PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE
Women and Wealth
Is it Real?
What happens when the bank teller gives you a fresh
crisp hundred-dollar bill? Chances are, you hold on to
it and avoid “breaking” it for as long as possible. Some-
how, you’ve convinced yourself that breaking your hun-
dred-dollar bill acts as an accelerator to spending it
and so, since you can see and feel it, you are slower to
spend it.
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Was it just me, or did it feel like August moved at warp speed? Regardless, as it ended,
we were still in celebration mode. Thank you for cheering us on as we reached our one-
year milestone; especially those ladies who attended the totally awesome ‘Conversation
with Michelle’ event at Cultural Expressions. What a sacred night! It embodied everything
I believe about sisterhood; a major part of which is moving forward, expanding territory
and stepping more fully into the life God has in store for you.
We’re doing just that with the help of our fabulous Sisterhood Ambassadors. These fab-
ulous women live in cities around the world and are a testament to my belief that the
sisterhood synergy this magazine tapped into in South Florida is not exclusive to our
area. Women everywhere are embracing the tenets of true sisterhood; beginning with
the S.O.S. (SISTERHOOD OF SELF), and including a spirit of collaboration, genuine sup-
port and an eagerness to see each other soar.
Soaring comes naturally to Crystal Fox, who plays the ‘cursing Christian’ Hannah on The
Haves and the Have Nots on the Oprah Winfrey Network. Interviewing the earthy, deeply
spiritual actress was a real treat. Although she’s been acting for decades, it feels like her
best work if ahead of her.
Octavia Yearwood is also soaring. A true Renaissance woman, she’s written a man-
ifesto of fearless living in a powerful book for youth traveling paths similar to hers
through the foster care system. Her story inspires and empowers; awakening an ur-
gency to burst through zones so many call ‘comfort’ when a more accurate label might
be ‘mediocre.’
As we move into our second year, the wisdom shared by our columnists continues. Check
out this month’s installment of wealth advice and strategies to succeed by Hyacinth
Henderson and Geralda Larkins; who’s hosting the Kingdom Visionaries Strategic Plan-
ning Summit later this month designed to help participants unleash their greatness (go
to GeraldaLarkins.com to register.)
ject’s existence. The fact that folks take the bible and
its metaphors and parables literally proves my point.
Only the enlightened possess the required skills (an
understanding of true faith) to believe in things they
can’t see.
On the flipside, people will swipe the magnetic strip
right off their credit and debit cards. You’ve either
heard it or said, “I have to save my cash, so use the card
instead.” Why is it that when we don’t see the green-
backs, we take it as a free pass to spend without lim-
itations?
HYACINTH HENDERSON
If you can’t see something with your own two eyes, does
that mean it doesn’t exist? Does it make it not real?
What about if you can’t touch it, see or taste it?
Since the beginning of time, history has proven that
humans need something tangible to believe in the sub-
We know the currency is real but there’s something
about not seeing it that triggers a different response in
our spending habits. When I review client’s statement
for debit and credit card usage, they are often more
surprised than I am - and they’re the ones that swiped
the card and benefited from the transaction!
We’ve lived long enough to understand that what’s
done in the dark comes to light and as my father always
says, “if the washer don’t get ya, the rinser will.” This
means, you can play make-believe all you want by fool-
ing yourself into believing that plastic cards give you a
free pass to blow your budget, but reality will meet you
at month’s end- every time.
I could offer several seemingly plausible solutions to
the card debacle. Yes, you can use the envelope system,
set spending limits on your cards or cut them up and
engage in a cash only system. The reality is, however,
unless you get to the root of the problem, you’ll always
find a workaround to tricking yourself out of your hard-
earned money.
Stop running from reality and have an honest conver-
sation with yourself. Start by taking a trip down memo-
ry lane and recall how you saw money used as a child.
Don’t stop there though, continue the conversation by
assessing and acknowledging how your habits and atti-
tudes are impacting your behavior today.
Then ask yourself: Am I really being a good stew-
ard over my finances? Remember, you won’t see
a shift in your abundance until you learn to man-
age what you have. It’s never too late to turn your
dreams into reality. All you have to do is decide!
Hyacinth Henderson is Man