck to my shoes, dried sweat-now-salt layered on my face and an outfit of walking tights and a fleece sweater, I wasn't exactly dressed for lunch in a hoity-toity restaurant.


"Yes please!" I said, ignoring her subtle condemnatory glare.


I found my table outside in the sun, overlooking the beach.


After I had ordered I contemplated the interaction that had just happened.


Taking a sip of my water I surveyed the restaurant.


'Weird', I thought. 'There's no one here but retired people and tourists. It was the same yesterday at the other restaurant'.


Thinking nothing of it, I went back to my view and sat there soaking in the sun.


Let's pause there for a moment.

You've more than likely heard of the 'ideal day' exercise.

Well, whenever I've tried to imagine and feel what my days would be like once I ran my own 6-figure business it would go something like this - I'd wake early, do yoga, drink green juice, work with my clients, go shopping or meet a friend for lunch, workout in the afternoon, prepare gourmet dinners, drink wine and relax in the evening - and every single time I imagined that it felt overwhelming, it felt crippling, it felt unsuitable.


I found it impossible to imagine the lifestyle I'd be living once I was wealthy because 1) I'd never experienced it before and 2) I believed I would be a completely different person.


'Wait a minute.' My mind was back on the restaurant observation.


'It's midday on a Tuesday. Everyone is at work right now.'


Then it hit me.


Everyone is literally at work except for the retired and the tourists. Even prissy waitress lady in her tight fitted knit dress and tan leather boots - which actually looks really lovely, BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT.


No one else is on their time right now, except for the retired, the tourists and me!


*LIGHTBULB*


This is it. This is exactly what I want. This is my ideal day.


Enjoying a Tuesday afternoon on my time. Letting uppity waitresses hover in the corner trying to figure me out. Eating vanilla pancakes with bacon and freshly squeezed orange juice. Working on my 5-figure business from my phone. Wearing sweat infused workout gear and shoes riddled with mud.


This is my ideal day.


And it feels so, me.


When getting into business, most of us believe we're going to become this amazing 2.0 version of ourselves and do these incredible things that we don't do right now.


And I really gotta cut the shit and say, you'll be petrified bone-dust before that happens.


Get real with yourself. Take the exercise a step further, and off the paper. Take the day off work and feel-out what you'd really like to do. Take actual action. Because I guarantee you, the imaginary ideal day you've written on paper is not going to match what you really want to do once you have the time!


Now it's your turn! Tell us below what your *real* ideal day in your business is?



Elise


P.S - this is the view from the restaurant.. ;)

How to Run a Rampage of Appreciation for Money

Tomorrow I delete myself from the world... for four days.

No technology.

No distractions.

No human contact.

And a part of what I'll be doing while I'm away - since I'm gonna have sooooooo much god damn time on my hands - is to get back into practising rampages of appreciation.

Back in 2010, when I was a total groupie to Abraham Hicks, I used to recite the money rampage below every single day.

At first I felt like a complete nut case dork, but each day that I did it I noticed I started to feel better and believe it just a little bit more. It didn't seem like I had been reciting the rampage all that long when exciting things started manifesting into my life.


Winning a trip to New York to meet Taylor Swift, being showered with gifts from people, getting a brand new car and a new job without having to interview etc..


The thing about building a money mindset is you've got to try everything to figure out what works for you.


So for today, use this rampage:

Rampage of Appreciation for Money

"I’ll bet there are many people who, at one time, were standing financially about where I am. Who broke through this, and found a stream of abundance. And I can feel the stream of abundance approaching me, because things that have never happened to me before are beginning to show up.

So, I know my vibration around money is improving. And, there’s no end to what that improvement will be. And it’s gonna be fun for me over the next days to watch different evidences showing me I’m really sniffing out the trail of abundance.

And, I accept that 99% of every creation is complete before I see any physical evidence, so it’s alright if it doesn’t flow right into my hands this red hot minute. I can be patient here a little bit. 

I’ve learned to settle in here and I’m alright in waiting for this. And I’m actually beginning to feel my impatience turning to a little bit of eagerness. It’s going to be exciting to watch how the Universe displays to me, in a way that is meaningful, where I can consciously recognise that my energy is shifting. 

And, I can feel that even in this conversation that I’m having with myself that I’m moving systematically into that Stream of money that I’m wanting. And I’m not asking for it to come all at once. Although it can. I’m asking that it come through my crack of least resistance, which I’m working on right now. And it’s exciting to me to anticipate the adventure, and the surprises, and the ways in which it will flow.

And, I’m appreciating already my knowledge about my own guidance system. I am appreciating my understanding of the Law of Attraction. And I am appreciating the people that are showing, in a demonstrating way, that abundance can flow into their experiences. And I am looking forward to meeting people who can tell me their stories about how they were in desperate straits not very long ago and money began to flow. And I like hearing from them, especially the part where they say, ‘I can’t believe that it was always there for me’, or I have the sensation of, ‘Where have you been all along.’ 

In other words, it’s an interesting thing to be on one side of the manifestation one moment, and on the other side of the manifestation in the other moment. And I’m looking forward to breaking through that.

But, in the mean time, I’m happy to be on this side of the manifestation because I’m feeling better, and better, and better. I’ve improved my life in so many different ways. And I’m eager to begin to see the stream of money flow into my experience. 

I know that I’m worthy of it. That’s not what the question is. I know, now, that I’ve just been a little bit vibrationally out of whack. And I can feel in conversations I’m having with myself, like this, are bringing me vibrationally into alignment. I’m understanding that my work is this emotional journey. It’s not about getting out there and beating the pavement. It’s not about finding the vortex – the specific vortex – through which the money will flow. I don’t want only one specific vortex. I want many vortexes to open. I want to be the focal point, where enormous sums of money begin to flow into my experience.

I have activated my imagination. There is no end to my ideas of what I will do with this stream of money. It’s great fun! I love the idea of playing the game where I’m spending the money. I love the sensation of the money being in my pocket! And I love the sensation of expressing it out there in the Universe. And I love the economy that I benefit as I hire one more to do one more thing, or as I buy one more thing and bring it home. But most of all, I enjoy the sensation of Freedom! And it’s interesting to note that I am having that sensation of freedom right now even though my dollars have not changed at all in this moment! 

I’ve broken through the emotional journey. I can feel that I’ve cleaned up my vibration. I’m much closer. Maybe 70% of that 99.99 of that percentage is in place. I’m willing to play this game! Who wouldn’t want to play this game! It’s exhilarating to play this game! It’s life-giving to play this game. I could play this game all day, every day! Wouldn’t it be nice if I have that? Won’t it be nice if I have that? Won’t it be nice if I have that? Wouldn’t it be nice if I have that?

I feel such appreciation of the abundance that’s flowing into my experience. There is abundance that’s coming to me in so many ways. I have the abundance of clarity. I have the abundance of stamina. I have the abundance of health. I have the abundance of friends. I have the abundance of so many things. And now the Universe is getting ready to give me the abundance of dollars. The abundance of being able to prove to myself that I am in alignment of all that I want and that it is true that there is NOTHING that I cannot BE, or DO, or HAVE!

That’s what I want most of all, I say to the Universe! I want personal acknowledgment that there is nothing that I cannot Be, or Do, or Have. And money is part of it. Money might even be a big part of it. I can feel money on it’s way to me. And I am grateful for it even as it begins to flow and I am proud of myself for the work I am doing. And I am eager to improve where I am. And I am Happy where I am.

I am doing very well. I have come so far. I’m proud of where I am. I know the Universe sees me as I am. I can get on these rampages any time I want to. I am going to work on these rampages more and more, because they just feel so darn good. In fact, in a rampage like this, whether the money comes or not, in this red hot minute, is no big issue to me. I know it’s coming. I’m not even wondering if it’s coming. I’m not hoping that it’s coming. I’m not even believing that it’s coming. I know that it’s coming. It’s just a matter of time. NO! It’s not even a matter of time. It’s just a matter of my alignment with what I want. And it’s alright that I want it. The Time Space reality has given me the ability to discern it. I’ve launched rockets of desire and they’re over there pulsing with me. And Source and Inner Being are in alignment with them saying, “Come this way. Come this way. Come this way. Come this way. Come this way. Come this way.” And I can tell by the thoughts that I’m thinking right now I have come that way! I’m there! I’m there vibrationally and, NOW, let the money roll in!"



Now it's your turn: let me see your rampage of appreciation!

Elise xo

P.S - 39 money affirmations

39 Of My Favourite Money Affirmations (That Work!)

Have you ever experimented with money affirmations? Did you find them ineffective? Maybe even a little wanky? Did you find it hard to believe them? Or were you the opposite end, did you find them super effective? Really powerful and easy to believe?

Whatever your thoughts, you can't deny that there is some amazing energy that hangs around money manifestation affirmations, or affirmations in general.

My favourite lady, Oprah, said that for her entire life she had been using affirmations without really knowing it. She said that because of the affirmations she recited in her mind over and over again, she created the life she has now. Which is pretty amazing right?!

Below are 30 money affirmations I used on a consistent basis to bring more money into my life (which by the way, absolutely work!). The only different now is that I now incorporate my affirmations into my morning mindset work, and that runs a little differently than these affirmations (but that's another post for later!). So for now, enjoy these brilliantly effective money manifestation affirmations!

MY 39 FAVOURITE MONEY AFFIRMATIONS

• I am excited about receiving more money. 
• I intend to allow money to flow easily to me. 
• Shortage and scarcity are illusions of the ego. 
• I invite more money to come to me daily. 
• I am so grateful for the ability to manifest money when I want it. 
• I am creating an abundant future with my thoughts today. 
• I am so grateful for the opportunity to create something better. 
• I love the freedom that comes with financial abundance. 
• I think only positive thoughts about money. 
• Money is being drawn to me in every moment. 
• Money flows easily to me in every moment. 
• I am choosing better thoughts about money right now. 
• I am healing my relationship with money. 
• Having money makes me feel calm and confident. 
• I can tune into the essence of abundance anytime I want. 
• When I focus on abundance, I feel abundant. 
• The universe leads me to great opportunities. 
• I deserve to have plenty of money. 
• I choose to stay focused on abundance no matter what. 
• I choose to focus on joy and money flows. 
• I am actively looking for expressions of abundance today. 
• Money flows easily to me when I stay detached and open. 
• I visualize myself having money, and I receive more money. 
• I am relaxing into greater abundance today. 
• I choose to feel wealthy right now. 
• I give myself permission to be abundant in every way. 
• I am expanding into greater abundance now. 
• More money is lining up for me right this minute. 
• I love money and money loves me. 
• I work in partnership with the universe to create abundance. 
• I am organized and responsible with money. 
• When I feel good, I am open to money and abundance. 
• I am easily creating more money and abundance. 
• I can create as much abundance as I want, starting now. 
• Money comes to me in fun, easy and surprising ways! 
• When I feel good about money, I attract it. 
• Money is drawn to me when I feel happy. 
• I always have more than enough for everything I need. 
• Financial well-being is my new reality.

Use these money affirmations as often as you can. Pick a couple that resonate with you and use them. They are powerful, and when teamed with a ton of positive energy, they don't just become money manifestation affirmations but physical manifestations!

Do you have a money affirmation that works really well for you? Share yours below!


Elise xo

P.S - my 6 tips on how to manifest money now

Why do you want to be rich?

I'm lying here in bed feeling sorry for myself. 

My bedside table engulfed with vicks, throat lozenges and remnants of ginger & lemon tea.

After you've met your sleep quota for the rest of the year, there's not much else to do but twiddle your thumbs - and shop online.

I'll admit it, online shopping is my guilty pleasure when bed ridden.

Today things got pretty heated  - between hawking up a lung & spreading mucous everywhere - when I couldn't decide whether to get the boho swing dress or the aztec culottes.

Why the hell couldn't I just have both!?

Simple: My personal spending comfort zone

See, the thing is. No matter how hard you work at busting through your money blocks, you're always going to hit another limit you've got to work through.

When I find myself hitting that wall, one thing I do is remind myself why I want to smash through it in the first place.

I do that by reaffirming why I want to be rich.

Why I Want To Be Rich

• Give my Mum an extremely comfortable retirement
• Live a laid back luxurious lifestyle with Scott (we love heat & afternoon naps)
• Spend more quality time with family and friends
• Help people to bring more money into their lives
• Start doing philanthropic work

Why Do You Want To Be Rich?

Do you want to live a luxurious lifestyle? Maybe spend a year traveling through Europe? Do you want to help the world with your skills? Eat at nice restaurants? Maybe you’re craving a 7-figure business, or a swoon-worthy wardrobe?

Whatever it is, tell me below why you want to be rich - make it public!

(And if you want a head start, join The 100k Experiment!)


Elise x


P.S - how to upgrade your money mindset

How to (Continuously) Upgrade Your Money Mindset

"I got it" read the text message.

And in 0.245ths of a second I had gasped so loud my colleagues thought I was choking.

*frantic dialing*

"Hello?"

"CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!! I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!!!!!#@#$%^&!!"

"Oh haha, thanks babe."

"How do you feel?"

"Yeah.."

"What's wrong?"

"Uhhh...."

"Come on, out with it."

"It's just.. I'm gonna miss this place. Don't get me wrong I am over the moon but.. It's just... bittersweet. You know?"


Because sometimes when we're ready to take the next step, life is already ticking along swimmingly.


And when things are going well it's hard for us to understand why we'd want to change and move upwards.


It's become comfortable.


It's become easy.


And that's why it's time to upgrade.


And it can be like graduation all over again.


"I don't want to move on. I want to move on. I'm scared. I'm excited. I'm tired. I need a nap. I'll think about it. I'll save some time to plan it all out in the weekend. Oh god I'm so ready. I'M SO NOT READY! I'm so confused. It's all so clear. HELP!!!"


And it's exactly the same when upgrading your money mindset.


"Wow, I'm manifesting money from my business/creative pursuits/out of thin air! I can't believe it! I love it! I think this might be a bit too much too soon. This is so exciting. Oh my god I am so out of my league. I'll strategize and reinvest it back into my business. Nah screw that, let's go on a shopping spree! I deserve this. I so don't deserve this. I'm slipping back. I'm making progress again! I feel like I've gone back to step one. Making money is so easy. OMG this is a nightmare!!!"


I can't guarantee that you're going to be ready at the perfect time, and that all your decisions are going to be easier the more you upgrade.


What I can guarantee is that curve balls are gonna hurl in your direction at any moment. But it's not about what happens, it's about how you work through it.


And when it comes to upgrading your money mindset, the way through it is with consistency.

How to Upgrade Your Money Mindset

Make consistency your friend. Do one small action each day. They add up! Try these:

• Find someone to follow. We learn best from people we admire. Find a leader who captures your attention, speaks in a way that you understand and makes you want to learn everything they know on the subject (hint: me! ;D)



• Always be studying. Get your hands on as many books on money, wealth creation and mindset building as possible. Join the library, head into your local thrift store or grab a bargain from The Book Depository. There's always a way. 



• Sign up for quality webinars. Those that are specific to what you want. i.e how to work through blocks, manifest money, upgrade your business etc. Yes they're promotional tools - but - if they're run by a quality expert, they will give you A LOT of tremendous free information that you can work with straight away - like this one. 



• Join courses. You can learn so much from a course that a book or webinar just can't give you. Like a community of people you can reach out to. Or hands on in-depth information and tools right that you can access whenever you want. And my favourite  will progress you dramatically - Lucky Bitch Bootcamp is the only one I recommend for this.



• Take action. Theory is good, but if it's teamed with action it's unsurpassable. Everything you soak up you need to put into physical activity. Whether it's writing, verbalising, ritualizing etc, you need to do it, try it out, experiment with it. Find what you like and do it every day. That's how you upgrade your money mindset (actually, anything in life).

As Robet Collier said, "Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out".


You got this.


Tell me below what's one thing you've been doing to upgrade your money mindset each day?



Elise x


P.S - how to save money easily

How To Stop Feeling Broke

I had been dreading this weekend for over a month.


"Do I have to go? I don't want to. I can't afford it. But it's her birthday. I have to go."

To the world, I was the lucky bitch taking an "extended holiday" back home, galavanting all over the land, back and forth to the city.


And I worked hard to keep that as the perception.


Because if they found out the truth - that I'd actually moved back in with my Mother to build an online business with only $80 to my name - they'd disown me solely for my stupidity.

I came up with an array of excuses of why I couldn't go, but no matter what I did, this birthday weekend was still happening. And I was still going. And I was stone cold bitter about it.


The weekend came and went. 


I didn't have some major epiphany that you're supposed to when you're desperation mode, I didn't enjoy myself because I spent the entire time worried about my spending, and I spent my $80 which made my stomach stir.

Those were good times. Really.

Sometimes we can't help the situations we find ourselves in.


Whether a maintenance bill unbeknownst to you flopped into your lap and wiped you out till next payday.

Or you got caught up in the '60% off' Nordstrom sale. 

Or you invested in a business course and now you don't have enough money to pay your rent this week.


It can leave you (dirt) broke.


But it's not about what your situation is. It's about how you feel.

And when you feel broke, that's the danger zone.

How to Stop Feeling Broke

This is an exercise that on the surface looks stupidly simple. But if you do it properly, you wind up feeling so much better (and not broke) instantly.


1. What in your life already makes you feel abundant?

List every single thing in your life that makes you feel abundant already. Is it your car? Your relationship? Your job? House? Health? Go deep into specifics. What in that particular area of your life makes you feel abundant? Drill down even further. Why does it make you feel abundant?


2. What are some small income generating actions you can take today?


I've got your first easy action step, Join The 100k Experiment, and start manifesting your first 100k for free. You could declutter your wardrobe and sell your clothes, promote an affiliate product you love on your website or run a few discovery calls and book your next client. Get creative and think abstractly.


Remember, you have to have the mental shift first (exercise #1) before the go on to the second exercise. If you do, it will be much easier to take those actions without resistance to bring money in.


Side Note: Honestly, you can't do this exercise when you're deep in scarcity. You have to do it when you're a little less resistant, say after you've had a nap, been for a walk or when your energy is elevated. Coffee anyone?


Now I want to hear from you:

What are your tricks to get yourself out of feeling broke? Is there an exercise you go through or do you just let the feelings run their course?



Elise x

P.S - how to manifest money

6 Tips on How to Manifest Money Now

I remember very vividly back in 2010 sitting on the floor of my bedroom feeling helpless, irritated and disappointed that I had no money for the umpteenth time. To be fair I was 19, so still extremely new to bills, rent and partying!! It wasn't like I was incapable of making money and keeping it. I had many periods throughout my life where there was an abundance of money, where I was able to save $250 a week, where I could afford to go out to dinner with friends, take regular holidays, pay my bills and still have cash in the bank.

I knew The Secret, I knew the principles of the Law of Attraction, I visualized as hard as humanly possible and yet I was still broke, still complaining about the same things, still living in my shitty apartment and working in a soul-sucking job. Which is why I was so frustrated, because it obviously wasn't from a lack of opportunities or "smarts". The only difference that I could come up with between the broke years and the abundant years was my frame of mind.

It wasn't until I figured out the 6 core steps to manifesting money (and anything you want in life actually) that it was then that my "luck" started turning around big time. When I started practising the 6 steps, it's like the floodgates opened for me.

Within a month I had manifested:

• A $10,000 trip to New York to meet Taylor Swift
• $300 worth of gift vouchers
• Brand new clothes & electronics worth $500
• My old job back without interviewing (money is money, right?)
• A boyfriend! (not money related, but 5 years later I'm still with the guy!)

To be a "money magnet" as they say (so lame), you have to stick to a formula. Like with any freakin' thing you want to achieve, you have a process that you undergo to achieve it. No matter what you do. Think marathon runners vs. couch potatoes. Unlikely opponents but they both have their own 'recipe' for being successful in their "industry". ;)

GET CLEAR ON WHAT YOU DESIRE

In order to manifest money now, you have to know how much you actually want. Yeah, we all wanna win lotto and buy the All Blacks (or is that just me?), but that's the equivalent of wishing for smaller thighs while chowing down on a cream donut. Getting specific gets you energetically focused. And where focus goes, energy grows.

Task: Write down exactly what you want, all of it, no matter how "ridiculous" it may seem.


YOU NEED A REAL PURPOSE FOR IT

To overcome our money blocks and limiting money beliefs, it's not enough to know how much money you want to manifest. You need to know the why behind it. What is your purpose for having this specific thing and not something else? What do you need the money for? What will it do for you? Money needs a purpose, just like Chris Pratt's chiseled gorgeousness needs eyes to oogle it. *drooooooool*

Task: Next to your desire, write your purpose for it, why you need it in your life. This get's you clear.


FORM A CLEAR VISION IN YOUR MIND

Have a very clear, very specific mental picture of what it is you want. Be clear and express that picture to the universe: Visualize. You are like a compass. North is your desire and so you follow that, if you don't focus on your desire the needle spins randomly never getting you to your destination. Be clear and hold on to your thought!

Task: Sit quietly on your couch and form a visual of you having what you desire.


USE GRATITUDE AFFIRMATIONS

Oprah said, "The quickest way to change your life is by using gratitude". And she was right! Using gratitude affirmations is really about seeking harmony with the universe. When you express gratitude for something, it's increasing whatever it's being directed at. Love for your family, your friends, your personal items, your future etc. Remember, it's not actually about the words but about the energy you're harnessing. If your affirmation is "I want to be rich, thank you for the abundance" and you feel like crap because you just had an argument with your partner, it's not going to be as effective say when you just got home after a nature walk and you're feeling really good! Get into a daily practise of gratitude and you will start noticing changes from day one.

Task: Start a morning gratitude journal where you write 2 - 3 money manifestation affirmations each morning.


TAKE CONGRUENT INSPIRED ACTION 

Most people think of action in terms of physically making a motion towards something. But there's an even more powerful way to take action that doesn't require physical action. It's energetic action. You do this by consistently doing the first four tasks each and every day, from there you'll start to receive inspired ideas that will get you to take physical action.

Task: Hold the thought of what you want with trust & the inspired action will come to you.


BECOME AN ENERGETIC MATCH TO YOUR DESIRE

This is where most people get tripped up because they want what they want without making any changes. Having more money is a positive thing for you right? But where are you energetically? Negative? Desperate? Blah? In that state you're not an energetic match to the money. You have to bring yourself up, and others around you (because it helps your manifesting mojo) and be the positivity, the good vibes, the warm fuzzies that the money is for you. It's about being congruent, because you can't be pissed off about not having money and feel good about wishing for it at the same time. You need to have the image of wealth in your mind with the feeling of joy in your heart.

Leave a comment below and tell me how much you'd like to manifest and for what purpose? Dream big!



Elise x


P.S - 39 money affirmations