“What is your earliest memory of talking about money?”
“What messages did you receive about money growing up?”
It is pretty amazing that within a few hours on a Saturday morning, June 30th, people who had never met each other before were sharing about what has influenced their relationship to money and struggles they have in their personal finances.
Circle of Hope’s Capacity Core team facilitated the Making the Most of Your Money workshop to help people with the basics of money management through budgeting. There was a mix of people from the neighborhood and from congregations across the whole church. People found it by word of mouth, Facebook and through Eventbrite. It was a diverse group! Creating space for candid dialogue and offering practical tools for managing money seemed to meet a common need.
One of the facilitators, Will, shared more of his story with his cell this week. He talked about his past credit card debt and the effect of shame on his relationships. People who couldn’t make it to the workshop were asking him for the budgeting sheets and sharing their own stories. It was contagious! The more we talk about money the more we can get freed up from our shame and bring to light the patterns in which we may be stuck.
A workshop-goer said she heard things she already knew but doesn’t yet put into practice. Lifestyle changes don’t usually happen overnight. Making a budget and sticking to it is a discipline that has to be developed over time. It takes work and often accountability in relationships.
We need to encourage each other and learn from other people’s stories. This free Making the Most of Your Money workshop was one in a series. The next one will be August 25th and will explore Financial Planning. Watch our Circle of Hope calendar for a chance to register.