Have you ever dreamed of being rich?
Yes. Most of us have.
I know I have.
The next question is: How do you define being “rich”?
Most people would say:
Having lots of Money. Owning A big house. Driving Nice cars. Taking Extravagant vacations.
We often equate being rich with having material wealth.
Let’s dig deeper: Why do you want material wealth? What’s the ultimate goal?
To most of us, the answer is simple:
We believe it will make us feel happy, content, and loved.
Now, let me ask you this: have you ever seen someone with plenty of money, living in luxury, yet feels lonely, sad, or unfulfilled? Someone who’s downright miserable despite their wealth?
I bet your answer is yes.
Because we all have.
So, what’s the point of having all that material wealth if it doesn’t bring you true happiness?
Here’s the truth: what we’re really seeking isn’t just money. What we truly want is the feeling of contentment, peace, and fulfillment.
That’s emotional wealth.
And emotional wealth is even more valuable than material wealth.
Yet many of us are conditioned to chase material wealth, believing it will automatically lead to emotional wealth.
But that’s simply not true.
I’m a living example of that.
I grew up poor in China.
My parents struggled to make ends meet. We didn’t have a color TV until I was 16, never owned a refrigerator, and family vacations? Completely out of the question.
When I saw my friends whose parents could afford those things, I felt ashamed of my situation.
There was one thing I was obsessed with as a child: Red leather shoes.
One day, my cousin brought a pair of beautiful red leather shoes. I tried them on. They fit perfectly. I instantly fell in love. I wanted them so badly.
But my mom couldn’t afford them. I had to take them off and give them back. I cried for days.
That experience left a mark on me.
I grew up believing that the key to happiness was financial success.
If I had money, I would never have to feel that pain and shame again.
So I worked hard. I got good grades, attended a top university, earned an MBA from an elite business school in the US, and climbed the corporate ladder.
Eventually, I made more money than I ever imagined.
I bought a beautiful house and took luxurious vacations—surfing in Bali, skiing in Japan, and going on safari in South Africa. It all looked glamorous from the outside.
But how did I feel on the inside? Not so great.
I hated my job. The bureaucracy, the office politics, and the toxic people – it drained the hell out of me.
I felt emotionally exhausted at the end of each day. I had no energy left for anything else.
My personal life wasn’t any better. I was stuck in a terrible relationship. My partner and I, we bickered, argued, and fought constantly. The beautiful house? It wasn’t a house full of love; it was a house full of tension.
Worse yet, I didn’t have close friends to lean on, I felt lonely and isolated.
And that’s when it hit me: What’s the point of material wealth if I’m emotionally bankrupt?
I was living in emotional poverty.
That realization changed everything.
I decided to prioritize building emotional wealth—just as intentionally as I had pursued material wealth.
Building emotional wealth isn’t easy. It’s a process.
It takes learning, work, and practice. However, it’s the best thing that I have ever done for myself.
I started therapy and coaching. I read dozens of books and listened to thousands of hours of podcasts on psychology, neuroscience, and trauma healing.
I learned how to regulate my emotions,
Change negative thoughts,
Communicate effectively,
Say no,
Set boundaries,
And take care of my physical and emotional needs.
Little by little, things started to change.
I began to feel lighter, more grounded, and more alive.
I became emotionally wealthy.
Today, I feel confident, fulfilled, and vibrant every single day.
I may make less money now, but it doesn’t matter because I’m happier than ever.
Here is what I learned: emotional wealth is the foundation of a good life.
It shapes how you feel about yourself, regardless of your material wealth.
And here is the irony: when you’re emotionally wealthy—when you feel confident, calm, and content —it actually becomes easier to create and sustain material wealth.
So, let me ask you:
What are you prioritizing?
Are you pouring all your energy into building material wealth, while neglecting your emotional wealth?
I challenge you to start investing in your emotional wealth.
This is the investment that pays back exponentially.
When you build emotional wealth, you’ll feel better about yourself—with or without a lot of money.
And that’s the true definition of being rich.
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Until next time, remember to be kind to yourself.