Truer words were never spoken. Again I am reminded of why I love Aikido so much, it’s all about balance and control, or as Yoda would say, “Control. Control. You must learn control.”

There’s nothing wrong with making loads of money as long as we do it with integrity, and without selling our souls or exploiting, prostituting , enslaving or bombarding others. Creative, hard working entrepreneurship done well can be a fantastic win/win, but entrepreneurs need customers and if we want to use our buying power, we need to assertively avoid those who make us feel like fresh flesh at a vampire fest or who try to tell us we’re wasting our time if we buy less but go for quality and Fair Trade products. We need to assertively boycott those who try to wear us down with icky sales bombardments, or who simply treat us like we’re so stupid we don’t understand their marketing techniques. Making money with meaning is the only way this planet can afford to go now.

So many people were wrongly taught that money is the root of all evil, but money itself is just currency, a means of exchange. The more money we have, the more we have available to use to help others. I also believe, though, that love, time, emotional support and energy are currency we can give away if we have enough reserves of it.

Sometimes, an obsessive, unhealthy pursuit of money for the sake of the trappings and status means we deplete what we have to offer in those areas. It’s all about balance and having real self knowledge, really knowing what you want the money for. It’s about sitting down and figuring out what we really need.

My godmother spent her whole working life in a basement factory in Greece, leaning over vats of molten wax making church candles. Her husband was away at sea for ten month stretches to send money home. She was always exhausted, he rarely saw the kids. In the end they had enough to set up a business for their daughter and to pay for their son’s education. They also saved enough to build their own home on the mountain. My godmother died three months after her husband retired and came home from sea. She never got to see her grandchildren although they’ll inherit the house.

Balance. The whole planet needs balance.

Oh, don’t get me wrong. I love what I do, have fun doing it, and will continue to do it. However, finances do need to be taken care of and I have to eat.

For now, my “day job” remains, and dreams of the entrepreneurial spirit remain strong. I’ve never apologized for my dreams……………..:)

LisaNewton’s last blog post..Independence Day, Paramount Studios, and a Contest