I try to live my life in a way that aligns with what I want rather than following a typical pattern of someone who grew up in the locale and with the resources that I did.

One topic of great interest to me is how to spend my money in a way that aligns with who I am as a person. Where in my life does extra money bring great value, and where does it not at all?

This is by no means an easy question, and the answer is constantly shifting. The answer shifts both as I change over time, but also in the moment. A nice meal out is at times a delightful high-value experience for me; and at other times it simply is not. This is based on external factors that I must experience to learn: the restaurant atmosphere, the service staff, the food; and internal experiences that I cannot always predict even though they come from within: my mood (which might be just one word but is oh so complex).

Then of course there are external forces. Aren’t I supposed to want this or that? And sometimes we only know with experience.

One of my favorite resources to think about these topics lately has been listening to Ramit Sethi’s podcast. Ramit teaches about money smarts, but with a message that each of us has a different set of priorities to lead to our own rich life.