I got my mind on my money (and I ain't goin nowhere)

Happy Friday the 13th! Today's inspiration? Good ol' T.I. and Rhianna - Live Your Life.

I was listening to Pandora and this T.I. song came on. I was all into it - don't worry I wasn't dancing...just a little head bobbin LoL and then toward the end I heard the line, "I got my mind on my money, and I ain't goin nowhere." 

Light bulb! 

Money. Money. Money. Doesn't it seem to be the topic of almost every conversation? People are so dependent on this greenness that it consumes them. Instead of waking up everyday being happy the majority wake up dreading their trip into work. And why do we work? For money right? And why do we want that money? So we can be happy and enjoy life, right? So the question I had to ask myself was this...do we really need money to be happy? I certainly like having money. I love buying things, and I enjoy being able to do things that cost money...but when the want of money overrides the need for money that's when problems arise. 

When our mind is constantly fixated on money it's hard to think about other things, and it is definitely tougher to enjoy life. I have noticed that people who are always worrying about money tend to think that everyone owes them something. They are always thinking of ways to get money out of others and doing favors for people becomes almost non-existent. If you feel that money is more important than personal relationships then why on earth would the idea of just doing something out of the kindness of your heart even cross your mind? What ever happened to the days of neighbors helping neighbors? Or even strangers helping strangers? It seems like we have all replaced our hearts with an ATM and are always expecting things in return for good deeds. The second you expect something in return for a favor - that's when the favor loses its value. 

I am having the toughest time with this because it makes sense that we should be rewarded for things that we do. Money is a great way to show appreciation. This totally leaves me feeling stuck. What if I want to open a business someday? Am I suppose to just offer my services for free? I gotta live too. I can't just go around being this big ol' charity doer. As humans we for sure have needs, and in that same sentence we have wants. Wants need to be satisfied too. Can you see me trying to work through this as I go along? LoL. Okay common sense, come in and do your part...

Duh! There is nothing wrong with money. Money is not evil. It is the obsession with money that is evil. Money can do a lot of damage to a person if they're not careful. It's all about balance. It is so easy to become selfish and self-centered when money is involved. The need for more, more, more can consume the mind. Material possessions are definitely not the most important thing in the world, yet many feel that they just can't live without certain stuff. If you feel like you can't live without material things, maybe it's time to take a step back and ask yourself how important that material possession actually is. 

One day I want to be able to say that I am perfectly happy buck naked with nothing! LoL okay maybe not...gotta be careful what I wish for here...but do you get what I'm saying? We need to be happy no matter what. If our car breaks, it's not the end of the world. Stuff just gets in the way of life. It may enhance your happiness for a while, but the second that new phone or computer comes out you will lose interest in what you have and always want the next best thing. There is no end. Unless you end it, and decide to be happy no matter what. The nastiest words in the world are so often used in relation to money...greed, jealousy, stealing, lying, cheating. Do your best to remember what is actually important in life. Cuz if ya got your mind on only your money - you ain't going no where! Cha-ching! :)