SHOPPING, DINING, BEAUTY & EVENTS PAGE 21 theconnectionsnj.com oney is an incredibly abundant thing, if you let it be. It can also be daunting, overwhelming, a source of arguments, painfully scary, or a sore subject. It can be hated. Resented. Feared. If you let it be. Your relationship with money (yes, it is a relationship) is no different than your relationship with food, family, or love. It is entirely shaped by your mindset around it. For some people, that’s bad news. For others, it’s incredibly freeing. Either way, where your perception lands is within your control. Now, I’m going to make a statement that’s so obvious it almost goes unnoticed: money is involved in everything. The coffee you drank this morning involved money. The clothes you’re wearing right now involved money. Ask yourself – when was the last day you didn’t either spend or make money? And no, the “free” walk in the park doesn’t count. You paid for the gas to get there, the car itself, and the sunglasses you wore while pretending it was effortless. Money quietly powers nearly every part of our lives. And yet, despite how constant it is, money is rarely neutral to us. You might read this and think, “I love money, thank you for being there for me.” Or you may feel a flicker of resentment or irritation rise instead. But notice the common denominator in both reactions: you. Money itself doesn’t carry emotion or judgment. Your relationship with it is just a reflection of the conditioning you’ve received. If you’re aware enough, the relationship you’ve consciously chosen to cultivate with it. This conversation can deepen quickly, often turning into something far more personal than financial. It’s a topic I explored in greater depth at my January 10th event at HACPAC! For time sake I want to introduce one idea that tends to shift things quickly: the financial thermostat. Just like the thermostat in your home, everyone has one. Maybe 68º feels comfortable or 67º, if your kids won’t stop making jokes about it. In the same way you do at home, you have a financial temperature that feels “comfortable” to you. To find it, imagine increasing your monthly income. When does discomfort kick in? $10,000 a month? $15,000? $20,000? What about $50,000? The moment your chest tightens and a voice says, That’s not realistic, you’ve found your setting. But here’s the part we don’t say out loud enough: there are people making a million dollars a month. The difference isn’t intelligence or worthiness, it’s belief. The only thing limiting you from expanding that thermostat is you. I mentioned earlier that your relationship with money, unlike your relationship with your closet, is entirely within your control. Here are two things I highly suggest: First, think of an amount of cash that would make you slightly uncomfortable to carry. $500, maybe? Put it in your wallet and don’t spend it. Just let it sit there. Feel what it’s like to feel “rich,” even briefly. Second, and this is important, when you inevitably spend it because you forgot your card or life happened, thank it. Actually, thank it. Don’t let the voice of restriction or fear take over. Gratitude softens scarcity. Appreciation expands trust. And only then can we begin to have a healthy relationship with money. CAMPERS&CAVIAR Learning The Art of Living Well Stop Fearing Money and Start Living Abundantly By Serafina Perrotto M Expires 4/6/26. Not to be combined with any other offer. Valid at Bridgewater location only. Expires 4/6/26. Not to be combined with any other offer. Valid at Bridgewater location only. Expires 4/6/26. Not to be combined with any other offer. Valid at Bridgewater location only. Expires 4/6/26. Not to be combined with any other offer. Valid at Bridgewater location only. Expires 4/6/26. Not to be combined with any other offer. 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