Money has an immense potential for triggering scarcity fears, especially during times of collective economic scarcity. It becomes easy to blame the economy, which we can’t do anything about, for what’s happening to us personally.

As long as we approach money as a precious, limited resource, our experience of it will always be fraught with the fear, scarcity, greed and dishonesty that so often swirl around money—even if we have an abundant amount. However, when we learn to relate to it as spiritual, as part of the limitlessness of Spirit, we can experience prosperity regardless of how much actual money passes through our hands and regardless of the economic times of the world around us.

If you find yourself deeply rooted in financial fears and scarcity, a good way to start a shift is by spiritualizing the way you release money. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Always pay bills promptly and gratefully.

Look at every bill as a reminder that you have received something. Never let a bill go unpaid. Energetically, stopping payment tends to freeze your incoming flow of money as well, so that while you may be spending less, you find yourself with less and less to spend. As you break promises, you set in motion the likelihood that you will also find yourself on the receiving end of broken promises, financially or in other areas of your life. As you break commitments, you dis-empower yourself and affirm your role as a victim rather than a creator. Declaring bankruptcy or otherwise refusing to pay bills isn’t an easy out. Energetically, it leaves much unfinished business that will find you again one way or another. Once you shift your state of mind, you will actually find it less of a struggle to increase you financial in-flow and “clean up your act” than it is to walk away from a money mess.

2. Try this when bills feel out of control: Rather than looking at what you can’t pay and becoming overwhelmed, ask yourself what you can pay and give this amount regularly.

When bills seem overwhelming, imagine that you are the Limitless Source of Spirit and your creditors are you. Imagine that you are establishing the kind of relationship with your creditors that you want the Limitless Source to have with you. In other words, if it feels that the Limitless Source has stopped delivering prosperity to you, start the flow opening again by paying your debts in the way you would like this Source to pay you.

Begin with regularity. If you don’t want unpredictable fits and starts, begin a routine that establishes trust and good faith with your creditors. As you begin to make even small, regular payments, you are likely to find the incoming flow beginning to increase as well. As this happens, you can increase the amount of your regular payments to creditors, just as you want the Limitless Source to continue to increase payments to you.

3. If you feel burdened or victimized by financial commitments you wish you hadn’t made, find ways to transform the burden of these so they work for you rather than against you.

Turn paying your bills into a symbolic act by giving it a deeper significance. For example, tell yourself that every paid bill takes you one step closer to some cherished dream. Know that your finances can and will change the moment you change inwardly. As you stop feeling resentful, fearful and victimized, your outer circumstances will no longer burden you.

4. To strengthen your power of prosperity, starting now, keep all the money commitments you make and make only commitments you are willing to keep. If you feel that you have made unwise financial decisions in the past, take a look at how you make commitments and think carefully before choosing to spend your money.

Ask yourself, do you need to say no more often? Do you spend money to avoid your feelings? (When you’re depressed, do you go to the mall?) Do you spend to impress others or to get love? Do you spend just to get rid of your money because you don’t feel worthy of prosperity? If your spending feels out of control, make a practice with each purchase of asking yourself, “Is this something that is really important to me? Am I using my money to enhance the quality of my life?” If you can’t answer yes to this question, don’t buy it. See if the way you spend your money is similar to the way you spend your energy in other contexts and make any changes needed to avoid wasting your energy.

5. Regularly visualize your bills being paid in full. Do this at least as often as you pay bills. Imagine writing a final check to all creditors with the words “Paid in full” on each one. Picture a surplus of money still in your account.

Lynn Woodland is a Minneapolis-based writer and teacher. For more you can do to cultivate the spiritual state of prosperity, go to lynnwoodland.com.