How I Found True Financial Freedom by Choosing Rich Experiences Over More Stuff

I didn’t wake up one day and decide to change everything.

It happened gradually. Silently.

Somewhere between the endless Amazon deliveries and the growing stack of unopened courier boxes at home, I felt it—that quiet, nagging feeling that I was spending too much money and energy… and not really feeling any richer.

As a Certified Financial Planner and Coach at The Richness Academy, I help people understand money, simplify their lives, and create systems to live richly. But even as I coached others, I was beginning to feel the weight of “too much” creeping into my own life.

Not just in rupees, but in objects, emotional baggage, cluttered rooms, jammed calendars, and drawers filled with forgotten things.

And then, it clicked.

Real richness isn’t about more.

It’s about less—but better.

This is the story of how I redefined richness. And how you can, too.

1. The More I Owned, The Less I Could Breathe

There was a time when I believed having more would make me feel secure. I bought more gadgets, upgraded to bigger spaces, and filled closets with clothes "just in case."

But with every new purchase, my to-do list got longer—there was more to manage, more to maintain, and more to worry about.

I remember walking into my study one evening to prepare a session for a client, only to be distracted by unopened mail, tangled charging cables, and random boxes on the floor. I felt overwhelmed, and I couldn’t focus.

That's when I realised I wasn't living in a home. I was living in a storage unit.

What I changed:

It was like a breath of fresh air. I started with one corner—just one. I cleared my desk completely, leaving just a clean, quiet space.

It was magical.

From that moment, I made a pact with myself: If it doesn’t add peace, it doesn’t belong.

2. I Was Buying to Impress People Who Weren’t Even Looking

Let’s be honest. We’ve all done it.

I remember buying a fancy Bluetooth speaker once. I told myself it was for my daily morning meditation, but deep down, I knew it was for showcasing during get-togethers. "Oh, you've got the Harman Kardon, too?" I wanted to hear someone say.

Nobody noticed. And I barely used it.

That was a wake-up call.

Here’s what shifted:

I began asking myself before every purchase:

“Am I buying this for myself… or for someone else’s approval?”

As a financial coach, I've seen many clients fall into the same trap—EMIs for cars they don't need, gold jewellery they barely wear, and luxury vacations to post on Instagram rather than truly enjoy.

Now, I only spend to satisfy myself. And trust me, it feels liberating.

3. If I Haven’t Touched It in a Year, I Don’t Need It

One weekend, I opened my wardrobe and found a kurta I hadn't worn in two years—not once. Yet every time I tried to let it go, a little voice said, "But what if you need it later?"

That “what if” had filled up shelves.

So, I did a small experiment.

I turned every hanger in my closet the other way. Whenever I wore something, I turned the hanger back.

After six months, over 60% of my clothes were still untouched.

I took the hint.

Letting go didn't make me feel lighter just physically—it made me feel mentally clear. It also gave me back time I used to waste deciding what to wear.

Today, my wardrobe is small but intentional. Every piece is something I love and actually use. It's a joy to open my closet and see only what I truly value.

4. Fewer Things Made Me Love What I Had More

I had a favourite watch—nothing expensive, just reliable and classic. But I rarely wore it. It was buried under other watches I’d bought in a burst of excitement and then forgotten.

Once I let the others go, I started wearing that one watch more often.

I noticed it. Admired it. Took better care of it.

And this, I realised, was a beautiful secret:

When you have less, you appreciate more.

One of my clients—a senior marketing executive—once told me after decluttering her kitchen: “I love cooking now. Earlier, I couldn’t even find my spices.”

Sometimes, the real problem isn’t that we don’t have enough.

It's that we have too much even to notice what's valuable.

5. The Pile of Clutter Was a Pile of Postponed Decisions

One day, I opened a drawer in my study and found at least 50 business cards, random receipts, old to-do lists, and dried-out pens.

And I asked myself: Why is this stuff still here?

Because I hadn’t decided what to do with it.

That's when I realized clutter isn't just a mess—it's indecision. Every item was a delayed choice.

Do I need this?

Will I ever use this?

Why am I keeping it?

Clearing out that drawer felt like finishing 50 little unfinished tasks. It gave me mental closure.

Now, I teach my clients this principle: "If something is sitting idle, it's silently draining your attention."

Make the decision. Don't delay it. Taking control of your space and your life starts with making decisions about what you truly need and value.

6. My Memories Were in My Heart, Not in Old Objects

This one was hard.

My daughter gifted me an old diary, some broken glasses from college, and a T-shirt from my first client meeting.

They meant something.

But they were just things.

I paused. Took a photo of each one. Wrote a memory about it.

And then, I let them go.

Strangely, I felt more connected to those memories because now, they were part of me, not just part of my stuff.

Today, I encourage my clients to honour memories not by hoarding them but by celebrating them. Write them down, frame them, and talk about them.

But don’t imprison your past in a cupboard.

7. When I Stopped Buying Things, I Started Living More

I noticed something incredible.

The less I spent on stuff, the more I had for experiences.

Instead of a new phone, I took my wife on a surprise weekend getaway to Rishikesh. Instead of upgrading my car, I took a course on digital storytelling.

I felt alive.

Because, unlike things, experiences grow richer over time.

They become stories. They spark laughter. They teach us something.

When I ask my clients what they remember most about the past 5 years, no one says, “The day I bought that new phone.”

They talk about family trips. Spiritual retreats. Late-night conversations. Purposeful work.

That’s richness.

8. Letting Go Isn’t About Losing—It’s About Creating Space

Finally, I understood something simple but powerful:

Every time I said no to something I didn’t need, I was saying yes to something that truly mattered.

More time.

More energy.

More space.

More clarity.

This new approach improved my finances, my emotional health, my family relationships, and even my coaching style.

I stopped rushing.

I started being present.

I started feeling rich.

Real richness isn't measured by how much you have.

It’s measured in how free you feel.

Want to Live This Way Too?

Here’s what I now guide my clients to do—not just to improve their bank balance, but their whole life.

• Start small. A drawer, a shelf, a wallet. Let something go today.
• Ask before every purchase: Is this adding to my peace or taking from it?
• Choose moments over materials. Invest in memories, not upgrades.
• Make space—not just in your home, but in your calendar, mind, and heart.

Because in that space, magic happens.

Living the Richness Principles: From Minimalism to Meaningful Wealth

The day I began shedding the excess from my life wasn’t just the beginning of a clean wardrobe or a tidy home. It was the beginning of something far deeper—a whole new relationship with money, value, and the meaning of success.

As a Certified Financial Planner and Coach, I’d always known numbers. But now, I began to see the emotion behind money, the stories behind stuff, and the wisdom behind simplicity.

Disclaimer & About the Author: This article is for informational purposes only. Readers should consult a qualified financial advisor before making decisions. Taresh Bhatia, CFP® and founder of The Richness Academy, empowers individuals to achieve financial freedom. Send queries to taresh@tareshbhatia.com or visit his website https://tareshbhatia.com or Register for his webinar:

https://learn.therichnessacademy.com/l/d48bc33d08