If you're like most people, your beliefs about money and prosperity were instilled in you long ago, perhaps by your parents, a religious institution, or the society in which you lived. If these deeply entrenched attitudes are preventing you from attaining the level of abundance you desire, they must be eliminated and replaced with new ideas.

Affirmations are good tools for reprogramming your ideas. Write down one or more affirmations related to abundance and repeat them often. Say your affirmation(s) aloud at least a dozen times a day, until your subconscious gets the message. Here are a few suggestions:

• My life is rich with abundance of all kinds.

• I have everything I need and desire.

• All my bills are paid, and I have plenty of money to spare and share.

• I am happy, healthy, wealthy, and fulfilled in every way.

Try not to concern yourself with how you're going to get that extra money. Just be aware that opportunities will begin to present themselves to you if you continue to say the affirmation. Be alert for signs and patterns that can signal new opportunities. And always phrase your affirmation in the present tense, as if the condition you desire already exists.

While you're building your prosperity consciousness, make symbolic gestures that reinforce your belief in your worth. Donate money to a worthwhile charity. Buy yourself something special. Treat yourself to dinner at your favorite restaurant. Post this quote from Louise Hay's book in a spot where you'll see it frequently: “True prosperity begins with feeling good about yourself … It is never an amount of money; it is a state of mind. Prosperity or lack of it is an outer expression of the ideas in your head.”

Discover the Source of Your Beliefs

Look back over your life and see if you can determine where your ideas about money and abundance originated. Most likely, you were quite young when this happened. Close your eyes and see yourself as a child again. Witness your child-self's reaction when these concepts were being implanted in your consciousness. How did you feel at the time? Do you still feel the same way? Do you want to change those old beliefs?

Imagine taking your child-self onto your lap. Talk to your child-self and explain that the old ideas are no longer valid for you. This part of you is very receptive and will do its best to please you. Describe the new beliefs you want your child-self to accept and why these updated ideas are better.

Remember something you wanted as a child — a toy, a shiny new pair of shoes, a special outing — but never received because there wasn't enough money. Now, give yourself that thing you wanted as a child. Envision taking your child-self along on a shopping trip or outing. Enjoy your time together.

Be Careful What You Wish For

At some stage in most people's magical work, something invariably happens that brings home the truth of the saying, “Be careful what you wish for. You may just get it.” The adage is actually addressing the power of intention. When you ask for wealth or financial freedom, think about the repercussions of that wish. How will your new abundance or financial freedom affect your family? Your relationships with your friends? Your living situation?

You've probably heard stories about people who've won the lottery and how sudden wealth changed their lives. Some of them missed their old jobs, their old neighborhoods, their old friendships. “The Monkey's Paw,” by W. W. Jacobs, is a story about what can happen when you make a wish without considering the possibilities. Before you do prosperity magic, think carefully about what you wish for. Changes may be inevitable, and the changes may be what you desire. If you are clear in your intentions, you can direct those changes to your advantage.