What Does “Being Rich” Actually Mean?

Let’s be honest… somewhere along the way, we got sold a weird version of “rich.” I have had to get real in my goals about wealth – what does that mean and why do I want to have money?

Like… if you don’t have a G-Wagon (does anyone still say that 😊), a perfectly filtered vacation photo, and a schedule so packed you need a personal assistant just to breathe—are you even successful? 

But here’s the truth: most people don’t actually want that life. They want the feeling they think comes with it. The freedom. The space. The ability to sit on the deck with a coffee at 9:30am on a Tuesday and not feel like they’re doing something wrong. That’s rich. Going to the gym in the middle of the day? Rich. Taking a walk and calling it a “meeting”? Elite behaviour. Jumping on my bike at 11 a.m. on a Monday? Extreme wealth!

When you’re really designing your life—from the inside out—it requires a level of honesty most people avoid. Because it means asking: Do I actually want this… or do I just want people to think I do? And whew… that one stings a little. It also requires us to think and have honest planning conversations about finances... that’s where I (and most women) have historically shut down/avoided/stranger danger. Until recently - as per my 2026 goals. Real alignment doesn’t always look impressive from the outside. Sometimes it looks like slow mornings, fewer commitments, saying no to things that sound good on paper, and building a life that makes you feel like yourself again – or maybe for the first time ever.

And here’s the part no one talks about enough: real wealth creates space for purpose. When you’re not constantly chasing or proving, you can actually give. You can show up. You can serve. Being rich isn’t just about having time for yourself—it’s about having the capacity to pour into others, to support your community, to lift people up, and to be part of something bigger than your own to-do list. That’s the kind of success that actually hits different.  Whether it is writing a cheque, giving your time or both.  It’s all creating purpose.

So maybe the goal isn’t to build a life that gets likes. Maybe it’s to build one that feels like exhaling. One that reflects your values, your energy, your purpose. One that lets you live, give, and show up fully for your human family. And yes—it takes courage to choose that path. But honestly? There is nothing more powerful than deciding you’re done performing… and ready to start living.

- Kim