A different take on Wealth
A wealthy life has multiple dimensions. Never view wealth solely through the lens of money.
Over the past few weeks, I have been looking at what it means to be wealthy.
I started off with The (misleading) optics of money and went on to Money is an enabler, not an end in itself.
More often than not, we view wealth solely in monetary terms. If you ONLY measure wealth in terms of money and possessions, the desire to attain more will control all your actions and decisions. It will consume you and have severe ramifications on every aspect of your life.
Not for a moment am I implying that money is inconsequential. Not at all. It matters a great deal. But it cannot be the ONLY dimension of wealth. Your life is defined by so much more than just money.
I was listening to an American from Missouri describe his lifestyle. He said that he and his family (wife and 3 little kids) make it a point to go for walks in the woods a number of times a week. No phones. No food to munch on. All they do is chat, laugh, play and enjoy nature. For someone like me living in Mumbai, that is a dimension of wealth that is so out of reach.
Remember this. Read it twice.
Do not make the mistake of viewing wealth ONLY through the narrow lens of accumulation of money and possessions. There is much more that makes for a fulfilling life.
If you make money the SOLE pursuit, you will end up sacrificing everything for it.
View wealth holistically and arrive at your own understanding of what a wealthy life means to you.
Relationships: Are they transactional, enriching, meaningful? Deep meaningful relationships, where confidence is respected, and judgement has no place, is the highest form of wealth. Cherish them.
Family: A family where there is no abuse, everyone is treated with respect, and everyone’s opinion is considered. We take this for granted, but it is priceless.
Physical: Is lack of sleep something you live with constantly? Are you addicted to sweets or alcohol or anything else? Remember the saying, "A healthy person has a thousand wishes, a sick person has only one".
Financial: Are you employing your skills to grow your income, invest wisely and manage expenses? Do you live within your means? Are you debt free? An individual who can afford to not be tethered to a 9-to-5 and have sufficient funds to provide for his basic lifestyle is more wealthy than someone with an enviable lifestyle but living paycheque to paycheque.
Emotional: Do you engage in discussions that mentally stimulate you, or engage in political and ideological fights that leave you drained? Do you feel the constant need to seek validation from others? Are you constantly comparing your life with others on social media? Doomscrolling is a curse that takes away your peace of mind.
Mental: Are you in a constant state of stress? There are plenty of folk trapped in a perpetual loop of busyness and flaunt it like a badge of honour. I personally view an un-rushed routine as an immense privilege.
Creative: Do you have the time and resources to pursue something you really like, for no monetary gain at all? I know someone who has taken up cooking with a renewed interest. It could be music, pottery, gardening, painting, teaching, or even writing. I write this blog out of sheer passion.
Spiritual: Does your belief system ground you and enable you to be more mindful about life? Does it instil gratitude in you? Does it help you cope with the uncertainty of life?
(By belief, I mean anything under the umbrella of “isms” – monotheism, polytheism, agnosticism, atheism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism…)
The reason I collated all the above is to remind you that a wealthy life has multiple dimensions, and if you chase money to the detriment of the above, it will end up being a pyrrhic victory.
Do NOT subscribe to society’s view of what a wealthy life must look like.
Maybe your financial wealth barometer is low, but you are deeply enriched by your relationships and emotional wellbeing. Conversely, an individual who has an enviable net worth but constantly comparing his lifestyle to others and seeking validation from fitting in, is rich, but not wealthy or content.
By being aware, you may realise that you actually have a very wealthy life even if your net worth is relatively low.
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This is so true
Great stuff here, thanks Larissa.