Throughout history, women have congregated in circles not purely for companionship and conversation, but also to do important work.  Yesterday’s sewing circles and quilting bees reappear today as book clubs, investment groups, and giving circles. All share education and helping others as their central purpose.

Circles are a way of creating safe space for women to talk about personal finances.  It’s not the shape, but the spirit of circles, that results in their transformative power.  Simply arranging chairs in a circle, rather than in rows, for a discussion of personal finance is not enough to get women talking about and engaging with a topic they may consider uncomfortable or boring.  What’s more important is the absence of hierarchy in the circle.  There is no one leader who sets the agenda or determines the outcomes of the discussion, nor is the flow of discussion unilateral, from “expert” to participants.

For change that really matters, when it comes to how we talk to and advise women about money, we cannot do this effectively as individuals.  It’s back to the basic premise of circles: we learn better and we learn more when we learn together.

One of the profound aspects of circle is that we get to hear our own voice, our own emerging thoughts. As we speak, we begin to understand ourselves. As we listen to others, we understand ourselves. Realizations develops. Forgiveness occurs. Hope – and with it, encouragement  - unfolds.

The Good News
When women get together and talk about what matters, amazing things happen!  We get healthier, gain insights that help us in our own lives and find new balance. We form a community support organization and we lend a hand to a neighbor.  We learn.  Connect.  Change a behavior.  Get unstuck.  Gain some courage.  Feel stronger.  Act more boldly.  Make a difference.  Speak some truth.  Help someone else.  Get it together.

What can women do in a money circle? Many things, but these are our favorite objectives:

Become empowered:

  • Because you are completely capable of taking control of your money
  • Because you are not alone in your money insecurities
  • Because we have a method to help you increase your financial confidence

Increase your financial literacy:

  • You do not need to know everything about money to accomplish your goals, we will help you learn what you need to know.
  • The financial industry has created a confusing web of terms and concepts, but between us girls, you have everything you need once you grasp a few simple concepts.

Why not gather and talk about what’s on our minds and hearts about our money? It’s time.

We would like to honor those who introduced us to meaningful circle conversations, Christina Baldwin and Anne Linnea. Through their books and company, PeerSpirit, these two women have brought this ancient and wise form of leadership, governance and community building to the 21st century.