11 Examples Of True Wealth That Matter More Than Money Ever Could
People with true wealth know there are many, many things in life that matter more than money.
GaudiLab / Shutterstock To be completely fair, money is important. It would be a blatant lie to say that having more money in the bank wouldn't change most peoples' lives for the better. From being able to buy better clothes to affording a home in a better neighborhood, money is what makes the world go round.
That said, there are plenty of examples of true wealth that matter more than money ever could. From having the freedom to connect with loved ones regularly to experiencing true peace of mind, there will always be certain non-material luxuries to which money comes in second place.
Here are the 11 examples of true wealth that matter more than money ever could
1. Peace of mind
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The first example of true wealth that matters more than money ever could is peace of mind. With bills piling up and people who depend on them, it's not uncommon to see others run themselves dry as they try desperately to make more and more money. In a society that demands perfection and only the best out of life, most people have to work themselves to the bone to keep up with all of it.
That said, focusing too much on money and not enough on peace of mind is bound to lead to unhappiness. Like it or not, mental health is crucial to people's overall health. According to the Mental Health Foundation, people with mental health problems are increasingly more likely to have a preventable physical health condition such as heart disease.
With this in mind, it's okay to take that day to relax and work on grounding themselves. Even if it's hard, always remember that peace of mind matters more than money ever could, at least, when it comes to health.
2. Good health
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How many people take time out of their day to exercise? It's unfortunate, but most people are way too exhausted to even think about cooking, let alone exercising. Even so, not taking care of themselves is dangerous. Not only is exercising important for physical health, but it's equally as important for mental health.
One study published in 2023 noted that good physical health is associated with an improvement in sleep and psychiatric disorders. They continued that exercise in general leads to a better mood and quality of life.
However, there's more to health than exercising. Eating healthy and taking care of their mental health are also equally as important as both can impact their health in one way or another.
That said, it can anxiety-inducing to work an eight-hour shift only to come home and cook and clean. Understandably, most people just want to relax and turn on the TV after spending numbing hours at the office. Luckily, devices like the Instant Pot or a rice cooker are options people should consider. Before heading off to work, people should consider seasoning their meat and throwing everything in a pot.
Will this take a little time? Yes, however, doing this can take the pressure off cooking as people come home to a home cooked meal done and ready to go, possibly saving them that DoorDash money in the process.
3. Being educated
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Let's face it: school has become ridiculously expensive nowadays. With people spending on average $20,000 through $40,000 to get a bachelor's degree, it's no wonder why people don't want to go to school. That said, an example of true wealth that matters more than money ever could is being educated. Throughout history, education has proven to help escalate people's social standing or even save them in certain scenarios.
As a result, people have pursued education in hopes of both expanding their minds and making more money. Unfortunately, education has lost its prestige as people advocate for less education.
It goes without saying that those who are educated tend to live a better life. According to a study in The Lancet Public Health journal, people who are college-educated live 11 years longer than those who never finished high school.
Now, should people blindly take out a $20,000 loan and go crazy? Absolutely not, however, there are other options besides taking out so much debt. With trade school being an option and community college being an option people can actively choose a cheaper alternative to obtain higher education.
4. Meaningful relationships
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When was the last time people sat down and had a meaningful conversation with a friend, family member, or lover? Depending on how hard they've been working it's likely been a minute. That said, an example of true wealth that matters more than money ever could is having good meaningful conversations.
As much as society would like to convince everyone that they can do bad all by themselves, the truth of the matter is that people need one another. According to a study published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, human beings are wired to connect and as a result, connection can impact their health.
With this in mind, people should ensure that they're taking time to socialize with others. Whether that means going out once a week or getting on FaceTime thirty minutes a day it doesn't matter.
As long as people are actively trying to form meaningful relationships with others they'll not only receive a boost in their health, but they'll also create a strong support system that can be there for them through the ups and downs — which is crucial in the grand scheme of things.
5. Freedom and time to pursue your passions
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Sure, making a ton of money and traveling sounds good on paper. After all, social media have convinced people that living a luxurious lifestyle is the only way to true happiness. That said, an example of true wealth that matters more than money ever could is having the freedom and time to pursue passions.
Though there's nothing wrong with vacations and nice materialistic things, most people miss out on the most valuable thing in life there is — freedom. Freedom can be used for multiple reasons whether that's helping people reconnect or helping people spend time with family.
However, the one thing about freedom that's often overlooked is the amount of passion projects people can pursue with freedom. Whether it's painting, photography, soccer, or streaming, passion is arguably what keeps people moving forward.
A study published in Nature Medicine suggested that having a hobby leads to greater overall health and mood. Unfortunately, all of this has been replaced with different aspirations, causing people to lose their freedom or flexibility in the process.
With this in mind, people should ensure that they aren't overworking themselves for the sake of money. Though money is important, especially nowadays, taking time for themselves to do what they love doing is equally as important, otherwise, life might begin to feel less color and more meek.
6. Spiritual fulfillment
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The next example of true wealth that matters more than money ever could is having spiritual fulfillment. Most people live their whole lives never feeling content. Stuck in the same old cycle these individuals are left feeling drained without ever truly knowing why. However, this is likely because they aren't living to their highest potential.
Everyone has a calling and these callings aren't necessarily money-related. For some, they're called to heal their childhood wounds in order to find spiritual fulfillment. For others, this spiritual fulfillment might be found in the wisdom they gain throughout life. Regardless, not being true to their authentic selves and fulfilling their spiritual fulfillment can have consequences on people's well-being.
One study published in Personality and Individual Differences found that living authentically was key to people's well-being. That said, finding their spiritual fulfillment will take a while. As it stands, most people will truly never know it until they feel that spark light up inside themselves for the first time.
Even so, actively doing their best to put themselves out of their comfort zone is often the quickest way to figure out what their spiritual fulfillment is and how to achieve it.
7. Experiencing personal growth and development
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People are way more busy than they've ever been in the past. With bills piling up high and pay raises seeming insignificant with inflation, the thought of working on one's self goes straight out the window. This is unfortunate, as an example of true wealth that matters more than money ever could is experiencing personal growth and development.
People often underestimate the impact of what personal growth and development can do for them. Thinking that it's a 'hippie' or spiritual thing, they never bother to truly learn or put themselves out there. As a result, they're increasingly more likely to stay in the same place in life, never fully moving forward. This is bad, as refusing to open themselves up often leads to more missed opportunities, all of which, can lead to greater happiness.
That said, what should people do to better grow as individuals? By reaching out to other people, traveling, asking others what you can improve on, and educating yourself, they can slowly begin to grow as individuals.
8. Being self-sufficient and independent
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Independence is a scary aspect of life that everyone has to face at some point. Whether it's going off to college, getting a job, buying a house, or traveling by yourself, becoming independent is inevitable. Despite this fact, too many people cling to others in hopes of not having to deal with the loneliness that comes with independence.
As a result, these individuals end up in overly dependent relationships, leading to a toxic dynamic if they aren't careful. For example, one study published in Biochemistry Research Internal found that dependent people are increasingly likely to engage in controlling and aggressive behavior.
With this in mind, there is a lot of happiness and joy to be found in being independent. Knowing how self-reliable someone is can better help them handle whatever life throws their way. Not only that, there's a true sense of pride and accomplishment found in the joy independence brings, leading anyone to become more confident and self-assured.
9. Feeling grounded and connected to nature
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Some people might think of nature and roll their eyes. After all, what will walking outside truly do in the grand scheme of things? However, according to the American Psychological Association, exposure to nature is linked to improved attention, and mood, less stress, and a reduced risk of psychiatric disorders.
All things considered, an example of true wealth that matters more than money ever could is feeling grounded and connected to nature. Though it might sound ridiculous, connecting to nature is known to boost mental health and even physical health. People who go outside, even for a brief walk, find more enjoyment throughout their daily lives compared to those who stay indoors.
Despite this fact, too many people become obsessed with making money or getting that promotion, not leaving much room for the little things. While chasing the bag is inevitable, people should ensure that they're also taking time to take care of their mental health.
Even if means taking only ten minutes a day to go outside, always remember that connecting with nature is better than staying coped up in the house.
10. Mastery over your emotions
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As children, many of us were taught to hide our emotions. Being told that crying was an embarrassing thing to do, people grow into adults who can't control their impulses. An example of true wealth that matters more than money ever could is therefore having mastery over their own emotions.
Most people don't realize it, but they are truly a slave to their own emotional outburst. Not being able to control their outbursts most of these individuals unintentionally ruin relationships with others. This is unfortunate, as human beings are social creatures that need social support in order to thrive.
To avoid this, it might be wise to find ways to ground themselves. For some, this might mean taking a walk to cool down. For others, this might mean doing deep breathing exercises or excusing themselves from a conversation until they've calmed down.
Regardless, having mastery over that anxiety and anger will lead others to live a better quality of life, leading to happiness in the long run.
11. Waking up everyday loving what you do
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The last example of true wealth that matters more than money ever could is waking up every day loving what you do. Now, understandably, people have to make ends meet and sometimes that means getting a job that they never truly asked for.
Despite this fact, there comes a point where this job leads to disappointment and burnout, impacting their mental health for the worse. While having a good career is important, be sure to invest long-term. Whether that means staying in a company briefly and then moving on to better things, people should do what they need to to remain happy.
Waking up every day feeling inspired is a lot better than dreading what you do. Like it or not, feeling miserable about a job you spend most of your life in is bound to impact your mental health at some point.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor's in psychology who covers self-help, relationships, career, family, and astrology topics.