Slower, Wealthier, Happier

For years, I woke up in a constant state of anxiety.

It didn’t matter if it was a weekday or weekend, my eyes would open and immediately, my chest felt heavy. My stomach was tight. My mind was already racing before I even swung my legs out of bed.

I had affirmations taped to my wall. Scriptures written out where I could see them first thing in the morning. I thought maybe if I could just read the right words quickly enough, I could shift my state before the day took over.

But deep down, I was already in fight-or-flight mode from the moment I opened my eyes.

I didn’t have the language for it then, but I was living inside hustle culture — and it was quietly destroying my health.

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What I Didn’t Know Was Hurting Me

I didn’t know anything about the nervous system at the time.
I didn’t know what “dysregulation” was.
I didn’t know the toll that years of burning the candle at both ends was taking — not just on my mind, but on my body.

I had gut health issues.
I had sleep deprivation.
I was irritable and fatigued.
And I still thought the solution was to push harder.

Because hustle culture tells you:

• More is better.
  
• Rest is laziness.
  
• You’re only as valuable as your productivity.
  
• If you’re not tired, you’re not working hard enough.
  

The problem? It never tells you the cost.

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The Cost Was Higher Than I Realized

It cost me years of mental capacity.
It cost me physical health that took a long time to restore.
It cost me presence in the moments that actually mattered.

And here’s the kicker — hustle culture wasn’t even making me wealthier in the way I thought it would. Sure, there were accomplishments, wins, and income spikes. But they were always followed by crashes, exhaustion, and the feeling that it still wasn’t enough.

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The Turning Point

When I finally started learning about the nervous system — about rest, recovery, and regulation — I realized that my body had been trying to tell me the truth long before my mind caught up.

Slowing down didn’t feel natural at first. I had to unlearn years of “go, go, go.” I had to practice saying no to opportunities that didn’t align, even if the gurus and experts said they were a “must.”

And I had to remind myself — sometimes daily — that the lane I want to live in is not the hustle lane.

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Life On the Other Side

I’m so far removed from hustle culture now that it almost feels like another lifetime — but I still remember it vividly. And every now and then, the old voice tries to whisper:

“If you just worked a little harder…”

That’s when I remind myself:
I am living proof that you can slow down and still win.

I’ve hit massive goals without burning out.
I’ve created more peace, joy, and stability than I ever had during my hustle years.
I’m more present. I learn more deeply. I make better financial decisions.

And the truth is — my slower, wealthier, happier life has multiplied my wins because I’m actually able to sustain them.

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The Lie Hustle Culture Sells You

Hustle culture makes you believe that speed is the only way to win. But in reality, speed without capacity is a straight line to burnout.

It ignores the truth that:

• Mental health fuels financial health.
  
• Rest makes you sharper, not weaker.
  
• A regulated nervous system makes better decisions than a stressed one.
  

The hustle-and-grind mentality is expensive — not just in dollars, but in years of your life you can’t get back.

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The Possibility You Might Not Have Considered

You can:

• Build wealth without wrecking your health.
  
• Hit big financial goals without living in constant stress.
  
• Take your time and still win massively.
  

Slower doesn’t mean smaller.
It means strategic.
It means sustainable.
It means you’re building a life you actually have the energy to enjoy.

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Soft Challenge

Take a few minutes today to reflect: Where is hustle culture still showing up in my life?
Write down one place you can slow your pace — without sacrificing your progress — and commit to practicing it this week.

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If you’re ready to explore what it looks like to build wealth without burnout, come join me in Wealthy Women Conversations — where we talk about money, health, and happiness as a complete package.

#SlowerWealthierHappier #MindAndMoney #WealthyWomenConversations