Here is an email I recently received from Jana Stanfield — a talented musician and keynote speaker.
It was December, the summer of 2003 in Bali. My beloved friend Holly Steil and I went to Bali because we’d always heard how spiritual and special it is.
Trading our money for local currency, we discovered that about $100 U.S. gave us about $1 million Bali dollars. This is when my lessons about wealth began.
1. Carrying $1 million in your fanny pack every day helps you answer important questions like: Do I feel different now that I’m a millionaire? Do I have less problems now that I’m a millionaire? Why not? Am I happier? Why not?
2. Holly and I were treated like the Hilton Sisters, Paris and Nikki. There we were, walking around with millions, able to buy anything we wanted on this beautiful island, but instead of wanting to buy everything, I found myself wanting to give. I noticed that I felt uncomfortable being a millionaire with so many good people around me living happily with so much less.
3. One day I told Guna, our guide, that I was afraid I’d accidentally paid $70,000 for a call to my husband instead of $7,000. I thought the grey-haired Balinese man at the phone shop had taken advantage of me. Guna assured me that it was unlikely. “In the Hindu culture, greed is an enemy of the spirit. Having a pure spirit means everything to the Balinese.” I felt ashamed for wrongly accusing the man of cheating me, when I had more in my pocket than he would make all year.
4. Greed, an enemy of the spirit. In our country, greed is glorified. Those with the most money are admired and even envied, like the Joneses we’re always trying to keep up with. Guess what? In Bali, envy is an enemy of the spirit, too.
5. If I were rich . . . I’d spend more time on endeavors that nourish my spirit. I’d give more to charity without worrying about myself. I’d trust that I’ll always have more than enough. I’d stop postponing all those adventures I plan to enjoy “when I get ahead.”
I’ve never been the same. I stopped being so financially-driven and so career-driven. I stopped being financially afraid and became financially free. The trip increased my faith in so many ways. That’s why I’m going back for the third time, and why I hope you’ll go with me.
If you would like to find out about Jana’s Bali trip, go to http://www.janastanfield.com/bali/