I took her through the Seven Step process that is described in my book Prosperity Is an Inside Job.

 The key to the process is to define what you are feeling in a particular situation. I questioned her and she realized that what was going on at the moment was that she was feeling very unappreciated at work. Although her employer could well afford to pay her more, she wasn't being paid what she felt she was worth. 

When we looked through The Feelings List in my book, the main feelings that Julie could identify were unappreciated, discounted, frustrated and isolated. 

I firmly believe that we create our life stories to express, or act out, unexpressed feelings. These are usually formed in our early childhood and we carry them around with us. Because we don't know how to express them directly, we live out life stories that have emotional elements that we repeat over and over again. 

For example, many people act out disappointment. Over and over again, dramas occur in their lives that leave them feeling disappointed. As a result, feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem and general depression often result. 

People who act out disappointed can usually trace the feeling back to childhood when they didn't get what they needed for one or both parents. Perhaps a parent promised something and didn't keep that promise and the event was traumatic. Or, if a child hopes for love and affection and never gets it, he/she will have chronic disappointment. The feeling of disappointment, which went unexpressed in childhood, will repeat itself through life dramas, usually via authority figures, and often through financial stories. 

Because I know Julie quite well, I know that she has a very conflicted relationship with her mother, a demanding woman who rarely says anything nice to her daughter. She always expects more from Julie and never appreciates what Julie does. Although Julie's accomplishments are many, her mother only sees what she hasn't done. 

I suggested to Julie that over the weekend she do the emotional release technique described in my book. Although the idea of getting to the root of her feelings of being unappreciated was a bit frightening to Julie, she was willing to make the effort and go through the process. We knew that it was possible that she would feel uncomfortable while she did it. 

Following my suggestions, Julie was able to take herself into a space where she could really feel her discomfort vis-à-vis her mother. Much to Julie's surprise, when she went back in time and told her mother what she felt, instead of a lot of tears, a feeling of great relief washed over Julie. By telling her mother what she felt then -- and now -- the charge behind the feelings her mother stimulated dissipated. 
The following Monday, Julie discovered that went she went into work, she felt much more comfortable with her boss. She was able to express to him what she felt and they came to an agreement that was much more equitable for Julie. 

And there was a bonus. Julie has a real estate license and on occasion brokers deals for people. Someone called her and asked her to write up a contract on a deal, a job that took Julie just a few hours. As a result of her work, Julie will receive a $15,000 commission! 

Will this solve Julie's problem of never having enough cash? Not quite. But it's a step towards a "cure." Julie told me that she has to use the money to pay off the IRS and take care of a few other obligations. She doesn't see the blessing in having the money for the IRS. What she sees is that there still is not any surplus. 

It takes more than one try to exorcise deep emotional scars. Sometimes it takes help with a qualified therapist. But in order to change an uncomfortable recurring financial situation, it is necessary to identify and release the emotions that propel us through our lives. 

Julie's "mommy feelings," are very deep seated and difficult to face. Julie now has an understanding about what is at the base of her current financial situation and some of the unexpressed emotion has been released. It is difficult for her to really feel the pain that is buried inside, so the money still feels a bit tight. Julie has a very open heart, and she keeps trying to focus on the wealth she does have. At some point, she will find the courage to go back inside again and feel the depth of her mommy feelings. 
Does this mean that in order to reach a place of true financial comfort you have to be uncomfortable? I don't see it as uncomfortable. I see it as being authentic. When we can be authentic with ourselves, we experience great freedom -- and can create on a much higher level. 

I had many financial challenges that went hand in hand with severe physical and emotional discomfort. The only way I was able to totally transform my life was to allow myself to experience my emotional pain. When I did this, is wasn't like the physical pain I had that often kept me from functioning. Although someone watching me as I sobbed during my process would have thought I was in deep trouble, while I was going through the release, the pain was mixed with a feeling of finally being completely alive. 
I don't believe that long-standing financial discomfort can be transformed overnight. I think it is a process of growth, a process of getting to know yourself and letting go. 

I know there are self-help and prosperity gurus who make it sound as if you can easily shift your consciousness and push your life in a totally new direction in an instant. People want to know that there is a quick fix. A woman who ordered my book the other day wanted to get it quickly because she needed to change her financial situation quickly. I wish I could say that could happen. 
Your financial situation, no matter what it is, is just another part of your expression. Whatever that situation might be, you can use it as a doorway into your consciousness -- a pathway to your true self. You aren't your money. Money is only a mechanism you use as a means of expression while you are here on earth. 

When you can experience the freedom that is your true nature, you will feel financially free. The paradox is, that when you feel financially free, you won't need millions of dollars to feel it, but you will have many riches, financially and otherwise. When you learn to stop wanting and longing and experience satisfaction, you will have more than you ever dreamed of. 

Every time I write this newsletter, by the time I finish the main article, I feel deeply emotional. This is an issue that touches my heart because I see so many people suffering financially -- and I still remember what that feels like. As the stock market goes through its frenetic dance, millions of people who have hopes of financial security are feeling the discomfort of fear, uncertainty and potential loss. And so many others continue to struggle on a day to day basis thinking that somehow more money is going to release them from their pain. 

We aren't here to make a lot of money. From my point of view, life has much more meaning and a deeper purpose than that. I believe that we are here to grow and evolve and to come to experience the bliss that is our true nature. That bliss is not a function of our bank accounts. 

So what's the point of this article? My hope is that you will be willing to look at the blocks that are keeping you from your bliss -- and real prosperity. No matter what your financial situation, there is always more to learn about you and space to get closer to who you really are. Use your financial situation as a mechanism of inner growth. See it not as a reflection of who you are, but as an expression of something deep and worthy of attention. Do your best not to see it as something that is happening TO you but is happening through you. When you understand your need for what you have, if it hurts or feels uncomfortable in any way, it will change. 

If you are ready to look a bit deeper within, I suggest my book Prosperity Is an Inside Job (PIJ), which comes with a full money back guarantee. I offer this book -- and the information of Prosperity Place - - as my service. If the techniques I offer aren't for you, fine. It won't cost you anything to find out. 

For more information about the book and to order PIJ, click here.