IT'S FINANCIAL LITERACY MONTH, AND I COULDN'T CARE LESS.
Well, I am sure this was not what you were expecting from me.
Last I landed in your inbox, I was about to embark on my journey doing the O trek in Patagonia. I ended that e-mail saying, “See you on the other side.”
This is the other side.
I am angry. I am filled with rage. There is SO much to be angry about. I've been holding off on sending a money love letter because truthfully, I feel like I am going to explode from the rage I am feeling about the current state of the world.
To be honest, the world has always been upsetting. It's not that I wasn't angry before. It's just, for some reason…now I need to express that anger.
Spirit is calling me, too.
So what does that have to do with financial literacy?
Look. I'm not saying that financial literacy isn't important or vital to our wellbeing.
It is.
But because most financial literacy advice out there isn’t something a majority of people in this country (or world) can actually implement.
Did you know that the richest 10% own 76% of all wealth?
And.
You may have heard the saying, “You can't budget your way out of poverty.”
It's true. You can't.
How does financial literacy fit into the life of:
a single Mom who is a dv survivor and left the relationship that provided her shelter and money and is now on her own.
a houseless person who aged out of the foster care system and was put on the streets
a trans person who can't find a job in the South because no one wants to hire them because they are trans
Another truth is, a lot of wealthy folks aren't even financially literate.
What's fucked up is that the top wealthiest folks? Their financial illiteracy won't affect them because that is how the system is set up. They can “lose” a billion dollars, but they have hoarded SO much wealth that they can easily make that back (and even more) when the stock market enters a bull run again (for example).
This is not an issue of financial literacy.
This is an issue of policy.
And beyond policy, it is an issue of being disconnected for ourselves.
I want financial literacy to be more than getting educated on what a high yield savings account is, what a 401k is, or how to budget.
Because to be honest, to me? It sounds tone deaf.
Here is what I want the world to have when it comes to money, wealth, and financial literacy:
Spiritual wealth. What is spiritual wealth? It is the understanding that money can be one form of abundance (there are many currencies we do not talk about). It is also the understanding that poverty, climate change, and the racial wealth gap does not exist because there is a lack of resources. It exists because as humans we are disconnected from our own humanity.
Relationship with nature. This is honestly an invitation to be in relationship with ourselves. We are nature. Connecting with the land, the sea, the trees…there is so much we can learn from nature itself. We need to spend a lot more time touching some grass and a lot less time on our phones. So, go touch some grass.
Awareness on how the dominant culture sees us. We are seen as pawns in their own fucked up game of chess. They view us as consumers to sell to instead of human beings. How can we reclaim our own humanness from consumerism?
Self responsibility. Yes, the world can be a fucked up place. But we engage with it. How are we responsible for engaging in ways that harm ourselves, each other, and earth? How can we take responsibility by disengaging and reducing harm? We can't control everything. I'm not saying that. I'm saying, let's explore what we can control and take responsibility for.
Wealth redistribution. This is using money as a way to uplift, empower, and nourish the collective. Lack of wealth redistribution is part of why these income disparities exist.
Collective/community made wealth. Wealth redistribution is a part of this. But I think financial literacy/money/wealth leans more towards individualism than it does the collective. I want to bring more balance to that.
Ancestral wisdom and healing. To know history is to know liberation. I have been saying this for years. If we do not know our own histories, if we are not in relationship with our ancestors, we are not in relationship with our own selves.
Rest. This is self explanatory. We are not machines. We need more rest. More leisure. More of the BEING in human being.
Activism. This is how policy change is made. Perhaps this also stems from self responsibility…or, to be honest, I think activism can be inclusive of all the above. Sometimes we forget our power. Sometimes we feel hopeless. But Tyler Merrittshared, “I don't have the privilege to lose hope.” That spoke to me in ways beyond words could explain. Let our hope for change be the guiding light for our collective activism.
All the above was pure stream of consciousness. I want to be clear that I am not saying that financial literacy is not important. I just think it is so much more than that and so much deeper.
My anger is sacred.
My rage is sacred.
And if you are angry, that is sacred, too.
On a personal level, I don't know what My Gold Standard is going to be or evolve to as I process this rage and grief. It is a weird place to be. I love teaching and for the last 8 years I have been a financial literacy coach. As a financial literacy coach who started this e-mail saying, “IDGAF THAT IT'S FINANCIALLY LITERACY MONTH,” well, it gives me pause.
But here is what I do believe.
I believe that everything we need to make this world a more abundant, equitable, and thriving place for all is within.
So perhaps, i'll be exploring what's already within.
I invite you to do so as well.
I love you.
Stay Shiny,
