Recently, I’ve noticed a recurring theme in my conversations with clients and friends: economic anxiety, even among those who are financially well-off. 

Take, for example,  a friend of mine who works at Meta. With total compensation exceeding $350,000, she’s comfortably in the top tier of American income earners. Yet a large house, a luxury car, and costly extracurriculars for her children mean she’s living paycheck to paycheck.

On top of that, her work demands are immense. Not only does she work standard office hours, but late-night meetings with overseas suppliers are a daily occurrence, leaving her burnt out and longing for a less demanding role. However, the thought of a pay cut and the lifestyle changes it would bring prevent her from exploring alternatives, even as her health suffers.

She recently came to me for a second opinion financial review. While I didn’t magically solve her issues overnight, I did provide clear direction. The relief she experienced was so tangible that she shared her experience with several Meta colleagues, all of whom reached out for similar guidance.

One of her biggest challenges is that she spends more than half of her disposable income on her mortgage, but almost none on her own rest and recreation. Unless her life goal is to make the bank richer, she shouldn’t be doing that.

Aligning your spending with your priorities

Now, I invite you to conduct a similar self-assessment I did with her.

1. Identify your top three monthly expenses:
2. Match them with your top three life priorities:  Are they truly in sync? 

• If yes, great!
• If no, consider how you might optimize these expenses. Could you reduce or eliminate any that don’t serve your highest values/priorities?

When you eliminate all the expenses that are not aligned with your life priorities, what you lose is anxiety and what you gain is freedom.

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