10 Mindsets that Powered My Financial Freedom

#3. Optimize spending for the most joy.

Growing up, I watched my mom play a traditional housewife role and hated this vision of womanhood. I cringed at the idea of depending on a man for money and permission. Using that early determination, I’ve stayed out of debt, taken three long breaks from career work, and attained financial freedom.

For me, financial freedom means feeling authentic in how I use my energy while making life decisions led by passion rather than money. It means living with peace of mind and purpose.

The past ten years have been full of ups and downs, clearing out old beliefs and cultivating strong self-reliance. I’ve been poor and rich; I’ve worked hard to prove my value and struggled to love myself unconditionally.

You should know now, high net worth doesn’t come with greater self-worth, and boundless free time doesn’t bring fulfillment.

As a woman, financial independence felt like a heated topic. Family members regularly pressured me to get married and have babies while criticizing “career women” as being selfish. When I neared high school graduation, my dad told me, “You can stay in our home as long as you want, until you find a husband and move in with him.”

But when my high school sweetheart broke up with me, I grew heartbroken and fiery. I set off for dorm life at college, where I poured into academics and resume building. I would be a Goddamn independent woman.

Through studying many finance books and experimenting with lifestyle design, I synthesized a decade of personal insights. These mindsets empowered me to turn down a prestigious UX promotion (at Facebook), take a full-year sabbatical, and lean into my most meaningful creative work.

1. Live more with fewer things.

Before I moved to California with only two suitcases, my 19-year-old self wanted to own a different dress for each day of the year. But when my naive desire led to a claustrophobic dorm room and an emotional breakdown, I knew I needed a change.

Soon after discovering minimalism, the “be more with less” movement, I let go of nearly 75% of my physical possessions. Since then, I’ve continued to follow popular minimalist bloggers like Joshua Becker and Courtney Carver, and I apply the concepts to multiple areas of my life.

“People were created to be loved. Things were created to be used. The reason why the world is in chaos is because things are being loved and people are being used,” said Dalai Lama XIV.

By removing the unimportant elements in my life, I created more space for what was important. I became more open-minded and free to travel. After the initial “letting go” pains, a minimalist lifestyle felt much easier and continues to bring joy.

2. Design your life on purpose.

As I neared college graduation, I worried about getting “stuck in a box” at a corporate job for the next 40 years. But I didn’t have many role models for non-traditional work routes. Books like “The 4-Hour Workweek” by Tim Ferriss and “The 80/20 Principle” by Richard Koch helped me think differently about my time and ways to make money.

Here are a few of my favorite lifestyle design ideas:

• Remove the things you hate. Clearing out the really unpleasant parts of life can bring just as much joy as adding in more positives.
• Find patterns in “happiness islands.” Taking time to reflect on the best seasons in your life helps you identify the specific lifestyle elements that bring joy.
• Avoid busywork. Anything that feels like “work for work’s sake” can usually be avoided. You just need to get creative.
• Be proactive. Create enough self-awareness to choose your response to life rather than be reactive to what happens.
• Focus on your circle of influence. Prioritize the problems you care most about impacting and focus your energy there.

After taking a post-college gap year, a successful entrepreneur friend hired me for a content marketing role, where I practiced automation techniques. I ended up working less than 20 hours per week on a salary, mostly from my laptop. That’s when I got really existential at 23 years old. What does it all mean?

3. Optimize spending for the most joy.

Once I learned how to save and make money, I wanted to feel better about how I used it. That’s when I discovered “Money Dials,” an approach to value-based financial fulfillment.

Using Ramit Sethi’s approach, I discovered two areas that I loved spending money in: relationships and self-improvement. Once you identify your categories, you imagine what you would do with a 10x budget. Then, cut way back on spending in the less-meaningful areas.

Once you’re brave enough to list specific ideas, it’s much easier to increase joyful spending.

For example, I wanted a personal tutor or coach for multiple life categories and skillsets. Then I found MasterClass for $180 per year with unlimited access and A-list instructors. How cool!

4. Avoid debt as much as possible.

For my first car, I saved up to buy a used one with up-front cash. For college, I picked the one with great scholarships over the party school.

But I did get into debt twice: once for college (the costs scholarships didn’t cover) and then for a UX boot camp in California. Though I paid back the loans quickly, I felt like a massive weight hung over me the whole time, somewhat motivating and kind of scary.

Staying “in the green” helps me feel good about my relationship with money.

5. Reflect on spending satisfaction.

When I started earning a six-figure salary, I found myself spending more money than usual but didn’t feel much better. That’s when I started using the “track every penny” method, which I’d seen in many finance books.

In the classic “Your Money or Your Life” book, the authors encourage you to view your money as your life energy. With each purchase, reflect on how it made you feel. Was it worth it? Did the purchase align with your values?

Regularly reflecting based on personal satisfaction helped me clear out the noise and spend money more authentically. For example, eating at restaurants rarely feels worth it, so I usually opt for picnics instead.

At first, it felt surprisingly uncomfortable to list everything out, but it did get easier. Tracking my spending helped me feel grounded and confident to cover my expenses for an extended sabbatical. Having detailed personal data can really pay off.

6. Prioritize your passion.

Determined to be independent (from men and employers), when I got a well-paying job, I started saving about half of my earnings. Creating a sabbatical fund gave me the freedom to prioritize work I loved without feeling trapped. I also learned to manage energy more than time, saving my best energy for my favorite projects.

Matt D’Avella, YouTuber and entrepreneur, explains how he prioritized creative skills as his route to financial independence. If his creative business didn’t pan out, he could fall back on freelance projects.

Actress and comedian Amy Poehler wrote, “Treat your career like a bad boyfriend.” It’s never going to be there for you. Instead, focus on you, your passions, and your relationships.

7. Your health is your wealth.

Exercising daily and listening to my body have been critical to my progress. When I started to burn out at my tech job, I felt all the stress and anxiety in my body. Already in the habit of putting my well-being first, it was easier to make the best decisions for me.

Since then, I’ve made a promise to myself constantly to put well-being before financial gain. Dreaming and moving towards my dreams has always required a lot of energy.

8. Explore your “unrealistic” desires.

A lot of fantasizing preceded many of my big life changes: moving to San Francisco, trading my car for a bike, living in an intentional community, working on tech products with millions of users, excelling in partner dance and acro yoga, etc.

Once I wrote down the things that excited me, I felt more curious and powerful. I looked for ways to get what I wanted and tuned into my authentic pleasure, even when ideas seemed far-fetched. Like writing, you have to start with a rough draft.

Often, our wildest dreams are more realistic than we think. As Tim Ferriss writes in “The 4-Hour Workweek” book: “If you had a million dollars, what would you be, do, or have?” Answering these questions and drafting a plan always helps me to get creative juices flowing.

9. Always trust your intuition.

When I decided to walk away from a tempting promotion, I knew most people would disagree with my choice. Several family members gave unsolicited advice and disapproved of my “open-ended” sabbatical plan. Though I knew I made the right decision, I also knew I couldn’t make them see it my way.

I experienced similar discouragement when I signed up for a UX Bootcamp in San Francisco. Many people are afraid of change. But my body always knows what’s best for me.

Looking back, all of my worst decisions had red flags that I ignored. I could have avoided painful experiences like dating a narcissistic partner, living with toxic people, and spending way too much on a fancy apartment.

Now I pay more attention to how people and places make me feel rather than relying on logical assessments. Our bodies are incredibly wise and perceptive.

10. Keep celebrating your progress.

Never underestimate the power of encouragement and recognition. After years of goal-setting and detailed planning, I’m learning to be more process-focused. I find ways to create flow and pleasure in my daily life.

I like to be clear about what I want, have a loose plan, then let go and be in the moment — finding a balance between process and goals has been essential to my peace of mind.

Through the ups and downs, I feel incredibly proud of my courage and persistence. I’ve earned the financial wisdom that empowers me to focus on more exciting challenges. Owning my time and pouring into creative projects feels like the best thing I could be doing.

Looking back, I’ve grown to care more about being authentic and feeling good than appearing smart or successful. All the years I spent trying to impress other people never led to real satisfaction. Instead, I am learning the art of unconditional self-acceptance.

Even though family members and past coworkers may never relate to my version of success, that’s okay. The people who truly love me will support me, even when they don’t understand.

These days, I feel aligned with my creative work and more spiritually fulfilled than ever. I’m building self-trust, and it feels amazing. At 27 years old, I’ve become an independent woman, a financial success story, and someone I feel proud to be.

I write inspiring, uplifting, and empowering content on transformative topics. Join the Weekly Love News on my website to receive free newsletters each Tuesday in your inbox.