I am poor but happy!

I am poor but happy.

I have no desire to be rich and never will be.

I teach online and barely make ends meet. I do pay my bills but don't earn much and am paying lots of taxes here. Most of my earnings are going towards taxes.

I am happy nevertheless.

I don't have much interest in materialism so I just get by with what I have.

I am doing ok. I pay for everything but every minute I'm awake I teach or sleep.

I had several setbacks because of my illness but am stable for the past five years now.

So, I feel blessed with my stability and am grateful for what I have.

I like working but at times wish I could just take it easy.

I have been homeless so I know I am blessed with my current situation.

Anybody who is homeless or has been homeless, please don't give up! I know when you are homeless, life seems bleak. But, life is a journey, so keep striving for the best and hoping for the best!

Hugs to all of you who have suffered or are suffering!

I too am poor but happy, however I do strive to be rich. Through work endeavors or lottery wins. But I do like having money too. I'm basically comfortable but can't purchase big things without a plan of attack. Like I need tires before winter and it's getting closer. Really 2 are bad but i have all wheel drive so i have to come up with money to buy 4. That's hard cause i wanted to refinance my car and i need money for that too. I am generally happy but i don't like being poor.

I don't like being poor either but am healthier now. I traded in big bucks for my health. I could not be happier!! I am seeking other jobs to keep me afloat. I will be ok. Life is fun yet busy now. I could not be better!!

I think what you say makes a lot of sense-- you find happiness in yourself and what you do and can contribute, not how much monetary gain you make from it. I'm a lot like you. I am poor, but blessed to have a roof over my head and food on the table and shoes on my feet. I am grateful and find happiness in the little I do have. I too have seen harder "hardships" than I have now. Maybe that helps us see things from a specific perspective. Enjoy life with what you have. It's all you got!

Thank you so much! Yes, I am a product of my experiences, including being homeless. Each day I wake up, I feel grateful for my existence. Please don't get me wrong though about money- it is important! But, I would not trade in my self-worth or my life for money. I would rather be poor and do what I can in this world that does not compromise my self-esteem and worth as a human. I am happier today because I have been through the valleys and now am climbing the mountains for my survival. Life is an adventure. I hope to reach the summit of the mountain and plateau from this point.

Still poor and happy, I am surviving!! Best wishes to you all!

My family is not helping me now. I am scurrying around to find another job. I am happier but the pressure is making me stressed. I have no symptoms - just pressure. I will always be poor. But, I need to survive and know I must focus on this. I liked just teaching. Too bad it does not pay for all my bills. Hmmm, I am confident I will find another job but preparing for it is difficult. I am spending my downtime on reading or writing for my online courses. I am taking it one step at a time. I wish the taxes were more reasonable here. But, at least, I have good health insurance! It is a right here, not a privilege. So, I will survive hopefully.

I am fine but feel the pressure still. I shall survive though. I am confident this time I will remain independent.

I am searching for a second job to keep me afloat. I am having a good time looking. I am enjoying my classes and poking around for jobs. I'm in no hurry since I have a job already. I am doing ok but not saving enough. I have to be wise about money. I know eventually, I can't work forever. I sometimes wish I could have gotten disability income to carry me through. But, I am living as a foreigner in another country now. Also, I never qualified for disability by my psych doc. Oh well.

I am going to take out loans to pay for a grad program. I feel that it will be money well-spent. I say this because I really want to write. I have no debt now. But, I will after I enter grad school. Oh well. I am eking by as it is. I turned down the second job and plan to do without for a while. I'd rather do what I want. I'm so happy about the writing program. I do hope I get in.

I had a lot of things and lost 95% of them. It's a long story, I won't get into it again. I don't own much but what I DO have means a lot to me. What I have is what I was able to save after a bad situation. The things that mean the most to me.

I don't have a car. I'm currently living with my parents because I had nowhere to go.
I lost my full time jobs. One because I had to leave the state, the other because of health reasons.
But...I feel like, these days, I don't need a lot. All that stuff was stuff.
I made over $1000 in a paycheck from one job. The first thing I bought was a tea maker and tea because tea is part of my happiness. People laugh at me for this and raise an eyebrow, but drinking tea is part of my self-care. I had to leave my tea maker and high-quality tea in the state I escaped from.

I'd rather have peace of mind and healing in my heart, than a lot of money in my bank account. I'd rather have purpose and happiness.
I never wanted to be rich either.
I'm thankful to have shelter and a home because I was homeless earlier this year.

I'm not the kind of person anyone aspires to be, I'm by no means a successful person, but I'm one hell of a survivor and I have a good heart. I think that is wealth too.

I relate so much to your post and I love it. In a world that seems to place worth on people according to how much they make, it's refreshing to hear there are other people who don't see wealth and money as the only point to life. I dream of a world where people see worth in those who have overcome challenges that try to destroy them. Or who have illness that they have overcome and find purpose despite having disabilities. I want a world that celebrates people for reasons other than being rich and famous.

I'm happy to hear you have shelter now. I was homeless myself for a while because I was psychotic. I hope your situation continues to go well and you find a good job also. I like my job but know I can't continue on my low salary forever, since I can't work forever and need to save for rainy days ahead. I know how it is to have no money and know that I must continue to work until I am no longer able. Such is life. I am poor but appreciate what little I have and always will. Please take care and keep surviving!

I have a disease, I think it's likely I don't have as long of a life expectancy as someone without a disease. Do I care much about the future? Not anymore. I'll work until I can't. I'll end up where I end up. If it's in a ditch, it's in a ditch. If it's in some kind of hospital, okay. I'm not really bothered. I am living for the moment and today. Teaching is a respectable calling. I admire teachers. It's a shame they are not paid more because teaching is one of the most important things a person could have.

I have never been wealthy. But last year a lot of money came to more, more than at any time in my life. I was able to do and buy a lot of things. This year I lost most of it and am out thousands and thousands of dollars. All those amazing things I bought? Mostly gone. Having an attachment to things sets you up for potential loss. You can have everything and lose it. Having money didn't make me happier. And in the end, I couldn't even keep most of the stuff. Do I care if I get a lot of money again? No. Do I care if I get a lot of stuff again? No. For a while I was obsessed with rebuilding, I put myself in a 40 hrs a week job with physical labor because the pay was $17 an hour. And I almost ended up in the hospital because of my disease. Money is not the point of life.

All I want in life is to be able to enjoy a nice quality tea. The rest is unimportant.

I understand your situation. I work part-time but do earn as much as a low-paid full-time teacher here. I am surviving somehow. I try not to worry about my low pay, but the taxes here are high. The food here is expensive as well. I have to budget carefully. I'm not going out these days and am trying to save money. I should get another job but want to do what I want. I am going to take out a loan for grad school. I will continue working while attending grad school to keep the cost down. I will probably be stressed by all of this. I know I can do it though. I will hang in there.

Money is NOT my focus as well. I need money but try not to obsess about it. I like my current life and don't have much materialistically. But, I am rich in experiences and knowledge. I'm having a good time now. When I was homeless, I had no money and slept on benches at night. I ate at the Rescue Mission once a day. I was working as a stripper but had my tips stolen by another dancer. I remember this vividly. This has motivated me to keep working. I earn some money so this is better than nothing. I don't think I will ever earn lots of money. I don't dwell on having money either but do want to earn more to save more for my rainy days. I will continue working until I no longer am able to. I like teaching and will continue teaching although it pays poorly.

Yes, our health is a priority. Without good health, I am not able to do anything. I think good health is paramount for being successful. I really don't care about achieving lofty goals if I don't have good health. Fortunately, I am doing well now. My overall health is good. I feel great. I feel blessed and grateful for my medication's effectiveness. I am lucky I am stable these days. I was for about 20 years either unstable or not able to function fully due to side effects. I was able to graduate from a professional healthcare school though, but it took me twice as long to finish. I hated those years going to school while suffering from side effects and being unable to function. People made fun of me and cut me down. I remember this and now that I'm doing well, I want to maximize my opportunities and seize the moment.

It warms my heart how much you've overcome, and it's so inspiring. Look at you, maybe you're not rich but you've accomplished more important things than being wealthy. I think eventually, you'll work out the financial situation and that will improve. I think you are very capable. The state I escaped from had high taxes, rent...where I rented should have been $800, it was practically a slum. But the rent was over $1000. I worked in a retail store and I was floored at the taxes I'd see added to a purchase because I was a cashier. One day I asked a manager about it because I was very alarmed. I had been told that living in CO would be cheaper. Um. No. Just another lie I was told by the people who convinced me to move there with them. These days I do research and check things for myself, I learned my lesson. I worked full time for $12.50 an hour. Ridiculous. All I did while I live there basically was work 30-40 hours a week , slaving. These were like 8-9 hour shifts, sometimes 10. Barely making anything at $12.50. Most of the retail jobs here are now $14 an hour or more.

I'll stick to the East Coast, thanks. I guess where I live now is supposed to have high taxes, but it doesn't look and feel that way to me. I DID notice the difference when I was out West. It was shocking. My first apartment was $400. Ha. And it was WAY nicer than the one I had in CO.

I'm done ranting now. I think if you keep going, keeping following your passions, the money will follow. I believe good things happen when we do what we love.

Yes, I know the rent is high on the west coast. I used to live there prior to living here in Asia. I love it here despite the high cost of living. It's safe and people don't bother me. I can literally walk the streets in the wee hours of the morning and nobody bothers me. I also love the health care I'm receiving. In the USA, I was told where to go to see a doctor. Here, I can go wherever I want and it's paid for by my insurance. Also, the cost of medications, not generic, is about a fourth of what I'd pay in the USA even with insurance. I love this country as my own now. The downside is I'm a foreigner and always will be since I don't speak and act like a native. I have no plans on moving again for now. I love it here and am willing to pay the high taxes. They even provide free cancer screening for all people with insurance here. I can't complain. I am really happy and feel grateful I can live here. I'd rather be safe and have good health insurance.

Thank you CinnamonSun for the support and the encouragement. It means a lot to me. I am all alone here so never really talk with anybody except my students. Thus, my job is my lifeline and allows me to be sociable. I feel blessed about my situation. Although my parents are old and unable to visit me, I am ok and doing well.

I know how it is to work under stressful conditions as well. I used to be a healthcare professional. It was a big mistake to become one on my part. I say this because I was too disabled before to work at anything so I really put a lot of pressure on myself to work in healthcare. My parents thought it was a great idea, but I was killing myself and was preparing for my death by blowing myself up to over 200 pounds while being only a little over five feet. I lost my job as a healthcare professional and almost my life but somehow lost most of the excess weight eventually saving myself from a sad demise. I'm so much happier now teaching online. I make peanut pay but cannot really complain. I'm stable and healthier now. I have kept the weight off mostly. I am a little overweight now since I don't exercise that much but am doing fine. So, you are right, we should do what we love. If we become good at what we love, the money will follow.

Have a great day!