Day 4 – Befriending the Inner Voice in Wealth and Self-Worth
Inse stood at the entrance of an exclusive charity gala, feeling completely out of place. The venue was extravagant, gold chandeliers, marble floors, and a sea of impeccably dressed elites. He adjusted his tailored suit, uncomfortable in its stiffness, as his eyes searched for the only familiar face in the crowd.
Curity spotted him first. “There you are,” she said, gliding toward him effortlessly in a sleek gown. “I was starting to think you wouldn’t show.”
He forced a smirk. “I almost didn’t.”
She studied him, sensing the tension. “You look sharp. But you seem… uneasy.”
He exhaled, loosening his tie. “This isn’t exactly my scene.”
Curity smiled. “Let me guess, your Voice of Insecurity is telling you that you don’t belong here?”
Inse shrugged. “Something like that.”
Money as a Measure of Worth
Curity led him to a quieter corner of the room, away from the clinking glasses and polished conversations. “What’s really on your mind, Inse?”
He hesitated before finally saying, “My parents.”
Curity nodded. “Tell me.”
Inse took a deep breath. “Growing up, they always wanted me to be successful. To make a lot of money, have the perfect career. And now that I have the job, the salary… it’s still not enough. They always find something to criticize. How I spend my money. Why I’m not investing in a house yet. Why I don’t live closer to them.”
Curity sipped her drink. “So, no matter how much you earn, the validation never comes.”
He laughed bitterly. “Exactly.”
She tilted her head. “And deep down, you think if you could just prove yourself, make more money, buy the house, play the role they expect, you’d finally feel worthy?”
Inse rubbed his temple. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
Curity gave him a knowing look. “That’s your inner voice talking. And it’s not your own, it’s theirs.”
Breaking Free from Financial Validation
Curity leaned against the balcony railing. “A lot of people confuse money with love. They think if they earn enough, they’ll finally get the approval they crave. But the truth is, external validation is a bottomless pit. No paycheck will ever be big enough to fill that void.”
Inse frowned. “So what am I supposed to do? Just stop caring?”
“No,” she said softly. “You need to Befriend Your Inner Voice. Right now, it’s shaped by your parents’ expectations, their definition of success. But what’s your definition?”
Inse was silent for a moment. “I… don’t know.”
“Then that’s where you start,” Curity said. “Not with their voice. Not with society’s. With yours.”
Redefining Success on Your Terms
Curity gestured to the ballroom filled with millionaires and billionaires. “I’m surrounded by money, fame, influence, but none of it defines me. My worth isn’t my bank account. It’s the way I live my values. And if I chased approval, I’d be just as lost as the people who think they can buy happiness.”
Inse exhaled. “That’s easier said than done.”
Curity smiled. “Of course it is. But the first step is recognizing that your worth isn’t something you have to prove. You don’t need a bigger salary or a perfect life to be enough. You already are.”
The Takeaway: Wealth Can’t Buy Self-Worth
As the night went on, Inse felt something shift. Maybe it wasn’t about how much he earned or whether his parents ever changed their expectations. Maybe it was about redefining success on his terms.
Curity placed a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t need their permission to feel worthy, Inse. You just need to decide that you already are.”
And for the first time in a long while, he thought, maybe, just maybe, she was right.
Lesson of the Day:
Befriend Your Inner Voice. Money can’t buy love or self-worth. True success comes when you stop seeking approval and start living by your own definition of fulfillment.
