Happy Money: The Art of Making Peace with Your Money with Ken Honda

Have you ever felt that your wallet is more than just a place to store cash, but it's actually a reflection of your relationship with money?

Ken Honda, bestselling author, brings to us an  enriching conversation about his principle called 'Happy Money'—which is a transformative concept that can turn every financial transaction into a moment of joy.

"Happy Money is just a refection of your good relationship with money."
-Ken Honda

We discuss how reshaping your relationship with money has the potential to improve not just your bank accounts, but also your work, family dynamics, and overall well-being.

You will learn how you can transform your financial narrative through the power of gratitude, with a  simple yet profound practice that can usher in abundance and success. Ken share's a captivating tale of a single mother who harnessed appreciation to revolutionize her career to reveal how these principles of thankfulness, including ho'oponopono and arigato  amplified  success in her personal and professional life.

My conversation with Ken culminates in exploring what he learnt from his mentor the Japanese Warren Buffett' Wahei Takeda about how even smallest acts of kindness can create ripples of positivity in your financial and personal spheres.

Join us for an episode brimming with heartfelt stories and actionable insights that will inspire you to embrace a more contented, respectful, and prosperous approach to your money and life.


CONTACT  -Ken Honda

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

In this episode I'm speaking to bestselling author Ken Honda. Ken has written several books, but his latest book is called Happy Money and the Japanese Art of Making Peace with your Money. So if you're looking to create a life of abundance and change a relationship with your money, then this is a must. Listen Hello and welcome to the James Grant from Podcast Super Soul Model series, where I help people tune and tap in to their natural state of well-being. This week we have Ken Honda. Ken teaches people how to create a life of abundance by changing their relationship with money. Ken is a bestselling finance and personal development author in Japan with incredibly large book sales, and now he's shown his work with the English-speaking readers across the world, particularly in the USA and Europe, and his latest book is called Happy Money and I have to say I have read this book and it is an absolute life changer. I would just like to welcome to this week's show Ken Honda.

Speaker 2: 1:05

Thank you. Thank you, james, for a beautiful introduction, and I was so impressed that you could speak better Japanese than I do.

Speaker 1: 1:14

No, not at all, ken. I was just talking to Ken just off camera beforehand. I'd been modeling in Japan for a couple of years and I picked up a little bit of Japanese, but not enough to be completely proud of, but enough to be appreciative of the culture and how beautiful Japan is and what wonderful wisdom that gets passed down. And I, having read Ken's book with Happy Money, which I all encourage you to do, there is a beautiful way that some of the Japanese culture manages to pass down, which I think Ken is a wonderful ambassador to share with the world. So, ken, can you just tell us a little bit about how you got the idea for this beautiful book that you've written, called Happy Money?

Speaker 2: 1:58

So Happy Money is the book that I wrote four years ago. Happy Money is money that makes you smile when you receive it and gives you joy when you spend it. It's just a reflection of your good relationship with money. Unfortunately, most of us are in the flow of unhappy money. When we receive money, we feel irritated. When we just pay bills, we get upset. That's unhappy money. So, unfortunately, 95% of us are living in the flow of unhappy money. So the people who have happy money, those who appreciate money coming in, money going out, they are in the flow of appreciation. That is a big difference.

Speaker 1: 2:45

So how did you come into this understanding? Because it's a different concept for people all over the world to come to terms with this flow and this energy. How did you get into that understanding? What was that about?

Speaker 2: 3:02

There's an interesting story. About 10 or more years ago I met a woman at the party and she asked me if she could take a look at my wallet. At the time there were magazine articles and TV programs on celebrities wallet, and wouldn't she be curious? All the superstars and president and famous people, what kind of wallet do they have? Do they have a credit card? Do they have lots of cash and that kind of thing? And I said, okay, I feel a little flattered because only they're interested in celebrities wallet. As long as you give it back to me, it's okay.

Speaker 2: 3:45

So she said thank you, and she took all the bills and she was checking something. She said this is good, this is great, this is fun. And then she put them all together and just passed it back to me and she said Ken, all your money is good. You passed the test. And I said what? What do you mean? And she said your money was smiling in your wallet. That means that you must have made a lot of people happy and, as a result of good work, you received money. And then, on the other hand, some people take advantage of other people and they take money from other people, or you do work to bring food on the table gradually. So that is unhappy money, sad money, angry money. Your money is crying or angry in your wallet, so I can tell people's lives by looking at the wallet. Is what she said? Like whoa really.

Speaker 1: 4:43

That's incredible. Did you ever see this lady? Had you ever seen her before, or you know?

Speaker 2: 4:48

No, no, no, no, no. She attended my seminar, so like what and very interesting, and she said sorry I forgot to introduce myself. I'm psychic, I see things that other people don't see, but she really gave me the inspiration to look at people and just imagine okay, james, certainly a lot of smiling money in his wallet. You know, like Jack I don't know you know like I can tell if people are nice and genuine and seem to do a great work, their money is smiling in the wallet. On the other hand, even though you're super wealthy, if you're taking advantage of other people, your money is crying in your wallet. So it's a big deal.

Speaker 1: 5:30

So when that happened, you received the blessing from the lady who said, ken, your money is happy or smiling. So then what happened next? Because you've already written quite a few books already, but then happy money became international Right. So what was the lead up to this? Because you know there's still a lot more that can Doing and you know the offset of this book is changing millions of lives across the world. Can I read your book? I was like, wow, this makes so much sense and I am understanding energy. Because I've been meditating for a long time. My audience understand was beginning to understand more about energy. But seeing money is an energy, is that perhaps a new concept for people?

Speaker 2: 6:21

Right, right, right. And then, after meeting this woman, I started thinking you know, I've In fact, for the past twenty years I realize I have helped a lot of people transform the relationship with money and by changing your relationship with money you can change your life. So if you have a better relationship with money, you're working situation improves, your relationship with your family members, friendship Changes and also your relationship with customers and clients and bosses and you know you subordinate and colleagues that would also change. So Transforming your relationship with money has a lot of key ingredients in happiness.

Speaker 1: 7:10

Sure so in the book you talk about your mentor. You had a mentor that helped you on your way. Yeah tell us a little about your mentor and share it with the audience, because he seemed like a highly influential person in your life.

Speaker 2: 7:27

Indeed, his name is Wahe Takeda and he was one time one of the richest men in Japan, and he used to be called Warren Buffett of Japan and he was so generous to give away his gold coins. You know he, whenever he sees a beautiful smile, he congratulates people and then gives a gold coin personally to the lady or the waiting person who is serving our table. And I was surprised. It's a genuine, solid gold coin.

Speaker 1: 8:05

Yeah, and they're beautiful, you know.

Speaker 2: 8:07

Yes, a thousand dollars. And then why do you give it? To that, to the perfect stranger. And he said what would you feel if you receive a gold medal? And the guy says the old grandpa says you have a most beautiful smile. And he said of course you'd be happy and of course she be smiling more. That is exactly it. I bought the lifetime smile of of hers for the rest of her life. That's a good bargain for only a thousand dollars. And then, wow, that's interesting. And then, but you're losing a coin. And he said, from a coin's perspective, which is a happier place, in her pocket or in my pocket, or safe, because I have thousands of coins back home. So just ignored sitting in the safe, dark, safe. But if the coin is in her pocket, she touches it, he cherishes it, she respects it, she says hello every morning. So for the gold coin's sake, her pocket is a better place to be.

Speaker 1: 9:19

Yeah, I really like that. I'm fascinated that he had that understanding in the feeling to give yes and because he wants to see someone happy with that. So it's almost as if he's trying to encourage more happiness and reward happiness. Is that correct?

Speaker 2: 9:41

Yes, so that's what he was telling me. It's about the generosity and appreciation to money opens up. So when you just say thank you or arigato to money, you just open up a new channel for abundance. That's what he taught me.

Speaker 1: 10:00

Now. So how did you start practicing that? Because you obviously were at the dinner table or the lunch table watching him do that. So how did Ken put that into practice and what did you notice changed for you.

Speaker 2: 10:17

That's a good question, james. So he said you can just do arigato marathon. If you just keep saying arigato, arigato, arigato every day, 3,000 times a day, it'll be a one million thank you at the end of the year. So I started saying arigato, arigato, arigato, so like arigato is the way I walk, and when I take a walk I said I'm on the arigato, arigato, arigato, arigato, arigato.

Speaker 1: 10:48

So would you say, or would you think it, or a bit of both.

Speaker 2: 10:53

Both. I think it, I say it and I got a little tired of arigato, so I use thank you, thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, thank you. The energy is the same. So I started doing that for a few days and it felt so good. So I'm addicted to saying when I'm waiting for a train or a plane or when I'm taking a walk, you know you have a few minutes of washing dishes and then I said arigato, arigato, arigato. It's almost like arigato meditation. So when I say arigato, it puts me into a very interesting high vibration state. So it's almost like a meditation for me.

Speaker 1: 11:40

And so would you do. You still do it to this day, do you always are you. Is it sort of going around in your head? Thank you the whole time.

Speaker 2: 11:48

When I, when something you know like upsetting from watching TV, or when something bad happens, I just cleanse it, arigato, arigato, arigato, and so I can take it in. So I always do that, you know, not all the time, but just almost like a part of my life.

Speaker 1: 12:09

So when I just yeah.

Speaker 1: 12:11

I'm absolutely fascinated by this because about 16 years ago, I came across a book called Zero Limits and it's about the Ho'opono Pono, which is the Hawaiian way of saying four phrases Thank you, I love you, please forgive me. Thank you, I love you, please forgive me, I'm sorry and I'm sorry, yeah. And I came across one person who just said if you just said thank you the whole time, well, arigato, as you were saying, it really does cleanse you, it changes your feeling. And Einstein even said if you were to say 100 times a day thank you, you'd be getting close to what he was discovering with his insights. Right, and you know, that's how he came up with the idea of riding on the beam of light. I mean to think of that would be because I want to know what riding on a beam of light, of love, would be like. And it's like well, how do you even come across that? Because, because I was saying thank you the whole time, thank you for this beautiful world we live in, and so I'm really fascinated by this, thank you.

Speaker 1: 13:20

So then, what happened to your finances? Because the people listening in the audience will be tuning in to going. Well, if I were to say thank you all day long for a few days, just like what Ken was practicing from his mental. How's that actually going to change my financial circumstances? So what that? Yes, after that, because the people want results, but at the same time, you know, we want to know, because this relationship is something you've got to build.

Speaker 2: 13:46

Right the mantra Arigato itself doesn't bring your money, but your attitude does. I have a student who was a single mom and she was complaining about her low paying job and I taught her the importance of Arigato. But she said no, you don't understand me. My boss never appreciates me for like I've been working for like five years and then he never gave me a raise and then so I have no reason to thank him. So I said is there any even just a single thing that you can appreciate him for? And she thought for 30 seconds nothing. And think harder. And she said oh okay, there's one thing he hired me even though I didn't have a college degree. Here we go. I know there's something that you can appreciate. And then she realized, once her mind was shifted into appreciation mode, she said a few more things about him and then the next day she started thanking him and in a matter of weeks she got a big raise and a big bonus. Her thank you attitude to her boss just reminded him how important she was and how he forgot about appreciating her. So she realized that she has to take a good, better care of her. So as a result, she got a big raise and also a big bonus for all the lost time. And she was telling me. You know what, ken? He said thank you to me. Can you believe that? So your appreciation echoes back.

Speaker 2: 15:29

So and I did some experiments. I divided my client groups into two. One I brought a little thing, the other I did nothing, just usual accounting consulting work. Six months later, from the group one that I brought some nice tea, a little gift, I got so many referrals because I showed them how I appreciate their business. And the second group I got so so referrals, but I didn't get so many. So when we showed our appreciation to our clients and customers or the boss or whoever we're surrounded with, like including your family members, we get thank you back. So we can appreciate more. It doesn't cost us anything, but our attitude to appreciate more brings in happy people. So we are more attractive, we attract more opportunities and definitely that's how I made 9 million copies of my book sales. So in that Hopo O'Pono.

Speaker 2: 16:34

Actually, dr Joe Vitale is a good friend of mine. I got to text him two days ago for my next book's endorsement. He just had a chat with Dr Hurin, you know the author of a hopo opono, and then he said you can use it for your book promotion. And Dr Joe you know Joe. Joe said oh too bad, you know my books are already out. And Dr Hewlin said you can do hopo opono even though the books are out there, because everything is energy. So Joe started doing hopo opono with his books and it became international bestseller. I Do the same thing. I do Arigato and hopo opono with all my books.

Speaker 1: 17:23

So that is why I'm saying this is really interesting because this is where time is non-linear, right. So time is infinite. You know past, present and future. I try not to wear a watch unless I'm at a nice gala or an event, because I want to be present. But when you are Saying hopo, opono or arigato to your books or any of your products, yes, how are you? How are you? What's the actual process that Ken does for that?

Speaker 2: 17:55

Say I have a book you know here, and then put a book behind happy money there, behind the Honey, yeah and I'll just put the book cover and just I almost kiss my book and just say thank you, thank you, thank you, arigato, arigato, arigato. And then I just appreciate my book for being there and if you want to do hopo opono, you can say I love you, I'm sorry, please forgive me, thank you, so you can do the whole thing and then in your imagination and that Will elevate the power of all my books. So when people come into a bookstore, a lot of people have said my books were shining in the bookstore. So I think it's because of that.

Speaker 1: 18:42

Yeah, but but, ken, I'm a firm believer, you know, in energy, like when I first started meditating, for instance, I was like, wow, I feel so much lighter and brighter and I always happen to be in the right place at the right time. I call it the green lights of life, just being there at the right time at the right place. And I got inspired to start this podcast years ago and I'm hoping it's helping so many people. I'm sure you do. Yeah, thank you, and I love what I do and I'm so appreciative of of the information that I have and my guests, such as your good self. But I can tell when I'm speaking to you that you have a beautiful, calm, uplifting, positive energy and that is so great to see and it's so nice to know what you're doing under the surface, to be able to, to share your gift and talent with the world, and I'm really intrigued to, and to encourage to the audience what Ken's been sharing, because Ken is a living example of you know what he teaches and you can really tell it. And I want to tell a story, ken, because you inspired me on yes please, and I just want us to say what Ken teaches really works. And Something happened to me a little while ago, which was I was just coming out of a grocery store and I was getting in the car with the bags and a guy came over from a charity with a little clipboard and he came over and said, oh, could, could you contribute to this charity?

Speaker 1: 20:24

Now, I didn't look at the clipboard, I didn't look at anything. I didn't see that he had a badge or anything like that. I just went into my wallet and the first note I pulled out was a 20 and I didn't think twice about it and before I know, he'd gone and he'd he'd gone away. And At the moment, at that time, I thought, oh, have I given too much? Or did I check? Did I actually think that this person was a credible source for a charity or was it someone who's just, you know, potentially a scammer? Now, that is what was going on in my head. But I thought, listen, I've just been reading Ken's book here. I'm going to just go to appreciation.

Speaker 1: 21:06

So I got in the car and I'm so grateful and I really appreciate my groceries. I can do that. I really appreciate this beautiful car that I have, a really appreciate this beautiful environment that I have and I'm really thankful that I could give this man some money that may go to a really good source, and I bless that source wherever it goes. That's not for me to do, I'm just grateful I have the money that I can share.

Speaker 1: 21:30

And I kept on going on and on and on about this for about five minutes until I felt this feeling inside my body and I got home to Realize there were two financial blessings that came to me within about two hours, mm-hmm. And the first blessing was that I didn't. I came into 500 bucks. And then another blessing was I came into another 500 bucks From a modeling job that I did ages ago. So literally just giving $20 away, I came into about $1,000 within a really short amount of time and I was just really appreciative for what I had. Now it's really nice to tell that story, but it's also nice to remind me that that's the way to live, right, right, grateful for you, ken, because your story just helped, reminds people, particularly me with this, that what you're sharing really works.

Speaker 2: 22:34

Right, and you don't have to believe it, you know, just enjoy it. If it's too scary, just put like 10 cents in a, you know, in a donation box also works too. It gives you such a lighter feeling. So, whatever you feel comfortable, you can start sharing what you have, you can start giving what you got and then just do a little bit of experiment and then just enjoy giving, because I think in the whole world joy of the giver is so big. So if you just, I think that's one of the great things about being wealthy is that I get to enjoy so much joy of a giver and at the same time I am also experiencing a joy of a receiver. You know, when I just hear compliments or the experiences like yourself, james, you know, I feel so much joy of receiving all the results of hard work that I did Six, seven years ago.

Speaker 2: 23:38

You know it was a big deal for me to write in English. I was in a self doubt. I don't know if this book could help even a single person. You know, I felt like, oh, you know my English, but I was dealing with a lot of self doubt. So, like talking with you, I know I can help one person, which is such a big deal, so thank you for that.

Speaker 1: 24:07

Oh, Ken, and thank you. I mean, honestly, what you're doing is really making a beautiful difference and it's creating a large, beautiful, positive ripple effect with people and their relationship with money, which is so important because we deal with this energy every single day. So the better relationship that we have which was what you're teaching you know the happier and more calm you can be, because you're always having to deal with it in one kind of way. Now I did want to ask you something for that you could perhaps share with the audience, If there was one thing that you could, you know, give to the audience an idea. I know you've talked about the generosity of maybe giving a 10 cents at a bare minimum, but is there anything else that you could think that they could help build their relationship other than just that thank you, or perhaps giving that 10 cents you know in fact, yeah, there are.

Speaker 2: 25:05

There are so many ways to give. You know you can give kind words, positive attention. You can just text your friend after just a few months of not exchanging messages like how are you, James? You know what's going on mom, you know how how's it going, my brother. So just a simple, fun, kind message touches people's lives. So and also you can give people by listening. You know and also you can, you can feel your friend, you know you can be with your friend.

Speaker 2: 25:42

There are so many ways to share your love. So it's not just think whatever you have. There are so many beautiful ways to be choosing love. So you can also. It's your style, you know some people want to be more active. Other people want to be more inward. So just praying for somebody's happiness is also active love too. So my other fun of hopopono activity before I go to sleep is just I keep blessing everybody I met on that day. So, James, you'll be in my prayer in my hopopono and saying, like James, everything great will happen to him a lot, a lot every day from here, you know. So, like the next 30 days, he'll have lots of money, lots of great fun opportunities for him. So I am the next person and the next person. So I just after by like 10 or 11 friends and I just fall asleep. So that's a fun way of going to sleep.

Speaker 1: 26:48

That's a lovely way of going to sleep. That's a lovely way. And what about when you wake up? You know how, when you wake up, what's your, when you enter and you just waking up, you know it's a lovely way to go to sleep, to bless the people in your life that you met or you know you care about. What about in the yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2: 27:05

So I sort of know my next morning schedule right. I started out by being interviewed by this beautiful Indian podcaster. You know it's a fun day. You know, I started with an Indian woman and then I end with a British man.

Speaker 1: 27:24

So it's an international day. I'm on the British by sound as British as you get, but there we go.

Speaker 2: 27:28

Right or Spanish, whoever you are Another beautiful soul, right. And then I am so happy that I could do a few interviews. I did a write a little bit, I met a few people and I took some of the YouTube videos for for next few weeks. So I've done a lot of fun stuff. So I just start counting, like, okay, I'm going to meet this woman, you know, this one, this guy, that guy, this guy. This day is going to be fun. So, like, I'm full of joy and excitement because you know, I choose my activities carefully. So I'm telling all my people who are going to book me for something you know, whoever is generous, whoever is fun, I'll be there, you know. So it doesn't really matter if it brings me money or not. Money party is already taken care of. So for me, a meet, meeting new beautiful souls, is what counts. So, james, you're making my day the last day.

Speaker 1: 28:35

Can you make my day and I hope that into this conversation to my, my beloved audience, that they also get so much love and appreciation from our conversation today. Ken, thank you so much for coming on the show today. It's been such a joy and such a pleasure speaking with you and I hope everybody can take something of a nugget of wisdom away from this conversation that I've had with Ken. I'll have all the links that you can find Ken's material in the video below or in the podcast. So please, I do encourage you to check out Ken's material, because it is really life changing and very uplifting as well. And if you want to have an even better relationship with money than you've got, then do check out Ken's happy money, because it made me happy when I read it and that's what I'm really thankful for.

Speaker 2: 29:27

Thank you, thank you and tak, tak, right Tak tak, yeah, tak, tak yeah.

Speaker 1: 29:30

Plus fans going to say tak, tak, in Spanish Gracias, and in Japan we will say yes, gracias, and I'd also like to say in Japanese, we'd say it's very nice being able to work with you, which is yes, good work.

Speaker 2: 29:54

Thank you so much. Thank you.

Speaker 1: 29:57

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