While living and working in your zone of genius won’t always be comfortable — it will involve pushing your boundaries in order to get to the next level where working in your zone of genius becomes effortless — there is no question that harnessing your true potential leads to greater productivity and satisfaction.

Mahima-

When I was approached to write the article I wondered if I should dare to try hacking the topic of money! In 800 to 1000 words no less. Money is one of the taboo topics along with sex, religion and politics. A subject that causes divide, stress and strong emotions for most men and woman on this planet.

Growing up in Zimbabwe I can honestly say I was socially conditioned to carry a poverty and victim mindset. There are other aspects of my cultural heritage that I feel grateful to have, the resilience, the ability to laugh no matter the challenge, and that I can dance without reason, without dancing shoes…

I was 22 years old when I had my Eureka moment: I had a distorted mindset around money. I believe most women carry it around without being even being aware of. It is still widely considered a taboo topic – more so than sex or death in many societies but where I am coming from, talking about money is rude and a definite no go. Even the wealthiest women find difficult to hack their limited believes around money and definitely nobody knows what is the proper etiquette on this topic.

More than any other touchy subjects, money talks run deep into different cultures, depending on personal upbringing and lifestyle but being, undoubtedly, the source of conflicts, powerful emotions, and mental health issues across generations.

The common thread across all cultures is a lack of worthiness, a shame, a guilt in wanting money, loving money and fully embracing one’s desires to have more money. For most men seems normal and acceptable, right?

Even highly educated woman, who brunch out of the corporate space to start their own businesses, when asked ” How much money did your business make last year?” will often avoid answering, with a shocked look.

“I am not doing this for the money!” is a line I heard too many times and, for some weird reason, we are conditioned to think that monetizing your passion is something dirty, or running a successful business should be your last concern…

The question is, how do you run your business if it is not sustainable? If you love what you do, don’t you have to run a profitable business and really care about making money?

I have seen women left with very little after being married to wealthy men because the idea of making sure they were protecting their own interests financially, felt like a betrayal to their love. This attitude put them into risky situations if and when something did go wrong in the happy ever after!

Women need to understand and accept their true worth. I am going to say it again: women have a moral duty to negotiate more money. I helped women get 45% increase in their salaries. Yes, mind blowing I know, but our self-worth issues can often lead to this kind of discrepancies.

Takes courage to wake up to your worth and show respect for money, out in the open. Change the narrative of your self talk!

There was a time I wasn’t so connected to my worth. This year my husband and I celebrated 20 years of marriage, until about 5 years ago I was financially dependent on my husband. It was honestly one of the worst times in our marriage, and in my life.

I honestly don’t know how it happened. When he met me I was a highly spirited, wise and independent woman. I was travelling the globe making money with my passion and mission. Standing strong on my own two pre- menopause, sleek and muscled legs!

I was a woman on a mission to empower people to be peaceful, powerful and joyful in the now, as they aspire to unleash their greatness. I was a powerful woman of service to humanity, playing my humble role in the field of mindful training and human emotional development.

Then, one decision after the next, I started living his dream, and with each step we took down that path I started to lose myself. As I served my husband’s needs as he grew his finances business, my own dream went hiding into a dark corner. At some point I would even joke that I was his personal assistant.

After 13 years of marriage, I woke up at the age of 40, in a place of confusion and feeling lost! That was my wake-up call to reclaim my financial freedom and get back to what I was born to do!

Don’t misunderstand, at that point I was living in Zurich, Switzerland. In a huge 5.5-bedroom apartment, with direct views on the Swiss Alps. I was free to spend my days as I wished, I was earning some money with my coaching and we had all the trimmings of what looked like we were living the good life. In debt, we only looked rich, the truth is that my life and marriage weren’t turning out how I thought they would.

I realized that although I had the ability to manifest abundance, but loyal to my poverty mindset, I had no idea how to build wealth and stay independent in my marriage. So fast forward 9 years later and 6 months away from the big 50 and so much has changed…

I embraced my right to talk Money.

I have built a global community for game changers who dare to change the status quo. Together with a few brave men, we support and help women to heal and hack all the taboo subjects. Embracing their right to talk openly and passionately about money,their passion and everything in between.

I shared stages with Sir Richard Branson, Les Brown, Randi Zuckerberg and many more influential leaders. By re-creating my own wealth, I have regained more than my independence, I access my right to re-imagine prosperity.

Teaching other women how to jumpstart their coaching business or pivot out of unfulfilling jobs, in alignment with their unique talents and life purpose.

On most days I wake up feeling powerful and free and boy oh boy, is this what men, have been high on all these years!?? No wonder they want to hang onto it at any cost, it is exhilarating, having this level of freedom. 

Now we are living a time in history where we all need to rebuild lives that truly make our hearts dance, and souls sing. It’s a time to cut the small talk and step into a new era of living our freedom.

Money has energy and it is good to have it and the more the better. There I said it, can you feel that proverbial judgment creeping in? How uncultured? How unspiritual? How offensive? You can do so much good in the world when you are free from struggles born from your own limiting beliefs! Let’s drop the shame and talk money! We love talking anyway, why not talk to transform?