True Joy is Real Wealth, Not Those Fluctuating Numbers

If these constantly changing numbers significantly affect your mental health and your ability to experience joy, it may be time to re-evaluate and change your perspective on wealth.

True and genuine joy, an indicator of inner richness, goes far beyond just the figures that appear in your account. Yes, those numbers may matter, but only to a certain extent. Beyond that, they're merely cold, emotionless digits.

If the rise and fall of these numbers greatly impacts your mental health and your capacity for joy, it's time to reassess and shift your perspective on wealth. You may be prompted to ask, what, ultimately, is the purpose of life? Certainly, the purpose of life extends far beyond the accumulation or creation of that numeric richness. Yes, it's undeniable that we live in a world that is heavily influenced and regulated by financial institutions where money plays an integral role. Everything we need or desire comes with a price tag attached, and you need money to acquire those things.

However, it's vital to remember that you need money “just” to buy things, or “just” to pay those bills, not to define the purpose or meaning of your life. Money becomes a necessity to purchase what is important to you, or to pay back some amount you owe, but it should not become the raison d'être of your existence. So, work and earn your living to meet those obligations, but don’t let it consume your life. Beyond that, the purpose of life is about finding sustained joy, fostering a culture of empathy and care, and supporting one another in our shared journey. Life, as we know it, is truly an unpredictable, beautiful journey. So, reducing dependency on those materials you want to buy is a great way to build true joy in life.

Indeed, money has brought a certain level of convenience and ease to our lives, which feels fantastic. But the other side of the coin is that money also introduces a great deal of tension and stress. Relationships, both personal and between nations, are often marred by financial disputes and disagreements. The strange and sobering thing is that, no matter how much money we accumulate, it will not accompany us beyond the grave.

Therefore, it's crucial to find the true purpose of life beyond just money. As a new immigrant 18 years ago, I observed a heightened obsession with monetary and materialistic success among my fellow immigrants. I did not do well in this race, which was introduced to me by people around me at that time. I gave it a shot initially, but quickly realized that my heart and soul were not designed for such a relentless pursuit. There was a prevalent culture of comparisons, shaming, and belittling if you had less money, if your home wasn't as large, or if your car wasn't as new. People might even exclude you from their circles. I found myself caught in this perplexing trap about 14-18 years ago, where my heart did not yearn for money, but I also did not want to constantly be at the receiving end of these judgments. So, I decided to remove myself entirely from that system. I said "goodbye" to those people who wanted me to succeed only in monetary and materialistic terms. I began traveling alone, finding solace and joy in my small cabin in the Yukon wilderness, a place far from judgments, where I could focus on joy, hope, healing, and spreading these values. Looking back, I'm so grateful that I made that decision about 14 years ago. If I hadn't made that decision, I probably wouldn't be writing this article today. I would be too busy in the endless pursuit of monetary success, losing my happiness, and forgetting the true purpose of life, which is to savour and enjoy this short, precious journey.

I also want to emphasize the importance of work. I still work hard, but nowadays my motivation is simple - to be solely responsible as an adult for my obligations. Through this article, I am not suggesting that work is not beneficial. I was born in a hardworking farming family in a village. For my whole life, I have seen my parents, grandparents and other villagers working hard on their farms. But at the same time, they were living a very humble, simple and joyful life. They were not just working with the sole aim of amassing wealth. Work was part of their culture and lifestyle, they were finding their joy that way. Plus, work life in the farms was keeping them healthy. Working is both important and wonderful. The key distinction is that it should not be done just for the sake of piling up numeric wealth. You should never focus solely on money. Your primary focus should always be on finding joy and sharing it, on fostering compassion and kindness, and on living life in a meaningful and purposeful way. And where you need to choose between values and money, choose values. You should never reject people around you solely based on their lack of money or material possessions.

Leaving pursuits of money behind, giving whole attention to simple things in life creates a real wealth of joy. To support your shift, I am sharing a video which I made with my former student from Whitehorse. Henry was my internship student when I did my teaching program here in the Yukon University. He learned some Bhangra moves from me during my internship time. It was pure joy to do internship and dancing with my class at the same time. After that, Henry has been dancing Bhangra on every occasion. Recently, his mom told me that wherever they go, Henry ends up dancing some Bhangra moves. Two weeks ago, Henry and I met again in Whitehorse, and made this video together. Although Henry’s message in the video is for children, it is equally relevant for adults. Here is the video:

The genuine essence of joy and kindness, a contentment that emanates from within, constitutes real wealth. This wealth isn't about the numerical digits accumulating in your account. It's about the richness of your spirit and the depth of your inner peace.

(If you can, write your thoughts in the comments below)