At the recommendation of a mentor, I listened to a podcast of Oprah interviewing Lynn Twist, author of The Soul of Money. I had read the book years ago, but hearing Twist share her story and Oprah’s probing questions and deep thoughts, Cher immediately came to mind. Cher?! I’ll explain.
Three Myths about Money
Twist’s thesis is that most people ponder unanswered questions, but do not see that “money is the unquestioned answer.” The etymology of the word wealth comes from the Middle English word for well-being. There are three myths about money, and they apply to literally all levels of income, from $1 per day in some countries to billionaires in others.
- There’s not enough
- More is better
- That’s just the way it is
We get up in the morning, and our 1st thought is, “I didn’t get enough sleep.” When going to bed, we think, “I didn’t get enough done today.” Better to wake up and say, “May I make a positive difference today.” Better to think before bed, “What were today’s joys? What am I grateful for?”
If you believe these myths only apply to rich people, read Katherine Boo’s nonfiction book Behind the Beautiful Forevers.
One Earth Limits
Cher’s “Love and Understanding” Lyrics 1991 Her words ring true. A sample:
We’ve got enough cars to drive around the world Enough planes to take us anywhere We got more than enough But there’s one thing there’s just not enough of Not enough love and understanding We could use some love to ease these troubled times Not enough love and understanding Why, oh why?
In the podcast, Twist shared research from 1987 showing that we were approaching “one earth” limits [using up more natural resources than the earth can regenerate]. Further, they predicted that it would arrive 20 years hence, signaled by an economic event that would be reflective of the ecologic situation. Remember 2007-2008!
Oprah asserts that when we share our bounty with others, it expands. For a reality check on your extant values, look at your checkbook and credit cards. Do you like what you see? We can shift our focus to belonging instead of belongings. People are happier when we focus on sufficiency, on gratitude, on love, and on understanding.