In Conscious Growth Club, some members are embarking upon a 30-day money manifestation challenge for the month of July. I thought it would be fun to share a related mini-challenge here, one that I found helpful in moving from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset. This challenge is fairly easy, and it tends to be more beneficial than you might initially expect, so I encourage you to give it a try.

When we’re in a scarcity mindset, we tend to freeze up when it comes to spending money. We lean on our limiting beliefs to block us from spending, often with the rationalization that spending is risky or that it will hasten some kind of collapse. But we tend to fall back on spending freezes irrationally much of the time, such as by not spending money on little niceties that would provide some value to us. It’s easy to tense up in ways that actually degrade your relationship with money, thereby hurting your ability to earn more of it. It’s hard to earn money when you begin to resent it.

Spending money is part of your relationship with money. If you refuse to spend money on expenses that provide genuine value to you, then what’s the point of earning money? When spending money loses the joy, the joy tends to drain out of the earning side as well.

The counter-intuitive idea here is that spending a little more can actually help you earn more too. Restoring some joy in your spending can enable you to cultivate a more positive and flowing relationship with money across the board.

So here’s the challenge. It’s actually really simple.

Could you identify one little way to spend some extra money that would feel a tad lavish or luxurious but that you could still easily afford?

Could you lean just slightly in the direction of spending money on something that you’ve been talking yourself out of, just because you’d appreciate it if you did spend the money?

Is there some expense that would be relatively insignificant with respect to your income or savings that would add a little bit of value to your life?

Is there some simple area where you’re blocking yourself from spending money, such that not spending the money may be repeatedly distracting you because you keep thinking about it?

Where do you tell yourself, “Well, I don’t really need this; it’s an unnecessary luxury”? Where do you say, “I can buy this when I have more money” even though you could easily afford it now? Would it actually be nice to have it now? Would it enhance your life in some small way? What small expense could you indulge in that wouldn’t meaningfully impact your finances?

Is there anything you could identify? If so, then the challenge is to buy it. Buy it now. Spend the money. Go out to a store and get it. Order it online. Just buy it. You can actually have it, you know, so why block yourself? It already exists. It’s been created. It’s here for you to enjoy and appreciate, so go claim it.

Buy it with a desire to lean into a more positive relationship with money. Just for the moment, set aside any worries about scarcity. Set aside any conspiracy theories about money (even if you’re convinced they’re true). Just spend a little bit of money on something you’ll like.

Then see how you feel about it afterwards. If you feel good about it, then say thank you to money for helping you get what you wanted. Actually say aloud, “Thank you, money. I appreciate it!” Then also appreciate what you just purchased. Cherish it. Treasure it. Value it. See it as a symbol of your positive and flowing relationship with money. A physical object is a great purchase here because every time you see it, you can regard it as a symbol of prosperity. Let it serve as a constant reminder that you have enough.

If you regret the purchase afterwards and if it’s something you can return, then go ahead and return it. Wait for a better spot, and try again with something else. Don’t settle. Get something you’ll actually appreciate.

Here’s what I find most fascinating about this. Very often when I do this type of challenge (which can be done at any income level), the money I just spent comes back to me soon afterwards, like within a day or two. And usually it comes via some unexpected pathway. It’s like the universe says, “Oh, you can have this for free. I just wanted to see if you were willing to let yourself have it.”

When it comes to building a more positive relationship with money, we always have to take the first step. Money is a bit shy in that way. But when money sees that we like it and appreciate it, it tends to let its guard down and play back at us.

When I was struggling financially, I found plenty of irrational ways to hold myself back from spending money. I’d question every expense. If I bought a veggie sandwich at Subway, I’d avoid getting avocado because it was $1 extra, even though $1 wasn’t going to make any real difference in my finances when my rent was $975 per month. How could I expect to turn my finances around when I was afraid to spend an extra dollar on something that I’d enjoy and appreciate? Today I buy 5-6 avocados a time. I love avocados!

What’s your version of avocado abundance? Where could you lean into a more positive relationship with money? What’s that little thing you’d actually appreciate if you just spent the money?

If you try this challenge, please let me know how it goes. What did you buy? How did it feel? Do you think it made a difference?