Where does joy fit into all of this?

Had a fascinating conversation today with colleagues about health and wealth, and it got me thinking: Where does joy fit into all of this?

When I look at my TIAA portfolio and that little wheel tells me I’ll have X amount of dollars by the time I’m 70... it doesn’t move me. It doesn’t make me want to save more or feel excited about my financial future. What does? A vision for the life I want to create now.

And that vision can’t just be about money—it has to include what makes money meaningful:

✨ Taking trips with family and friends

✨ Giving to causes I care about

✨ Resisting authoritarian structures that try to erase my communities

✨ Investing in rest, security, and collective joy

I love thinking about wealth and possibilities—but I also know that for many, money feels like a sore topic. When bills are piling up, when support feels out of reach, when survival takes precedence over strategy—it’s hard to dream.

But what if financial literacy and wealth-building became an integral part of our joy planning? What if we started designing our lives around not just making ends meet, but making wealth a tool for liberation?

My sister recently recommended We Should All Be Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers, and this line stuck with me: “Your money should be a source of freedom, not stress.”

So I’m wondering: How do you think about wealth in your joy plan? What would make financial growth feel energizing instead of exhausting? Let’s talk.