Redefining the Meaning of Wealth

David and Me on our Wedding Day in Studio City, CA

A while back I was interested in the stock market and various other investment opportunities. Then one day it occurred to me that I had better things to do with my time. Bottom line, investing money bores me. I don’t have the patience for it which I know is probably too bad given we live in such a money oriented society.

My brother used to work in finance and he balanced all my retirement accounts. He was damned good at it too and I rode through some fairly rough times without losing  much money. Then he got sick of the whole industry and quit. He now works on an organic farm.

The other day I got a 401K statement from a previous job and it had lost $3,000 in the last quarter. To be honest, I can’t bother with worrying too much about it. Yes, I should probably move some things around but would it really matter? There’s so much in these retirement accounts that are not transparent and I don’t really trust the system.

I then got to thinking about all the investments I had made that have turned out great. Investments that may not mean anything to Wall Street but that have certainly made my life richer.

Getting married:

I’ve always been a pretty independent person and I used to wonder if I would ever marry at all. Then I met David. From the moment I first laid eyes on him I was smitten and still am to this day.  Being with him has been a wonderfully enchanting journey.  Yes, there have been some rocky moments but for the most part we are very compatible. I have a lover and a great friend in my husband. By teaming up together we have been able to pool our resources and have a lifestyle that we might not be able to afford on our own. He supports me in anything I want to do and loves me for who I am.

Investing in relationships is a lot of hard work but the pay-off of having a special companion to stand by you through thick and thin is another “well worth” it investment to me. David is my best friend and I look forward to growing old with him.  Being intimate with another person teaches you much about yourself and the world around you. It’s also fun to share your life with someone especially if it’s the right person. I realize some people either can’t or choose not to marry. I feel that any committed relationship between two consenting adults is legitimate whether they have a piece of legal government paper or not.

My Pets:

Pet companions are time consuming and expensive but I can’t imagine life without them. Every animal I’ve been lucky enough to have in my life has enriched my time on this earth in so many ways. Animals live in the moment and they love you no matter what. They don’t care what you look like or how successful you are. They appreciate the simple things like belly rubs, treats, and sunshine.

I’m pretty sure there’s a heaven and I know all those sweet souls that have passed away already will meet me on the other side one day. I can’t wait! But for now they still are with me because they live forever in my heart.

Practicing Yoga

Back in the nineties I stared doing yoga. I started out with flow and ashtanga and eventually found my way to Iyengar yoga. I go to a class almost every day as well as practicing on my own. Yoga takes up a lot of my time but the investment has been oh so worth it. I feel great and I don’t get as depressed as I used to get in my 20’s. Back pain is barely non-existent for me even though all the women on my mother’s side of the family have historically suffered from back problems. Not me! Knock on wood! And not my mother either. She started doing yoga and Pilates almost 15 years ago and her back pain eventually went away.

When you get down to it, yoga is mainly about self study and I have learned so much about myself since I started this ancient practice.  I enjoy the people in my classes and I am much more accepting of how I look and the whole aging process in general. I’m glad I invested in yoga. About 10 years ago I was thinking of going to law school but I didn’t know how I would be able to work full time, attend classes at night, and practice yoga the way I wanted. Yoga won out and law school lost. Yoga is an investment in my health and well being and what could be more important than that?

(If you’d like to read more about living simply and changing the way you think about wealth please consider reading my book which is available in paperback or Kindle: REDEFINING THE MEANING OF WEALTH: DISCOVERING PROSPERITY AND FORTUNE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.