The Many Eras of Money Mindsets That Shaped Me
It’s funny how your thoughts on a topic can change over the years.
So often we see celebrities or our favorite influencers getting cancelled over things they’ve said—beliefs held that are often not in alignment with what we think to be true or value. I definitely think there is some need to hold others accountable for actions and beliefs that instill harm, but I think honesty is due when we realize that there are certain beliefs that are just that: somebody’s honest take based on years of personal experience, trauma, and biases.
What’s equally scary about our understanding of the world is that it’s constantly in flux, and so to be judged based on how you identify or what you believe in says a lot about the person doing the judging.
It came to my mind the other day how much my opinions and stances on controversial topics have changed over the years.
I saw myself on either side of the seesaw, and in that specific moment in time, didn’t care to see the nuance or believe that the other side of the conversation or ideology was worth seeking. Man, was I wrong.
Let’s take my financial journey as an example.
We now enter: The first money era
Right before I got my first job at 16, my stance on money and wealth was kind of non-existent. There wasn’t a strong conviction because I hadn’t experienced money for myself—it was always through the hands and eyes of others. My parents fought often about money, so on one end, I saw it as a source of conflict. However, on the other end, I saw it as an opportunity to feed my desires. As I didn’t have money for myself, I relied heavily on my parents to purchase things for me. Most things I asked for, I would get. Even if it did seem they were swimming in debt, they did a good job of covering it. I wouldn’t have to worry for long, whether I was contributing to the conflict or not, because I knew that at some point I’d be able to take ownership over my own money story.
Let’s call this the my daddy will take care of me era, which would be the first money era I stepped into. When I eventually did get my first job, it opened up a range of opportunities like never before. I was no longer beholden to my parents or good behaviour in order to get what I wanted. Whether I was good or bad, money was available to me, and I could do whatever I wanted with it. This was the first taste of freedom. The freedom to choose. No longer could I blame anyone else but myself for any financial hardships down the road. The money was mine, and I was happy to spend it on clothes, food, and makeup. What else would a 16-year-old spend it on?
We now enter: Spend like nobody’s watching era
In my last year of high school, I would take a world politics class that shifted my outlook on finances on a collective level. Wealth inequality and poverty were two themes that ignited the activist in me. How could some people in the world have so much money they don’t even need while others have absolutely nothing? A fire started to burn within me—I became enraged at the idea of it. How could humanity be so selfish? I decided to dedicate the rest of my life to solving this issue. To lessen the burden of those who can’t advocate for themselves or who struggle with achieving wealth, whether on an individual or collective level. I believed (and still do) that we are all worthy of abundance and a life well-lived. I realized that money is a big part of that equation, and we needed to fix the systems that failed us.
We now enter: Rich people are evil era
Then would come university, where I began to take on some more financial responsibility that would shift my perspective on money again. Debt and credit. My first year of university, I got a credit card because that’s what most young adults do and what my parents suggested. It’s time to build credit, and the earlier you do, the better. I signed up for a card and was told, Never miss a bill payment, and you should be good. I knew that using credit wasn’t the best practice, and so I kept spending to a minimum. However, I did have to take on a considerable loan from the government for school fees. I knew that for the four years of studying I would be covered for, but eventually the clock would run out on me, and those loans would have to be paid back.
Spending was still high for part of university because it was also my party girl era, and a part of me still wanted to have fun! I’d worry about the debt in four years' time. However, a part of me felt like I could be doing more. Why do I have to wait until I graduate to become a “real adult” and be more financially responsible? At this point, I had never really saved a day in my life. I was used to my chequing account getting close to $0. I hated the idea of wanting to do something but not being able to do it because funds were low. But funds were low for everyone else around me, so I accepted it as the norm. It wasn't until my friend started sparking conversations around investing that my whole identity and beliefs around money were about to take a turn.
We now enter: Rich Dad, Poor Dad era
That book changed my life. It was the first introduction I ever had to the topic of money mindset. I had the mindset of the author’s poor dad, not the rich dad. I thought getting a 9-to-5 and working the rest of my life would be the answer. That was the path set out for me, and most people never think to question it. But because of this book, I did. I learned about assets over liabilities and the concept of net worth. More specifically, how could I build up my asset portfolio? Stock market investing, real estate, starting a business, or invention. I realized that not all rich people were evil. If anything, rich people knew things poor people didn’t, and the majority of people who were rich never came from riches. They became rich from an idea to make the world better than they found it.
Bill Gates created Microsoft as a way to create a digital world that could seamlessly exchange knowledge and information across the globe. McDonald’s simply saw a way to make burgers that tasted good but also were made in half the time using Henry Ford’s assembly line strategy, which in the end could seamlessly be paid for and picked up through a drive-thru window. Whether the inventions solved for convenience or better communication, the inception of these ideas started as good, not to initially create ruin. It also excited me to know that the richest people in the world didn’t get rich off a 9-to-5. They built wealth through innovation and creating businesses of their own. It was with this understanding that I was bent on learning the tricks and trade of the rich, and I would start with the stock market.
We now enter: Change your money story era
Stocks are and will always be my first love. It completely changed how I looked at money and the ease with which money was able to come by. You see, we were always taught that you had to work for every dollar you earned—but what if that wasn’t true? What if, initially, yes, you worked for a dollar, but that dollar could multiply and grow on its own? Without you having to do an inch of physical, mental, or emotional output. Although I knew I could do this with different asset classes like real estate, stocks were easier to come by because there was less barrier to entry. With stocks, you could start with $1 or $1,000 if you wanted to. So I did just that. I motivated myself to save $5,000 by the end of my fourth year of university so that I could invest it all. Within the following year, I would double that amount with a mix of ETFs and individual stocks, followed by another $10,000 bonus with another stock win. I was already up $20,000 within the span of a year. Eventually I would learn to save and focus on paying off debts with any extra income I earned through waitressing, and eventually graduating and landing my first job with a not-for-profit.
We now enter: Be the change you want to see era
I knew I wanted to create a business, but not just for profit. Since Grade 12, I’d made a promise to myself to make a difference — that had to be at the core of anything I built. My first idea was an aromatherapy brand with bath and body products to support emotional and mental well-being. That didn’t go far (though I still have the box of essential oils and plain balms to prove it).
Next came a blog on female empowerment, inspired by a toxic three-year situationship that taught me so much about self-worth. I wanted to help women love themselves, but that blog eventually fizzled, too. Why? Because I was falling in love with investing. With building wealth. And I realized that helping women build financial confidence was the most powerful form of empowerment I could offer.
So I became a coach. I figured — if I could go from anxious spending freak to confident wealth baddie, others could too. I saw people online doing it, did my research, and thought, why not? The barrier to entry was low. I’d teach for free on Instagram, share what worked for me, and maybe earn some income along the way.
Even within coaching, I’ve had my own evolution. At one point, I believed wealth was solely in our hands. Then I circled back to the reality of systemic barriers. As a Black woman, I’ve built wealth — but it hasn’t been without struggle. I still face discrimination, skepticism, and condescension. So I hold space for both truths: personal power and systemic constraint.
Today, I’m in a new era. A post-capitalist era. I see the strengths of capitalism and its deep flaws. Yes, I can thrive in it, but thriving in this system often means someone else is harmed. I’m still processing that tension. A lot of my work still focuses on individual wealth, but what lights me up now is collective wealth. Redefining what it means to live well. Not through six-figure salaries or millionaire status, but through fairness, access, and enoughness for all.
Because wealth isn’t just in the numbers. It’s in how we feel. It’s in how we show up for each other.
We now enter: We’re not wealthy unless we’re all wealthy era
I look back at my life and it amazes me how much my stance has changed on a single topic—money.
A topic that can be so deeply personal and yet so collective. One that’s shaped by our culture, our class, our childhood, and our chosen path.
When I stand in rooms now, or hear people speaking passionately about capitalism—whether in favor of it or against—I can understand both sides. I’ve been on both sides. I no longer see my way as the way, but simply a way.
And that’s softened something in me.
I’m not as quick to tear others down for their opinions or beliefs. I try to remain open. To listen. To hold space for nuance. To remember that most of us are doing the best we can with the beliefs we’ve inherited, the systems we were raised in, and the experiences we’ve survived.
I think that’s what matters most at the end of the day. Because I’m still evolving. My beliefs are still expanding. My coaching will continue to evolve too.
Some people will unsubscribe. New people will find their way here. Just like I’ve unsubscribed from old beliefs and subscribed to new ones.
And I love every version of myself that had the courage to do that.
To admit when I was wrong.
To stand firm when I was right.
And most importantly—to acknowledge that I still know nothing at all.
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