The Money Catalyst: Returning to Basics in a Chaotic World
This past week I've been busy launching my new book, The Money Catalyst, into the world. Between the mishaps and challenges, I've been practicing ways to calm my nervous system... all while navigating what's happening in the outer world.
I am continuing with weekly workshops with a group called ‘Arizona List’ that helps me learn everything I need to know about a potential run for an elected office in Arizona, and when you bring it all together—I'm constantly amazed at what it takes for each of us to show up as our best selves despite everything happening inside and around us.
So today, I'm returning to basics with a simple yet powerful practice:
A Short Money Meditation
Find a still moment. Place your hand on your heart or your solar plexus. Close your eyes if it feels safe.
Breathe in slowly... Exhale with a sigh.
Inhale: I am not my financial past. Exhale: I do not need to struggle to be worthy of abundance.
Whisper this truth into your bones: "My relationship with money can be both peaceful and powerful."
Aho.
The Myth of Money Mindlessness
Money, wealth, financial planning—it all asks something of us. But for many—especially those who've experienced scarcity, financial trauma, generational poverty, or systemic barriers—the asking often turns into worrying... and the worrying becomes consuming.
We've been conditioned to believe that:
We have to constantly hustle to be financially secure
Our worth is tied to our net worth or income level
If we relax our vigilance, everything will fall apart
Financial anxiety is just "part of being responsible"
But sacred one... that is a lie of the scarcity mindset.
That is money trauma dressed in practical language. That is internalized capitalism repackaged as financial wisdom. That is unconsciousness, plain and simple.
And for those of us who live at the intersection: women, caregivers, creatives, healers, and those from marginalized communities, the financial pressure and anxiety are relentless.
The system demands our labor without fair compensation. Our creativity without recognition. Our healing while still struggling. Our presence without support. Our silence when we need to speak our truth about money.
This is why the AWAKE Framework (featured in my new book!) isn't just helpful—it's transformative. Because when we say:
"I am becoming conscious with my money this time."
We're not just changing a habit; we're reclaiming our power. We are interrupting patterns of financial unconsciousness. We are pausing the autopilot and remembering we have choices. We are sacred beings in relationship with energy, including money energy.
This awakening is not selfishness. It is a liberated consciousness.
Because when the world is built to keep you financially asleep, choosing to wake up, to be aware, to be willing... is a revolutionary act.
The AWAKE Framework™ Explained
Let's explore each component of this framework more deeply:
A - Awareness
This is where we begin—getting grounded and centered in our financial present moment. Notice your breath, your bodily feelings, and your thoughts about money without judgment. Imagine yourself as a detective investigating what's happening inside yourself when you think about finances. What sensations arise? What thoughts appear? What emotions surface? Just observe, like watching clouds pass in the sky.
W - Willingness
Here we check in with ourselves with genuine curiosity about our money relationship. Ask yourself, "Am I open to receiving financial abundance as it presents itself?" or "Am I wishing my money situation were different while resisting what is?"
Willingness is a pivotal moment in a person's financial journey. It's when you choose to forgive yourself for past money mistakes, understanding that you were doing your best with the knowledge you had. It's deciding to accept your current financial situation without resistance, embracing your present numbers while visioning a new future. When you become willing to shift your perspective on money, your entire financial experience transforms.
A - Appreciation
This step invites you to cultivate gratitude for what you already have while remaining open to receiving more. Appreciation is the antidote to scarcity thinking. When we appreciate the money that flows through our lives—whether it seems like enough or not—we create an energetic foundation for greater abundance. Take time each day to specifically acknowledge what money has provided for you.
K - Kindness
Bring compassion to your financial journey, especially the parts that feel difficult or shameful. Many of us carry tremendous judgment about our money stories, but healing requires kindness. Speak to yourself about money the way you would speak to a beloved friend who is learning. Replace harsh internal criticism with gentle guidance and encouragement.
E - Embodiment
This final step is about bringing your full presence to your relationship with money. Feel financial decisions in your body rather than just thinking about them intellectually. Notice how different financial choices affect your energy, your breath, your posture. When making money decisions, check in with your whole self—mind, heart, and body. True financial wisdom lives not just in spreadsheets but in this embodied knowing.
How to Practice AWAKE in Daily Life
This practice isn't about immediate transformation. It's about consistent awareness. Without shame. Without pressure. Without comparison.
Financial autopilot doesn't shift overnight—it evolves through patient, compassionate practice. So we're going to awaken. Gradually. Consistently. Intentionally.
Practice Awareness in Daily Life
When do financial worries arise during my normal day?
What triggers financial anxiety or avoidance for me?
Where do I make unconscious money decisions?
Try this: Pause three times a day (set an alarm if needed) and ask yourself: Am I present with my financial energy right now, or am I on autopilot?
Let your body answer first.
Practice Willingness in Money Decisions
Where am I resisting looking at my financial reality?
What old money stories am I still holding onto?
Am I willing to see money as a neutral energy rather than a source of stress?
Try this: Before making your next purchase or financial decision, pause and ask: Am I willing to be fully conscious with this choice?
Practice Appreciation in Your Financial Life
What has money provided that I'm grateful for today?
Can I appreciate the money flowing out (bills, expenses) as much as the money flowing in?
What financial abundance am I already experiencing that I might be overlooking?
Try this: Each night before sleep, name three ways money supported your life today. Include even the smallest things—the coffee you enjoyed, the electricity powering your home.
Practice Kindness Around Money Challenges
Where am I being harsh with myself about financial matters?
How would I speak to a friend facing my exact financial situation?
Can I bring gentleness to areas of financial shame or regret?
Try this: When you notice financial self-criticism arising, place a hand on your heart and say: "I'm learning about money. I don't have to be perfect."
Practice Embodiment in Financial Planning
How does my body feel when I think about my finances?
Where do I carry financial stress physically?
What would it feel like to make money decisions from a centered, grounded place?
Try this: Before opening financial statements or making money plans, take three deep breaths. Feel your feet on the ground. Then proceed with this embodied awareness.
Remember: Awakening is Money's Invitation
We do not transform what we do not first acknowledge. And what we approach with awareness, we can engage with wisdom.
Let this framework be a pathway... not a pressure. You are not behind. You are awakening. You are remembering.
You are coming into conscious relationship with the energy we call money.
So let your awareness be a practice. Let your willingness be a doorway. Let your appreciation be a foundation. Let your kindness be a guide. Let your embodiment be a commitment.
We are not meant to be anxious. We are meant to be awake. We are not meant to be struggling. We are meant to be flowing.
And that journey begins with Awareness.
XO, Leisa