I think it’s so important for us to ask for what we need, for what we want to invite more of into our lives, and then to release that intention out into the world. but i don’t believe we can simply have abundance in our lives (financial, community, love, and so on) if we aren’t intentional about creating it. we have to ask for it, yes, but then we have to show up and do the work. i’m learning that somewhere along the line the asking and the showing up seem to merge into the same orbit and then the magic happens: the flow, the intention, the asking, the work all line up and the abundance arrives. i love how that happens! but we have to be intentional about asking and we have to be intentional about showing up.

Before i ever received any sort of financial abundance in my life, i had an abundance of creative inspiration and love that carried me a long way. but i’m reminded of the days when it never occurred to me to ask for financial abundance. i think perhaps i was worried about asking for too much. who am i to ask for more, to want more? but somewhere along the line i started to believe in the idea that financial abundance did not equal selling out. or that i wasn’t a true artist just because i was no longer hustling. or that i didn’t deserve it. or that it was forbidden to ask for such a thing. eventually, i did ask for it – perhaps with one toe in the water. and boy have i learned so much about the idea of inviting this kind of abundance into my life. about boundaries. about judgement. about my value. about its value. in the end, it’s not the actual abundance of finances that i’ve learned the most from. rather, it’s been the rewarding + specific discovery of self respect and value that was unearthed along the abundance path.

I know finances come and go, and when it does go, i will be left with these heart + soul gifts that will never leave me.

I’m so grateful for that.

I’m also learning that abundance arrives differently for all of us. it’s in the small moments and it’s in the big ones, too. it’s in the simplicity of a meaningful conversation. it’s in the paycheck we’ve worked really hard for. it’s in telling the truth and how abundance arrives the minute we let go. it’s in family, in community, in new friendships, in creative blessings, in ordinary days. it’s mysterious and it’s concrete. either way, it’s ours for the taking. we just have to ask for it and show up. we deserve its gifts. we are meant for its journey.