This is a week of glee. I wish you a joyous holiday season, however you celebrate. And, I wish you a special Merry Christmas and Happy Kwanzaa for those celebrating over the coming days. 

My deep hope is that you have some time to spend with your family and friends. Remember how we started the year? Yes, 2021 has been the year of renewal, or the opportunity for something different in 2021 starts with your mindset and a focus on the things you can control. You can build wealth with the right mindset, which will also help you recognize that there are many things outside of your control.”

If you have not felt that you’ve been renewed yet, it’s not too late as there are still several days left in 2021. Furthermore, if you need the renewal spirit to bleed into 2022, go for it. The important thing is that you are able to find some way to reset so you can build the wealth you so desire.

It’s extra important to have a spirit of renewal because this is the time of year when it feels like your resources are NOT renewed. You may be spending a lot of money this month on gifts, travel, and food. I have been pondering on the idea of money, which constantly surrounds us and often influences our actions. 

In a recent New York Times article, Cash Is Out. Crypto Is In. What's Happening to Money?, I am reminded of money’s true place and its current state. These statistics from the article are worth noting:  

• “According to the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, there have been more $100 bills than $1 bills in circulation worldwide since 2017.

• Last year, the New York City Council had to pass a bill requiring that food and retail establishments accept cash or face a $1,000 fine, in order to make sure people who don’t have credit or debit cards.

• The share of Americans preferring to pay with cash fell to 18 percent in 2020 from 27 percent in 2016, according to a Federal Reserve survey, a trend accelerated by the pandemic. Americans aged 25 to 34 are less than half as likely to use cash as those 65 and older.”

I also agree with the opinion expressed in the article that “the next stage in the evolution of money will be the rise of non-bank money, including cryptocurrencies.” Most of the money we use today is issued by banks, not the government. When you pay with a credit card, a debit card or electronic funds transfer, the institution standing behind the transaction is a bank.

Ultimately, the value of money depends on how many people agree to use it. Wherever the money evolution goes, I want to urge you to focus on WEALTH, which trumps money every time. I believe that one’s intent with money is more valuable than the money itself. As I watched my 2-year-old daughter put her first coins in a piggy bank for the first time ever, I wondered how relevant these coins will be 20 years from now for her generation. I wrapped her in my arms and told her: ‘I love you,” and “focus on wealth, baby.” 

I hope you can refrain from the stress and anxiety that comes from money this season and turn your attention to wealth! 

A Wealthy Girl Corner 

Kwanzza can be a guiding light to the wealth you want to see in your life. There is a history behind the holiday, and its seven principles: 

1. Unity (umoja)

2. Self-determination (kujichagulia)

3. Collective responsibility (ujima)

4. Cooperative economics (ujamaa)

5. Purpose (nia)

6. Creativity (kuumba)

7. Faith (imani)

I talk a lot about the ‘ujamaa’ principle, or cooperative economics, in my book, especially utilizing this principle in wealth circles. The more we pull our resources together, the better we’ll be in propelling forward our own individual goals. I hope you have time to reflect on ways to build wealth collectively as we head into 2022!