Financial Abundance…Beyond Wealth

I have financial abundance.

Not because I am rich. Not in the conventional way, at least.

In fact, my financial abundance has nothing to do with with what I have and everything to do with what I have to give.

Like many, this past year-and-a-half has been a rough one for my business. When you rely on travel for almost half your income, well…

And, if I am to be totally honest, the couple years before the pandemic weren’t all that hot either. In fact, as someone who likes to give 10% of my income to charity, I actually found myself going into my savings to cover my donations and it was unsustainable. So I did something that completely rended my heart, and put my major monthly donations on pause. It made me feel dead inside.

Enter the pandemic.

My already challenged income hit a wall. I found myself with some extra time on my hands and began a project. That project, as some of you may know, was my Daily Kaddish and Psalm 23 on Facebook, a prayer circle where I read the Mourner’s Prayers for all victims of COVID and gave a mini-sermon each day.

I did these prayers and discourses every day (yes, weekends, too) for a full year. And it gave me a lot to think about. About life, and death, about challenge, and strength, and yes, about abundance.

As I saw the world suffering around me, it became clearer and clearer just how very, very deeply I am blessed. Blessed to have my health, a roof over my head, food in my refrigerator, a bed to lie down in, a job that I can–for the most part–do online, and a list of blessings so long that I could literally go on for days and never even begin to actually scratch the surface.

So, in December, I made the decision to restart my donations to my usual causes and also start a monthly #YOGAthletiCAUSE on Instagram. A commitment to donate an additional $180 (ten times chai, the number that, in Judaism, represents life) to a new charity each month and encourage others to pose and/or donate to the selected cause.

I knew that financially it would be a stretch, but I also knew that my soul was born to serve. And it was just something I needed to do. Not just for the world, but for myself, as well.

Here’s the thing: when holes are created, theUniverse fills them.

I gave it over to faith that I would earn the extra money I needed each month to get back to that 10% that has always been such an important part of my existence.

Growing up, my family and my Jewish community always emphasized the importance of tzedakah, charity. As early as I can remember, it was a cornerstone of my childhood to put my pennies (and sometimes my nickels and dimes) into the pushke (donation box) to help others. Back then, it didn’t even matter where the money went. I just knew it was going to someone other than myself. Someone who needed it more than I did.

I’ll be honest. The Universe has refilled my cup. My donations are back where they need to be and the Universe has refilled my soul.

If you think you are financially abundant because you have money and things, I urge you to think again.

When you have so much that you have something left to give–and you give it–that’s when you’ll know you’ve arrived.