Do you struggle with money?
Remember the fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin? Spinning silver… or was it straw… into gold? Of course you do. Not only is it a classic in the Grimm’s Brothers collection, it’s also been reshaped by many modern-day storytellers.
Spinning Silver
Spinning Silver, by Naomi Novik, is a new diamond on this sparkling string. Before you get carried away with visions of an ugly little man jumping up and down in fury when he loses his claim, take a step back. Big breath.
Instead, journey to a fantastic land reminiscent of Czarist Russia. Enter ancient forests, deep winters, inhabit villages on the verge of poverty. Oh—yes. Don’t forget, you’re also in a time when the scope of a woman’s ambition amounts to getting married, bearing children, and tending a home. (Not that there’s anything wrong with those ambitions, when they come from the heart! Just that having a much wider range to choose from, is preferable.)
Ms. Novik dives deep into Jewish history as well. On the subject of “spinning silver into gold,” she roots the story in the family of a Jewish moneylender. When the father lends well, but cannot collect his loans, his family suffers. Finally his daughter, Miryem, takes matters into her own hands.
Financial success
Miryem does six things that ensure she’ll succeed financially.
These same six steps will help you spin silver into gold:
- Refuse to take no for an answer.
- When one way doesn’t work, innovate—try another.
- *Do not take people’s negative reactions personally.
- Start a savings program right away.
- Stay open to and aware of opportunities.
- Takes immediate, committed action on those opportunities.
Handling obstacles
Number three, in the list above, is part of why Miryem’s parents are so unhappy at her choice to become a debt collector. Her heart hardens more than a little in order to keep doing what she must do, in the face of predictable verbal abuse.
I don’t wish you to harden your heart, or to take verbal abuse. (There is no excuse for abuse!) But I DO want rejection to slide off you like water off a ducks’ back.
When it comes to money, most of us carry inner wounds that have grown into damaging behavior. Whether it’s overspending, or overworking, it takes its toll. Time to go back to the basics. Let “what has been” go and start anew. You, too, can be spinning silver into gold.
Coach’s Challenge:
Close your eyes. Think about money. What are the top two sayings you heard over and over that formed your beliefs about money? What negative behaviors have you developed because of those sayings and beliefs? Copy the six “rules” above and post them where you will see them regularly. This week, pick one and implement it. Bit by bit, you’ll begin spinning silver into gold!
If you love reading a great fantasy tale, pick up Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik. You won’t be able to put it down!