A lot of people don’t understand the wealth that comes with being healthy and possessing financial security and it’s frustrating. They’re privileges to say the least but many don’t recognise them as such because they’ve never experienced the fear of receiving a hospital bill they can’t afford or medication they’re too poor to buy to help manage their sickness. Those of us who come from lower income backgrounds or suffer with financial stability aren’t “weaponising our sorrows” or have victim complexes like some privilege people push the narrative of, it’s us acknowledging resources are inaccessible and various things in our circumstances prevent us from getting the help we’re seeking. We’re not purposefully being neglectful of our health or willingly put ourselves in debt, we’re navigating to the best of our ability with what IS available to us, but in most cases there’s always a cost.

Receiving therapy, having regular physical and dental check ups, possessing the ability to exercise daily and not having to take several different medications just to function are privileges. The people who don’t see these things as privileges are more than likely in a position where they can afford or have never experienced these hardships. I’m chronically disabled and fighting sickness every day, and even though I have little to nothing myself I still make it a task to get out and help others in my community and others because I know what this struggle is like. Eating at pantries, unstable housing, lack of financial security, inability to have regular check ups, etc.

If I was financially secure and healthy, the volunteering I’m doing would triple. All of these things are human rights but the greedy government and privileged people put a price tag on everything to oppress the already suffering communities and I hate it.

I'm going to die soon...and unlike some site visitors I really want to live..... and I could live life to the fullest, because I have enough money to do so. But I'm very sick and I have a few years to live.

While I'm lying in bed, I have time to rethink my whole life. It's only now, before it ends, that I realize I've been living it wrong. I've spent too much time on work and money. My daughter wasn't getting my attention, and neither was my wife. They did get a lot of my money. And I realize I was "paying them off". I thought that money was the main thing, and if I gave them money, I would buy them. Because my childhood was spent in a poor family. My parents didn't love me and I didn't know what it was. I hardly ever call my mother either, but I send money. I consider it my duty to maintain it. I did not see affection in my family and did not know how to give it to people. I grew up tough, cynical, and it helped me make money. Now I am rich, but I cannot buy life and health. I don't want to be lonely, so I decided to communicate more gently with my daughter. She is afraid of me, I yelled at her a lot, didn't consider her and her interests at all. She had to obey, for the money I used to keep her. She loves me after all, and I want to give her the love I never had. I treated my subordinates badly. And now I'm trying to do something good for them with my money. Money has lost its value. Too bad I realized that a few years before I died. The real wealth is my daughter, who despite my strictness loves me, and does not wait for my money. She works on her own and refuses my help now. I began to think about what I can do with my money to help people while I am still alive.... and how to live these few years differently....

Letting go gets easier every day the more I acknowledge and accept that nothing in life is truly mine. Everything is an experience that exists to teach me and it’s up to me to either learn or remain ignorant. To be rich in spirit than wealthy with materials is the greatest form of prosperity and that’s all I strive to achieve for myself.

With me working full time now, I found myself anxious and disheartened at my inability to volunteer as regularly as I had when I was part time. I’m continuously trying to establish that balance between priority and pleasure but even having a routine, not being able to actively serve a community that’s a second home to me breaks my heart. However, upon learning about the ego and the discoveries helping reframe my perspective, it’s taught me something.

While I’m grateful the advocacy I’ve done (and will continue to do) doesn’t stem from wanting to enhance my self image, I found that the upset is because I see the pantry I work for as an extension of myself since its values and mission statement align with community goals I’ve worked towards. I’m not denying I’m still upset being unable to volunteer, but knowing I can always return when my schedule allows brings me peace.

Even if I can’t return, accepting that and acknowledging it was an amazing experience I had the pleasure of living is okay with me too. The peace I’m experiencing with this realisation is liberating, and I hope that even with whatever remaining anxieties I experience, I’ll learn from it too.

Folks, I’m married to a great guy. We got married 2 years ago, at that time we were earning similar amount. I got 2 promos and my salary is now in top 0.05% club.

Now I want to live a certain lifestyle which my husband can’t. He earns 60% of what I do. And I know he is working hard, even bootstraped a startup. I see his hard work but it makes me anxious why would I always have to live like this in compromised state?

I even feel guilty sometimes. Is this normal?

on top of all this, I come from wealthy family with 0 family responsibilities. Husband on the other hand has to take care of his parents, buy them decent house , marry off his sister.

I feel that I won’t be able to enjoy life as I should .

any thoughts anyone experiences same??

I feel embarrassed in my circle of friends where we all can afford luxury like 2 euro trip a year, buy luxury house n car.. but I can’t because my husband can’t do all these things at one go.

In our society it’s ok for men to earn more.. but have you faced a situation like this where lady of house earn more than men and feel guilty of her success?

I some times think to divorce him, marry someone better off financially as well. I won’t ever ask money from my husband but futuristically I want to envision a good life per our earning standards not live sub par to it. Any thoughts?