Middle class and proud. 

It’s gotten me this far, and I’m still climbing.

But growing up middle class, balanced between just surviving and thriving, led to an angsty relationship with money. 

I had no respect for it, rebelled against it. 

And struggled for a long time as a result. Living paycheck to paycheck. Making stupid decisions, being selfish. It collared me.

• Racked up credit card debt (thanks for bailing me out, Dad)
• Defaulted on my student loan, crippling my credit for years 
• Pawned guitars, amps, and beloved items to make rent
• Missed out on trips and other amazing experiences
• Battled self-deprecating thoughts and worse

They say money makes the world go ‘round. They’re not wrong. Money can’t buy happiness, but you can’t live without it.

I finally came to terms with this in my late 20s—it’s embarrassing to admit.

But at 37, I’m starting to get ahead. Debts are squared, credit is solid, and savings accounts are growing. 

It took loads of work to get here, refusing to be beaten and the will to be better—it took the grit of the middle class.  

It took self-reflection. Monitoring spending habits, identifying destructive behaviour. And making necessary life changes.

The next step is investing, planning for the future. Because stressing over money is a miserable way to live. (And because retirement is fucking expensive!)  

It’s a little overwhelming. Intimidating. But less so the more I learn.

Check out this resource from Wealthsimple and these two YouTube channels: Canadian in a T-Shirt and Passive Income Investing. 

The point is: you have to start somewhere and you have to fail sometimes. Growth is impossible otherwise.

This is the beginning of my journey. Maybe it’s the start of yours. 

Let’s keep building together.

Have any advice or useful resources related to personal finance and wealth management? Share them in the comments.