I came across an article in Allure magazine recently that caught my attention. It was an interview with Elizabeth L. Cline, author of “Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion”. “You write that we’re disconnected from our clothes. How so? ‘When we shop, we’re thinking, Is this cute and is it cheap? I’m the first to admit that’s entertaining. But it can lead to a closetful of clothes you don’t like or want to wear past a season or two. You get into a disposable relationship with everything you own. My motto is buy less, buy what you really love, and take care of what you own.’“
For all of you lovers of clothes and shopping (like myself!), the message here is much bigger than just our wardrobe. Look at the words used…”disconnected”, “entertaining”, “disposable relationship”. I see this “language of money” played out all the time with my clients through their spending habits, how they treat and raise their children, how they perceive their income relative to happiness, how they plan for retirement…I could go on and on. In other words, what you DO with your money, how you treat money, how you feel about money is your “language of money”. Remember this too, money isn’t just cold hard cash. Money is the house you own (or rent), it’s the clothes you wear, it’s the gifts and/or objects you purchase for yourself or others.
Just this past weekend my husband and I finally hung up my artwork in our living room. The living room had been re-painted months and months ago…truthfully, I can’t even remember when, it was that long ago. And my beautiful artwork that I had invested thousands in had been lying around leaning up against walls! For months and months the words “disconnected”, “disposable”, “empty”, “boring”, “ungrateful” became the language for our home and our family. Now that my artwork is gracing the walls of our living room, the words “cozy”, “inviting”, “happy”, and “rich” is our language. Ah, now that’s more like it!
What is your language of money? Is it an accurate description of who you are and how you feel about yourself? If you would like to change your language of money, what would this new language sound like?
Your language of money is your emotional relationship with money. Your emotional relationship with money will almost always tell you how you REALLY feel about yourself, others, and life.
That Money Girl 
Chris,
I have to take a few moments to chuckle at this article and realize how TRUE you are. I just had this very same conversation with my husband the other day regarding a home remodeling project. Through our 8 moves and 4 house purchases, we have both felt “disconnected” to the word home. Remodeling/redecorating was more of “do it and just get it done.” Cheap was the mantra but never really loving the end product – happy with just “good enough.” Now its about doing it right the first time regardless of the price. I have to say, since approaching my purchases in that mind thought the words, “warm”, “inviting”, “cozy”, “labor of love” has never felt so good.
Yay!!! Good for you! 🙂 And thank you for sharing your story!
This is so true..Money is just the tool, to allow you to have the things, that express who you are..Its the means to let you enjoy and have in your life the things that make you happy..Yes art work can make you happy. It changes your mood, and if you are really creative you can paint it yourself..Your home is a reflection of yourself, and what you put it that home, tells tons about you..
great article, it really tells you allot about yourself…great job, Christine…
Thanks Kathy! And it’s not just artwork…when I think of you, I think of how much you love to cook for others! Imagine if you chose food and recipes that made you feel “heavy”, “lethargic”, “empty”…not exactly the language of a happy chef! 🙂
I love this article Chris!! I’m so glad you shared it on our M.Q. Linked in page! It made me think a bit more about purchases I just made and that I’m thinking about making! Items that don’t last long are not much of an “investment” either financially or in your emotional well being.
Hi Amy! So good to hear from you! Thank you…so glad you enjoyed!
Good stuff, all very true and yet we don’t know it unless and until someone points us towards our own truth. I’m glad I came across your blog, we think very similarly.
Thank you Amy Jo! I appreciate your insightful comment and yes, I believe we think very similarly too! 🙂 We should do coffee sometime soon… I’ll shoot you an email!