Weekend Reading: Four Things That Make Money Meaningful

This article appears as part of Casey Weade's Weekend Reading for Retirees series. Every Friday, Casey highlights four hand-picked articles on trending retirement topics and delivers them straight to your email inbox. Get on the list here.
Weekend reading making money meaningful Weekend reading making money meaningful
Weekend Reading

How does finding meaning and purpose in life relate to your relationship with money? In Viktor Frankl's book, Man’s Search for Meaning, he reflects on his experience in Nazi death camps, emphasizing that even in the darkest times, moments of happiness and meaning can be found.

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Sources of meaning: Your life’s meaning and purpose are powerful forces that influence the way you use money and reflect your values. In the financial arena, four key areas where you may commonly find meaning include:

📌 Family: Financial resources are seen as instrumental in supporting family-related activities; from maintaining a comfortable home to spending quality time together.

📌 Helping others: One of the greatest sources of meaning comes from helping others. Donations, volunteering and acts of kindness all contribute to a more meaningful financial life.

📌 Experiences: When you prioritize experiences over material possessions, studies show you derive greater well-being and happiness. The anticipation, enjoyment and memories associated with experiences are considered more enduring sources of joy.

📌 Work: Meaning is not only derived from how money is used, but also from how it is earned. Your work and career might be significant sources of meaning for you, accompanied by accomplishments and challenges

When you leverage money in alignment with your values and sources of meaning, you are truly utilizing it as the life-enhancing tool it’s meant to be. Living a meaningful life naturally leads to using money in a meaningful manner.