By Karie Hill.

Money, like relationships, is a great teacher. It holds deep lessons, stories from your past, and hopes for your future. It mirrors the flow of your life, sometimes begging you to pay attention, and other times quietly offering you the chance to say “thank you” or give generously. It scares and inspires you. It’s closely connected to everything you do from the alarm clock you turn off in the morning, to the food that nourishes your body. It’s your fear and your freedom.

True freedom doesn’t come from having more; it comes from the healing power of deeply understanding the story beneath your money story.

When you have the courage to go on this journey, the noise of money stress quiets and you’re able to connect deeper to your inner voice and creativity. You’re able to see and receive life’s gifts and miracles more clearly, and more importantly, you give the world the gift it needs most – peaceful, heart-centered beacons of light who love deeply and give generously.

If you’re ready to learn from your money story, clear and heal your blocks, and open up to the abundance life has to offer, here are three simple steps:

1. See money as your teacher

The healing power of debt.

Divorce shattered her heart. What started as heartache from the loss of her relationship turned into shame and disappointment from the heavy weight of debt. All she saw were big numbers and poor decisions. I saw wine nights with girlfriends that she so desperately needed to heal her heart. The longer she carried the shame and disappointment of her debt, the longer she carried the emotions of her divorce.

Money taught her: COMPASSION

Thank you, credit cards, for providing the resources I needed to heal my heart. I couldn’t have made it through without those silly nights out with my girlfriends. I needed the wine and good laughs.

On the surface, it looked like another person stressed by credit card debt. Underneath the noise was a deeper story of heartache and healing.

What do you believe are your money mistakes? Begin to see the patterns within the mistakes. They tell your deeper story …

2. Notice the feelings underneath the stress

Filling a hole with clothes.

She never got to grieve. It wasn’t fair that she lost her mother at such a young age. All she saw was careless overspending by a poor, motherless adult who “deserved” everything she was buying because of her loss. I saw a woman who didn’t want to live her life in chaos, but desperately wanted to be acknowledged for her loss.

Money taught her: SELF LOVE

Thank you, chaos and stores filled with all of my favorite things, for showing me that my heart needed healing. Without you, I wouldn’t have given myself permission to grieve, honor my mother’s memory, and reconnect with my father.

Careless overspending or a woman who needed to feel her loss? The answer is clear. How can you begin to see yourself through the same eyes of compassion? …

3. Forgive

Learning to trust by going broke.

She was perfect! Perfect credit score, thousands in the bank, zero debt, and the queen of budgeting. When she started her own business, she went broke. Her confidence was rocked. What if people found out she didn’t have it all together? All she saw was an irresponsible failure. I saw a woman who used money, whether she was perfect or broke, to keep herself from being vulnerable or deeply connecting with people. She needed to feel safe and used her bank account for security and self worth.

Money taught her: TRUST

Thank you, abundant and empty bank account, for teaching me that my safety and worth doesn’t come from you, it comes from connecting to my intuition.

On the outside, it looked like a woman who pretended to have it all together. When she learned the lesson money was trying to teach her, she forgave herself for feeling like a failure and created a daily meditation practice to build her trust muscles.

Where does your money story need forgiveness? Create a ritual or cord cutting ceremony.