Money is a weird thing and it’s a fairly taboo topic but it also means something different to all of us. Your financial perspective may look different compared to someone else.

I was asked by a 6-year-old this past week…

“Madi, when you get to having 100 dollars, that means you’re rich, right?”

Well, not exactly but then again, money is all about perspective, right?

Kids have little to no sense or understanding of money. It’s a hard thing to grasp when you don’t depend on it. It’s nice when mom pays the bills, grandma takes you out shopping, and dad cooks up a nice meal and you don’t even have to think twice about it. But as we grow we begin to understand that things cost money and our financial perspective begins to shift.

What Money Means

Some of the richest people in the world are the most miserable people you’ll meet and some of the poorest are the humblest and kind. Money doesn’t buy happiness and it’s easy to think that it will…until you have it. Money doesn’t mean happiness; it means whatever you want it to mean. That doesn’t make much sense but let’s break it down…

“When I have money, I will do …”

Great, you have money, but do you have the time, energy, and resources to accomplish your dreams? People often think that money is what’s stopping them from living the life they have always dreams of but that’s where they’re wrong. What’s stopping you is your ambition and having a plan. Things won’t magically fall into place because you have the financial ability, they will come when you put your mind and heart into it and make it happen. Sure, money may make it easier but not having money doesn’t make it impossible.

“When I have money, I will feel …”

Money is a form of power. It gives you the ability to spend more on things you desire but it doesn’t make you feel the way you desire. Most people that start making the big bucks say they didn’t even feel a difference once they hit that point. Money won’t make you feel any different than the way you do today because all money does is give you the ability to buy things that will make you happy for a short period of time but that excitement will eventually wear down. Money can also allow you to do things that may not have been an option before that could bring you joy but if you aren’t constantly working on your emotional state and how you feel internally, external resources such as money, won’t solve all your problems.

“Money means happiness”

People find happiness in different things. A hundred dollars probably means something different to you than it does to a 6-year-old. Maybe you feel rich with a hundred dollars, or maybe you feel rich in helping others. Your financial perspective will look so different based on the lifestyle you choose to live. A mansion to you will feel different than someone else’s idea of a mansion. Money is a construct built by society and we assign the value to it therefore we can assign the value it has in our life. Don’t let money control how you live your life. Live the way you want to and the money will follow.