Culture shapes so much of how we think, and American culture is obsessed with money. If we aren’t careful, our bank accounts can easily become intertwined with our self-worth, turning financial accumulation into the core focus of our daily lives.

But when we decouple what we earn and spend from our inherent value as human beings, money stops being this relentless scorekeeper. In that space of freedom, we get to define on our own terms what a happy, successful life actually looks like.

Is it impossible to fully de-center money while living in a capitalist society? Probably, but we’re trying anyway! On today’s episode, writer Tess Waltenburg Akenhead helps us explore what it looks like to de-center our finances from our identity, our self-worth, and our daily decisions.

Here's a preview:

- Why trading finite energy for a paycheck often leaves us so depleted that we end up spending money on convenience and consumer pick-me-ups just to recover

- How reducing money to a neutral utility tool rather than using it as a yardstick for human worth opens up mental capacity, presence, and peace

- Why paying extra to outsource daily friction doesn't always buy back free time (and how to evaluate whether service expenditures genuinely enhance your life or just create more bills to pay)

- The ways in which intentional living is about owning your choices, honoring small non-monetized moments, and treating yourself with self-kindness along the way

Resources mentioned:

• Tess on Instagram
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