Prosper = “to Go Forward Hopefully” #923

In our last couple +1s, we took a quick look at some of my recent attempts to cool-ify and kid-ify the idea that delaying gratification via saving/investing money is awesome. 🤓

Today I want to step back and share one of my absolute favorite wisdom gems on the subject of money/abundance/etc.

It’s from Eric Butterworth’s wonderful book Spiritual Economics.

We actually touched on the idea in a previous +1 called Spiritual Economics but I just love it so much we’re going to revisit the theme.

In that +1, we redefined some key terms.

Actually… Let’s have a little pop quiz!!

Do you remember what the words prosperity, affluence and security LITERALLY mean?

…

Well… Do you? 😲

If so… CONGRATS.

If not (and either way!)… Repetition for the win! 🤓

We’ll start with affluence.

Butterworth tells us: “The word affluence is an overworked word in our time, usually implying cars and houses and baubles of all kinds. Its literal meaning is ‘an abundant flow,’ and not things at all. When we are consciously centered in the universal flow, we experience inner direction and the unfoldment of creative activity. Things come too, but prosperity is not just having things. It is the consciousness that attracts things.”

Now, security.

Butterworth tells us: “The word secure comes from two small Latin words: se meaning ‘without’ and cure meaning ‘care’—being without care, freedom from anxiety. Victor Hugo articulates this very special sense in this lovely couplet:

Be like the bird
That pausing in her flight
While on boughs too slight,
Feels them give way
Beneath her, and yet sings,
Knowing she hath wings.”

And, finally, prosperity—which is the word I wanted to focus on Today.

Once again, Butterworth tells us: “Prosperity comes from the Latin root which literally translates: ‘according to hope’ or ‘to go forward hopefully.’ Thus it is not so much a condition in life as it is an attitude toward life. The truly prosperous person is what psychologist Rollo May calls ‘the fully functioning person.’”

Prosperity.

The word LITERALLY means “to go forward with hope.”

It is not so much a CONDITION OF life as it is an ATTITUDE TOWARD life.

I love that for a million reasons.

The #1 reason?

Independent of our current bank balance and/or cash flow, we can ALL (!!!) go forward with hope.

Today.

So…

Let’s.

P.S. How? Well… We have a whole library of wisdom on Hope.