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How rich is rich enough for youmillionaire, billionaire, trillionaire? Someone from the ghettos of New York City might think having a swimming pool is rich. A person living in an impoverished third world country may consider anyone with running water to be rich. It’s all relative.

We learn early on that money and material possessions define how rich we are. We also learn that we never have enough of either of these. Walk into any middle class family’s home with children these days and take a look at the toy collection. Chances are you won’t find a crateful, but a roomful! How many birthday parties have you been to where you’ve watched a child frantically tear the off the wrapping on their gifts (as if a bomb would explode if it wasn’t opened in ten seconds) only to fling the present off to the side in order to get to the next one? Hence the pattern begins of wanting more while never feeling like you have enough.

Of course, we should know deep down inside that money isn’t the only measurement of richness in life, but alas we live in a society where advertisements, news media and retail stores paint a different pictureone with large green dollar signs against a backdrop of colorful merchandise and subliminal promises of happiness and success. There’s nothing wrong with wanting and having it all. The problem exists when we make it our top and only priority in life. That’s when it gets ugly; people get greedy and use unscrupulous methods to get want they want. Look at what happened during the booming economy of the mid to late ninetieswealthy business people, stock brokers and well known media personalities were convicted of trying to amass even more money with their white collar crimes.

Here’s a news flash: you can be as rich a woman as you want in life; there is plenty of abundance in the universe for everyone. You may need to adjust your definition of what rich is to you and certainly expand that definition to include other things besides money and possessionslove, respect, friendship, admiration, happiness…to name a few. When you do that, you’ll realize how abundant your life really is, and your perception immediately changes from one of lack or need to one of abundance.

Universal law goes like this: “Like attracts like”. You will attract more riches into your life, including money, if you already see yourself as rich. Maybe in the end you’ll decide that you have enough money. Maybe you’ll decide you deserve more. Either way, you’re more likely to have and receive money if you come into it with an attitude of abundance rather than one of poverty.

Call upon Lakshmi, the Hindu Goddess of abundance, beauty and happiness to help you build both your material and spiritual wealth as both are equally important. Lakshmi is said to have been born, fully-grown, out of the ocean on a lotus petal and adorned with precious jewels, gold and gifts. There is a chant you can use to invoke the presence of Lakshmi: “Om Nameh, Lakshmi Namah”. She is always available to bring good fortune to others…that includes you Goddess!

5 Ways to Be Rich:

• Count your blessings in all areas of your life everyday.

• Celebrate successes with friends and family.

• Visualize having what you desire, rather than focusing on not having it.

• Don’t compare your life or money with that of anotherwe each have a unique path.

• Always place a higher value on love than money.

Excerpted from the book: The Goddess of Happiness, A Down-to-Earth Guide for Heavenly Balance and Bliss

Debbie Gisonni, aka The Goddess of Happiness, is an author (The Goddess of Happiness: A Down-to-Earth Guide for Heavenly Balance and Bliss and Vita’s Will: Real Life Lessons about Life Death & Moving On), speaker, happiness expert and columnist for iVillage.com. Contact: http://www.goddessofhappiness.com

Copyright, All Rights Reserved, Debbie Gisonni