TawnyaS
I could have lied. I was filling out forms at the DMV to register my new boat, and I was caught in a moral dilemma. Yes, it’s the DMV and it can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but lying about this one little thing would have made me feel guilty and immoral for a lot longer than it would have been for saving $645.
“Everyone lies about the amount they pay for their cars and boats.” “It’s so easy to make up a number, put a lesser amount and not have to pay the taxes.” Those were the things I was telling myself as I completed the forms. And I know I’m not alone.
It’s sometimes too easy to feel like, I can get ahead or cheat somehow to keep my money, but it’s not right. I know I don’t want to live immorally in any way anymore. I believe even the little things we do to get by when we can: exaggerate on our taxes, lie about making less money to get into certain programs, slip a chapstick into our pocket instead of paying for it at the register…in order for you and I to get 100% aligned with our money goals, any little cheating ways need to stop.
Buying a boat was never on my radar. It was never a dream of mine. An opportunity presented itself this summer, at my new house in Lake Tahoe. The house came with a buoy, which can be difficult to get in the area, and being right across the street from the Lake, my fiance and I decided we wanted to get a boat. Well, first, it was all him. He became obsessed with looking and dreaming about this sick, new boat, completely out of his price range he wanted to buy.
I started looking too, but only because he started sending my boats for sale on the daily. Before this, I knew nothing about boats. I’d been on all kinds of boats: cruisers, ski boats, sail boats, cruise ships, even yachts; but my knowledge was super limited.
As the weather heated up, I started becoming a little obsessed with the thought of having a boat too. I had already told him I would pitch in some money for the boat, but as he waited for a check (with no real date in sight as to when he would receive it), I decided I was going to buy the boat myself.
I found one that was the perfect mix of old school flair and updated musts (like a wakeboard tower and an upgraded sound system). It was priced at $8,000 by a guy on Craigslist, about an hour away.
The 1990 American Skier classic, would get us on the water and enjoying the beautiful Lake at a reasonable price. Sticker shock is reeeeal when it comes to nice boats. People drop major Benjamin’s on new ones: like the price of a house money. It’s nuts. But I wasn’t willing to take out a loan. NOPE. It’s against my morals. I would only buy a boat in cash and I wasn’t going to spend over $7,500.
From the get-go I had a good feeling about the boat. We went and looked at it—the one and only boat we did, and Mike liked it a lot too. He knew all the questions to ask the guy related to the engine and all this stuff that was still way over my head, and everything seemed to check out. So I BOUGHT IT!
I still can’t believe I own a boat, paid in cash and it’s right across the street from my house. It’s a game changer. I learned how to drive it and am now comfortable parking and cruising it all around the Lake. It’s such a fun and freeing new sport for me. It’s opened my life up to new possibilities and given me a new sense of my surroundings…
Here’s the kicker though: What I realized in all of this is that I never thought about owning a boat because I really didn’t think I deserved a boat. It seemed like something for people with a lot more money than me. I totally had a limiting belief about my worth. When I realized I could 100% own a boat, with cash and live this dream, it felt amazing.
A few years ago I would have never thought that having the money to buy a boat would be possible, needless to say owning my own boat. It’s opened up a new side of myself and realization that I do deserve nice things and I AM worthy.
And that’s why I couldn’t lie on the registration. I just couldn’t. I’ve worked so hard to overcome so many limiting beliefs. What I would have been telling myself, had I lied, was that I couldn’t afford it, and that didn’t want to be something I had on my conscience. Also, the fact that I just SPENT $7,500 on a boat and wasn’t willing to pay the $645 fees for tax and registration would be reversing the work I have been doing on my subconscious.
I am so proud of myself. I’m proud of the work I’ve done to rise above my old, crappy beliefs and create new ones that are aligned with the true me.
Knowing your worth and changing your ways so they’re aligned with your values is HUGE when shifting your money mindset. I can help you. Because you are worthy.
Where are you holding yourself back? Where are you compromising and lowering your standards, just to save a few bucks? I’d love to work with you and help you get aligned to live your purpose.
