“Money grows wherever value is created.” — Unknown
Back in 2024, I joined a 3 days’ workshop, and the instructor asked: What would you do if you had to come up with $1997 in a week? When I was given this challenge during the wealth-building workshop, my first instinct was to dismiss it as impossible. It was not the first time I was given such a challenge. But that time, instead of shutting the idea down completely, I decided to give it an honest try. The only rule? I couldn’t recycle old ideas. If I wanted to grow, I had to move beyond my usual way of thinking.
I had no immediate answer, but I asked my brain to mull it over and see what surfaced. And then, something interesting happened.
The Shift in Thinking
I run our family real estate business. The projects I was currently working on were still in progress, so I couldn’t immediately see how to come up with the extra amount in such a short time. But I kept reminding myself: The how is none of your business.
The next morning, while doing the dishes, a simple but powerful thought came to me: What if I added value to one of our properties instead of focusing solely on generating quick cash?
I realized that if we added a kitchenette to our studio unit, it could significantly increase the unit’s value—either by making it more appealing for a future sale or by allowing us to raise the rent by at least $100 per month. Maybe even more, considering how sought-after our neighborhood is.
I haven’t done it yet since we still have a tenant occupying the unit, but it’s something we plan to do once the current lease expires this year.
Technically, this wasn’t cash in my pocket, but it made me see money differently. Wealth isn’t just about having hard cash—it’s also about recognizing and creating value.
The Breakthrough Moment
The biggest revelation wasn’t about money itself but about the belief I had held for so long: Money is hard to make.
By reframing my approach, I saw how flimsy that belief was. Money wasn’t hard to make—I just had to look at it differently. The moment this clicked, another thought followed: If money is easy to make, then I can relax with my money and spend it with more ease.
A wave of relief washed over me. I sat down, feeling an emotional release so strong I almost cried. The stress, the pressure, the grip of scarcity—all of it loosened.
The Takeaway: Challenge Your Money Beliefs
This experience taught me that money isn’t just about transactions—it’s about perspective. When you shift how you see wealth, opportunities appear in unexpected ways.
Now, I challenge you:
- What’s a belief you’ve held about money that might not be true?
- If you had to generate $100 in a new way this week—no old methods allowed—how would you do it?
Drop your thoughts in the comments, and let’s start rewriting our money stories together
Sometimes, the most powerful transformations don’t come from making money, but from changing the way we see it. And that shift? That’s priceless.
Salima
Just thinking out loud over here