Can money buy me Enoughness?

Can money buy me Enoughness?

by Fred de Villiers

I loved reading Savanthika Pillay’s newsletter entitled “Can’t buy me love” (click here to read it if you haven’t yet!) 

I also had the privilege of attending the Imago Gauteng Chapter meeting on 21 February where Kobus van der Merwe shared some fascinating insights from Brene Brown’s teachings on scarcity vs. abundance and the enticing alternative we sometimes forget; that of being or having or getting or giving ENOUGH. At the chapter meeting we dubbed it “enoughness”!

There’s a clear link between this and our theme this month (Money and Relationships). I’ll be the first to admit that I’m aiming for abundance when it comes to money. Who doesn’t want as much money as they can have, buy what they want, do what they want, get what they want? It’s good to set and have financial goals to strive for. With that focus (if too much) though, comes the risk of losing sight of TODAY!

Goals give direction. We need to know how much we need to save in order to get what we want and when. But the trip itself, the journey, the steps we travel, offer us daily satisfaction, moment by moment…if we’d but realize it.

I often think or daydream, “When I finish that expensive advanced course I’ll be a better facilitator/presenter/speaker” or “I can’t wait for 2025 when I’ll hopefully have enough money for a wedding anniversary celebration abroad” or “I better start saving for my daughter’s “Shimmer and Shine” birthday party now so it can be her most special day ever”. This attitude can control my thinking and when it does I pass up the opportunity to live today, to be PRESENT today, to be ENOUGH today.

I’m good enough as a presenter without spending more money on courses. If and when I can,  I might, and that will add to my “enoughness”

Celebrating my marriage adventure every day and committing to consciously getting better at my relationship on a daily basis is good enough. If and when I can treat my wife with an overseas trip will add to that enoughness.

Appreciating my daughter with her daily “hug(s) and a kiss(ess)” and seeing, hearing and validating her for the precious princess she is, is good enough. If her birthday comes around and I can add a bit of glitz and glamour it will add to the enoughness.

Ursula K LeGuin wrote: “It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”

The goal, whether it be financial or otherwise, will carry with it a special gift; it will offer the growing person within me an extra thrill, if I’ve attended to the journey as much as its end.

What is your ENOUGH?