-
The Quiet Side of Wealth
I’ve been a banker most of my adult life. I’ve seen people flaunt their money, living well on the surface. They always seemed to have the means to buy the great house, the fancy car, and all the luxuries that spoke to the world that they were rich.But I’ve also known many wealthy people. They lived comfortably, yes, with lovely homes and nice cars, but more importantly, they woke each morning without the dread that comes from living beyond their means. They had peace. To me, that’s what true wealth looks like.
Wealth is more than money; it’s the ability to live life on your own terms. It’s having enough resources, financial, emotional, spiritual, and relational, to feel secure, generous, and free.
-
From Price Tags to Priceless Moments
When I was young, I always thought that wealthy people were the ones with fancy cars and a nice house.I had two friends in my neighborhood who always appeared to be very wealthy in my mind’s eye. They were the girls who always had the nicest clothes, took dance lessons, piano lessons, and were always going on family trips. I would often hear my dad say things like, “If things don’t pick up, meaning sales, I am going to have to sell pencils on a street corner because, being a salesman, and times were slow, this was his way of letting us all know that he was sort of worried. He never had to sell pencils on a street corner, but it certainly left an impression on me. The fact of the matter was, when I now go past the old homestead, I realize that it was our house that was most impressive.
-
The Avocado Test
How many times have I sat in a Mexican restaurant, ordered an entrée, and watched the server point to “Add avocado: 50¢”? For years I said no. Extra felt unnecessary. Eating out already felt like a splurge.
So…what is wealth?
Money isn’t wealth. Money buys options. For most of my adult life—as a married woman and a teacher with a master’s degree—I felt like we had just enough. Never extra, but enough.
I love my house, my kids, my husband, my life. We live in the country with a lake in our backyard and about 300 feet of shoreline. My family has a Door County cottage on Lake Michigan and a rental next door. The rental brings in income—and work. That’s real life.
Here’s the big difference between being rich and being wealthy: freedom. My definition of wealth is freedom. I’m building that now. I retired from teaching and quit my day job at Wally World. These days I “work” on TikTok. I learn, explore, create, and grow. The money isn’t rolling in yet, but the potential is real—and I wake up excited about the day.
-
Wealth Is in the Moments
As a kid, I always knew we were rich.
Opening presents on Christmas morning usually took over an hour — partly because Santa went a little overboard, but mostly because Lisa opens presents slower than molasses in January.Every Easter, we practically got a new spring wardrobe — new shorts and shirts for summer, maybe some outdoor toys, sandals, and a few nice outfits. It always felt like a seasonal upgrade — trading static-filled sweaters for flip-flops, mosquito bites, and the sweet smell of fresh-cut grass.
-
Redifining Prosperity
When I hear the word prosperity, my mind doesn’t flash to yachts or stock portfolios. Instead, it brings up a very specific memory from second grade—one filled with velvet, a funeral, and a heartfelt family decision that, at the time, felt incredibly grown-up to me.
We lived on Cherokee Road. My little sister was two and a half. That December, my grandpa passed away peacefully at home in his favorite chair. My mom had just gotten a beautiful new coat that I admired with all my little-kid longing. For the funeral, I got one of my own—a rust-colored velvet coat with a fluffy collar. It was fancy. It was beautiful. It made me feel important.
From a kid’s perspective, life felt steady and safe. When I really wanted something, I usually got it. My family was stable. My world was small and secure.Then, a few months later, Mom sat me down for a heart-to-heart.
Dad had been in the “manager trainee” program at JCPenney, working full-time there while also hanging draperies on his day off and in the evenings. He had just been offered a promotion and transfer—to Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Council Bluffs? What even was that? Iowa? Where was that?
-
Almost Prosperous
There have been times in my life when I thought I was this close to having it all together. I’d finally have the bills paid and a little money in the savings account… and then the car’s check engine light would start blinking and making a funny noise. I’d be feeling good for a week—eating better, getting some exercise—and then I’d have a doctor’s appointment and they’d say something “looks concerning.” I’d clean the entire house, light a candle, pour a glass of wine… only to see a mouse run through the living room. -
Thoughts of Prosperity
I’ve recently found myself in a very different financial situation. Two and a half years ago, my husband passed away. The first major change was that his income was no longer available. The next came when I left my job at the bank.Since last February, I’ve been living on my retirement income alone. These changes created a new reality: in a very short time, my income was reduced by two-thirds.
What I realized almost immediately was that I needed to examine my mindset around money and prosperity. As I reflected on these areas, I came to see that I had never truly considered myself prosperous.
When I was young, financial stress loomed large due to my sister’s illness and mounting hospital bills. I always believed we lacked the funds to live the life we wanted.
-
Making It Happen, But Not Always
Self-discipline has been a challenge for most of my life. Its absence has often left me feeling unfulfilled in work, relationships, and how I see myself. I realized early on that I often couldn’t trust my promises to myself. This didn’t become a pattern for me until I was in high school. -
Starting Out Smart
Discipline – this is a hard act for a lot of us to accomplish. I am now retired, having worked in a law office for fifty-six years. There was a lot of discipline in that job and I now find myself being anything but disciplined at this stage of my life. -
That Would Feel Luxurious
Have you ever thought about what feels luxurious to you or what would it take to make you feel like you were living a luxurious life? At first, I had absolutely no idea what would give me that feeling. Others were talking about having cleaning ladies or cabins on the lake or someone taking care of them, but none of those resonated with me. -
The Luxury of a Stellar Day
My idea of luxury has definitely changed over the years. What I used to think was an idea of luxury would be a big, fancy home, expensive vehicles, a huge bank account, a beautiful wardrobe, and exotic places to travel to. Well now at this age I have recognized that the idea of luxury is far different than it used to be. -
In the Lap of Luxury
Luxury means different things to different people. I have been fortunate in my lifetime to feel luxurious many times. There were big events and small events that gave me the feeling of being complete and satisfied and living in the lap of luxury. -
Money Will Take Care of Itself
Money is a loaded topic to me. When I was younger, I never really gave money too much of a thought. We always seemed to have enough money to do the things I wanted to do and buy the things I wanted to buy. I had no reason to feel deprived by a lack of money. -
Too Much Money?
To me, money is a “means to an end. It definitely tends to rule the world. It seems everything is about having money, earning money, wanting money, or not having enough money. Can you ever have enough money? It seems not so. -
Piggy Bank Love
I loved my piggy bank. When I was 6 years old, I would pull the plastic plug out of her belly and dump the pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters out onto my bed. Next, I would sort the coins into piles. Then I would organize the piles into smaller groups of 100 cents. I felt rich.
As a 12-year-old, my mom would give me spending money for our yearly family vacation. During the week-long camping trip at Jellystone Campground, I had the opportunity to go mini-golfing and to spend my money on treats and souvenirs. It felt so powerful to have the choice to buy as much ice cream as I wanted–or not. I would walk around the camp store every day admiring the mugs, keychains, and refrigerator magnets. I could buy any of these things. But I didn’t. Instead, I always counted my leftover money at the end of the week and added it to my piggy bank. I felt rich. -
The Love of Money is the Root of All Evil
When I was a little girl, I didn’t think much about money. I received a small allowance which went into my piggy bank. From time to time, Mom would take me to the bank to deposit my money. I enjoyed watching my savings grow and to be honest, I don’t remember what I used it for. Each birthday and Christmas, I would receive money from my relatives and it was earmarked for the savings account. -
Think and Grow What???
I recently reread the 1937 version of Napoleon Hills’ “Think and Grow Rich”. Mr. Hill opens his first chapter with the phrase “Thoughts are Things”. He goes on to say that when we mix our thoughts with purpose, persistence, and a burning desire for their translation into riches or other material objects, these thoughts have the power to create what we are desirous of. Wow. That’s quite a statement.
