It's so easy to get caught up in focusing on what we don't have. (Guilty as charged, on a daily basis!)
For example:
- I left home young - no cellphone, no computer, no car, just some clothes, books and my guitar - and became financially independent at 17
- I don't work in an industry known for being lucrative and my skills skew more creative, less practical
- I don't have an equal financial partner; our relationship has spanned multiple bouts of unemployment/underemployment that add up to a significant chunk of time and probably tens of thousands of dollars spent supporting both of us solely on my income
But I've also had so many financial privileges in my life. I don't know where I would be without these things today.
Let's see:
- I grew up in a financially stable home and an understanding of the importance of saving
- I received a full tuition scholarship and graduated basically debt-free
- Despite entering the workforce during the GFC, I have always been employed and the work I do aligns well with freelancing/side hustling
- The stockmarket has been kind to me so far
- My parents looked after me during my separation, offered help with the purchase of my house and were in a position to lend me money towards it so I could buy something decent
