How to be a Money Magician

By Ilana Jankowitz 

Do you gaze at your credit card statement and think to yourself, ‘That’s it! 2021 is the year that I really get my money under control’?

Did you think the same thing in 2020? And 2019? And…?

If you do (or did!), you are not alone. Seasonal pressures such as Christmas tend to result in feeling huge pressure to spend more than we should, and then comes the wave of regret. All that extravagance may seem like the ‘done thing’ but it can feel empty. Even if you aren’t in debt (although millions will be), most people look back at their seasonal spending and feel that they could have put their money to better use.

Introducing the Money Magician

It doesn’t have to be this way. Allow me to introduce to you a way of being and acting which can make all the difference. I call her the Money Magician - and she is the money archetype we all aspire to be.

The Money Magician knows her own money story and understands how that can affect her. She isn’t perfect (who is?) but she has a healthy relationship with money and is fully aware of herself and the world around her. She is grounded in the present day - she’s made peace with her past and sees the future as an adventure - and lives a life which is true to who she is and where she is going.

In this ever-changing world, the Money Magician knows how to own her own power and to adapt to circumstances so she can transform her life and create the financial reality she chooses.

Tapping into Your Inner Magician

To become more of a money magician in your own life starts with awareness - both of the past and the future you want to have.

So, whether you are in debt, or shocked by how much your spending mounts up, or feeling that you want to find fulfilment without shopping, this practical exercise is your first step into the magic that is money coaching.

Get a pen and paper, make a coffee and get comfortable. Then, let us reflect on you and your money situation.

Thinking about where you are now and where you want to be, and answering as honestly as you can:

1. How would you rate your financial situation right now, on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 = in serious debt, 10 = financially free)?
2. Of the purchases made over the year, which gave you most lasting satisfaction?
3. And which do you most regret?
4. How often, when you’ve been spending, have you felt guilty, hidden purchases from others, or lied about the amount you spent?
5. How are you putting your money to use to make things better for others?
6. Where would you like to be in 12 months’ time in relation to your money and spending?
7. What single change would make you feel more fulfilled about money?
8. What may get in your way to prevent you from making that change?

There are no right or wrong answers here, so please do not judge yourself. To make a change in your life, the first step is to become aware of where you are now.

With awareness you can take action to create a new, more satisfying financial attitude.

And if you want to find the magician in you, start by taking my money quiz to learn about the other archetypes which may be at play in your life. https://www.mindfulmoneycoaching.com/money-type-quiz/

Ilana Jankowitz is a certified Money Coach born and raised in South Africa and currently residing in Zurich. Her work is all about identifying behavioural patterns around money, transforming negative thinking and moving from a self-destructive mindset to one that is positive and inspiring.

She is passionate about helping women to break free from self-doubt, low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence and move towards financial liberation and she can help you too with her free money quiz.  You can read all about Ilana and her work here or on any of my social pages Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube