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Book Review: the art of money, a life changing guide to financial happiness

Book Review: the art of money, a life changing guide to financial happiness

August 24, 2020

Since I joined the financial services world in 2000, I’ve learned that there’s more to money than just dollars and cents (and charts and graphs!).  I observed this most especially once I started more in-depth planning with my clients just over 10 years ago, noticing that for some, there was something missing in “financial advice”.  Most advice is geared towards the “what to do” and tragically doesn’t always address the “how to do” that can be such an important part of getting the work done.

If you (like many), find that confronting your finances can be an emotionally charged and challenging experience, this book may be able to help. 

“The methodology outlined in this book focuses first and foremost on the inside rather than the outside, on what I call the “micro” side of money: our individual internal relationship with money”

~ Bari Tessler, author

 

What I love about this book:

  1. The author, a financial therapist, acknowledges that in her time working with her own clients she’s identified that we all, WE ALL, come to the table with some kind of financial shame.  In this book she gives some actionable tips to on how to peel back the layers of our past to understand where those financial emotional triggers stem from.  Helping also with how to recognize when we are being triggered and most importantly how to begin the healing process so you can put those thoughts and feelings behind you, and move forward with more ease and confidence in your finances…which trickles down into your every day life! 
  2. The body check-in: How many times have you noticed yourself to be anxious about something only after the fact?  And how many decisions have you made with an unclear mind because of this anxiousness?  In this book Bari teaches the art of doing body check-in’s to get more clarity about how we are thinking and feeling in good times and stressful ones.  This can help identify when may or may not be a good time to make a financial decision, or help us through that decision making process. 
  3. And my absolute favorite is the action of creating a “financial self-care” practice.  Never before have I thought to put the words financial and self-care in one sentence!  This concept, and the steps & tools that Bari lays out to accomplish it can move mountains as far as helping us become more at peace with doing money work.  She does a great job in laying out a pathway to finding more peace (and acceptance)…and to ultimately making better financial decisions. 

“Money is directly tied to our most primal survival needs:  food in our bellies and roofs over our heads.  This is why money can be such a vulnerable part of life, and why financial stress can even trigger feelings of physical peril.”                                                                                                                                

~ Bari Tessler, author

If this book sounds like something that could help you on your own financial journey, it’s available at Amazon.com and through BarnesandNoble.com.  

After the great feedback we received in the Spring will also be re-running a book club/discussion group in a few weeks if you need help making sure you finish the book (and transition to the implementation of her great work!). We’d love to have you join us! 

Details to follow.