Reconsidering! The Happiest! Relationship with "Money"
I thought I had already been liberated from the "prison of money".
However, I realized that I was still a prisoner.
It happened when I was looking for a house in the place I was moving to.
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Recently, I had the opportunity to hear about the "four prisons."
People trapped in these prisons cannot live freely.
I was told that I need to realize this and get out of them.
The "prison of money"
The "prison of others"
The "prison of time"
The "prison of health"
Of these four,
I was aware that I was trapped in all of them to some extent, but
I thought, "I've almost escaped the 'prison of money'! I'm free!"
However, while looking for a house in my new location,
I was made to realize that I am still firmly trapped.
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During my 30s,
in order to quit my job and be able to live once I did,
I was desperate to save money.
Looking back at my actions/relationship with money at that time:
・Rent was nearly half the area average for a 1K apartment (2-hour commute, occasional roof leaks).
・I did not invest in experiences like travel or meeting people.
・I only bought clothes and accessories that I liked.
・Minimal investment in self-improvement courses and books.
In my 40s, I made a "long-awaited" career change,
and "saving money to quit my job" was no longer the goal.
My relationship with money changed significantly from something to "save" to something to "use."
・A slightly pricey 1LDK apartment (convenient for both life and commuting, new construction).
・Buying experiences through travel several times a year.
・Increased investment in health, such as yoga, muscle training, and swimming.
Another change in my relationship occurred
after I started learning mindfulness in 2021.
I became overflowing with things I wanted to do.
I started dipping into the savings I had built up for "peace of mind"
to fulfill whatever I wanted to do,
and I invested "without sparing any expense" in things that would lead to my own skill development and deeper self-understanding.
I also went to see people I wanted to meet who lived far away.
Before I encountered mindfulness, I was
passive about "living"
and was "using" money to "maintain the state of surviving."
But I started to borrow the power of money
not to "survive," but to "utilize myself."
I gained the experience from what I invested, which then circulated to create new experiences.
A very, very "good relationship with money" was established within me.
That is why I thought,
"My relationship with money has improved."
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When I started looking for a house in my new location, fear struck me.
My job is changing.
My salary is one-fourth of what it was during my time as a company employee, and it's only for three years.
My income for the fourth year is unpredictable.
The rent in the area I'm moving to is nearly double what I expected.
I felt my options narrowing.
I felt like rent would take everything away, and I wouldn't be able to do the other things I wanted to do.
"Is this what happens if you don't have money...?"
While I was repeating such thoughts,
I had the opportunity to hear the story of the "four prisons" mentioned at the beginning.
When I first heard it,
"I changed by practicing mindfulness."
"I'm no longer in the prison of money, I'm fine."
I thought.
However,
I stopped for a moment to observe and dig deeper into the fear that welled up inside me every time I tried to proceed with my house search.
Then, I realized that there was a thought there:
"There is no substitute for money."
"If you don't have money, there are no alternative options,
you will absolutely not be able to do what you want to do,
and therefore your life will be unhappy."
…What a thing to realize.
The reason I thought I had "built a good relationship with money"
was simply because "I had enough money, so I couldn't see the problem."
I had only covered up a mind that was "subconsciously trapped by money"
with "actions that looked like I was using money freely on the surface."
・
Just because I realized it doesn't mean I can get out of the prison immediately.
It doesn't mean my habits of thought will disappear.
However, precisely because I realized I am in prison, there are things I can do.
It might not change dramatically in one leap,
but I think I will start doing this.
・Be grateful for money.
・Be grateful when paying money (put your hands together and express it in words).
・When paying money, be grateful to the environment and people involved in providing that value (put your hands together and express it in words).
To be able to perceive "money" as something other than just "money"
I think I will start from here
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Thank you for reading my clumsy writing
I sincerely pray that today
will be a wonderful day for you
from the bottom of my heart